Robert Brustein: Nonprofit Theater’s Fervent Driving Force, Dies at 96

The world of theater mourns the loss of a giant, Robert Sanford Brustein, an individual who reshaped the landscape of American theater as a critic, playwright, and passionate advocate for the arts. Brustein, the founder of both Yale Repertory Theatre and the American Repertory Theatre, passed away at the age of 96 at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as confirmed by Gideon Lester, the artistic director and chief executive of the Fisher Center at Bard University and a close family friend.

Throughout his life, Brustein was a crusader for artistic integrity, pushing boundaries, and urging for adventurous modernizations of classics. His groundbreaking works challenged critics and audiences, reflecting his unapologetic approach to unconventional productions. “I know I’m out of step,” he once said to the New York Times in 2001. “I’m so out of step I’m almost in step.”

His influence extended far beyond founding theaters; he was an unyielding voice in both the artistic and political spheres. Despite his age, Brustein continued to express his opinions on diverse subjects, from art to politics, maintaining a blog where he candidly shared personal experiences and reflections.

Born in New York City, Brustein’s academic journey included attaining a bachelor’s degree from Amherst and a master’s and PhD from Columbia. He was a distinguished Fulbright scholar, sharing his passion for drama and theater at esteemed institutions such as Cornell, Vassar, and Columbia, where he taught.

His tenure as dean at the Yale School of Drama from 1966 to 1979 marked a transformative period. The Yale Repertory Theatre, under his leadership, became a champion of new work, producing Pulitzer Prize-winning plays and finalists. Many of its productions found their way to Broadway, amassing numerous Tony Awards and nominations.

Following a painful departure from Yale, Brustein ventured to Harvard, where he founded the American Repertory Theatre in 1980, a pivotal moment in nonprofit theater. Later, in 1987, he established the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training, a graduate program. His impact on the American Repertory Theatre was immeasurable, propelling it to national acclaim, and earning prestigious awards, including the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize.

Brustein’s vision for theater extended beyond mere entertainment; he sought to create experiences that lingered in the minds of audiences long after the curtains fell. “The goal is to try and have people in the audience take away something that lasts and will haunt them,” he shared in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1997. “They’ll have an unresolved experience.”

The legacy left by Robert Brustein reverberates not only through the success of the institutions he founded but also through the countless artists, playwrights, and theater enthusiasts influenced by his unyielding dedication to the arts. His impact on American theater will resonate for generations to come, shaping the very fabric of the stage and the hearts of those who cherish its transformative power.