William Luce – Playwright

A word is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
~Emily Dickinson

William Luce (1931) wrote his Broadway and London success The Belle of Amherst for Julie Harris, who won her fifth Tony Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Emily Dickinson, with Charles Nelson Reilly directing. The record album received a Grammy Award. Thames Television’s production of Belle, starring Claire Bloom, won the International Emmy Award. Luce’s Broadway hit Barrymore starred Christopher Plummer as John Barrymore and was directed by Gene Saks. Plummer won the Tony Award for Best Actor. For her portrayal of Isak Dinesen in Luce’s play Lucifer’s Child (directed by Tony Abatemarco), Harris received a Tony nomination. Harris also starred in Luce’s Bronte for WGBH and Irish Television, garnering the Peabody Award and Columbia University’s Armstrong Award. Luce’s Sound Portrait of William Shakespeare for NPR starred David Warner, David Dukes, Peter Donat, Arthur Hill, Julie Harris, Joan Hackett and Marian Mercer. He was also a Writers Guild Award nominee for his two CBS movies: The Last Days of Patton, starring George C. Scott and Eva Marie Saint, and The Woman He Loved, starring Jane Seymour, Anthony Andrews, Olivia de Havilland, and Julie Harris. Luce lives on the Oregon Coast.

William Luce’s My Business To Love starred American soprano Renée Fleming, with Julie Harris and Claire Bloom. Its joint New York/London world premiere at Lincoln Center and Barbican Centre was directed by Charles Nelson Reilly. Luce’s play Nijinsky premiered at Parco Theatre in Tokyo and was directed by John Tillinger. Luce’s Broadway hit Barrymore starred Christopher Plummer as John Barrymore and was directed by Gene Saks. Plummer won the Tony Award for Best Actor. Actress Judy Davis directed the Sydney Opera House production, starring Australian actor Barry Otto. Baptiste, Luce’s comedy on Molière, premiered at Hartford Stage, direction by David Warren. Luce wrote his Broadway and London success The Belle of Amherst for Harris, who won her fifth Tony Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Emily Dickinson, with Reilly directing. The record album received a Grammy Award. IBM’s production of Belle won three Christopher Awards. Thames Television’s production of Belle, starring Claire Bloom with direction by Adrian Brown, won the International Emmy Award. For her portrayal of Isak Dinesen in Luce’s play Lucifer’s Child (directed by Tony Abartemarco), Harris received a Tony nomination. Harris also starred in Luce’s Bronte for WGBH (Elinor Stout directing) and Irish Television (Delbert Mann directing), garnering the Peabody Award and Columbia University’s Armstrong Award. Luce’s play Bravo, Caruso! celebrated The Cleveland Play House’s seventy-fifth anniversary and was directed by Peter Mark Schifter. It starred Joseph Mascolo and Joseph Sicari. Luce’s Chanel premiered at Parco Theatre in Tokyo, direction by Philip Wm. McKinley. Luce’s Off-Broadway The Divine Orlando featured The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble, direction by Paul Lazarus. Luce’s Sound Portrait of William Shakespeare for NPR starred David Warner, David Dukes, Peter Donat, Arthur Hill, Julie Harris, Joan Hackett and Marian Mercer, with direction by Charles Marowitz for Paper Mill Playhouse. Luce wrote the libretto for the musical Sayonara, choreography by Susan Stroman, direction by Robert Johanson, lyrics by Hy Gilbert, music by George Fischoff. A later production by Theatre Under the Stars featured choreography by Tony Stevens and direction by McKinley. With composer Henry Mollicone, Luce wrote A Rat’s Tale for narrator, orchestra and children’s chorus. He was also a Writers Guild Award nominee for his two CBS movies: The Last Days of Patton, starring George C. Scott and Eva Marie Saint, direction by Mann, and The Woman He Loved starring Jane Seymour, Anthony Andrews, Olivia de Havilland, and Julie Harris, direction by Charles Jarrott. Luce lives on the Oregon Coast.