Alfred Preisser is an American theater director, playwright, producer and teacher of acting. He currently is the Artistic Director and Theater Director at

Harlem School of the Arts Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) is an art school located in the Harlem section of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Opening its doors in 1964, HSA serves ages 2 through 18. History Harlem School of the Arts was founded in 1964, by sopra ...

Career

Preisser is the founder and artistic director of APPI, a New York-based theatrical production company that creates dance, music and theater pieces with universal themes and aggressive interpretations of classics. He is a visiting artist and professor of theatre and directing at

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a Public university, public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York ...

(CCNY), and is working with Professor Eugene Nesmith, Associate Professor, and Chair in the Department of Theater at

CCNY The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 18 ...

, to create CityArts Theatre (CAT), a professional summer theatre company for the school. Preisser was the founding artistic director of The Classical Theatre of Harlem from 1999 to 2009, and the director of the Theatre Division at

The Harlem School of the Arts Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) is an art school located in the Harlem, New York, Harlem section of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Opening its doors in 1964, HSA serves ages 2 through 18. History Harlem School of the Arts was founded ...

from 1999 to 2007. Preisser also worked as a guest director at SAR High School during the 2021-2022 academic year, where he directed productions of ''The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'' and ''Peter and the Starcatcher''. Plays by Preisser include ''Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe'' and ''Caligula Maximus'', both co-written with

Randy Weiner Randy Weiner (born March 10, 1965) is an American playwright, producer and theater and nightclub owner. Weiner co-wrote the Off-Broadway musical ''The Donkey Show'' and, as one-third of EMURSIVE, produced the Drama Desk Award winning New York p ...

, ''Electra'', ''Black Nativity Now'', co-written with Tracy Jack, ''Dialogues of Plato's Retreat'' and ''Blak Athena''. Award-winning and notable Preisser productions include ''The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller'', based on the short story by Christopher Stokes, which had its world premiere in an Off Broadway production at New York's West End Theatre in 2010; his 2009 production of ''Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe'' starring André De Shields (four Audelcos);

Melvin Van Peebles Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. He worked as an active filmmaker into the early 2020s. His feature film debut, ''The Story of a Three-Day Pa ...

´ ''Ain´t Supposed To Die a Natural Death'' (seven Audelcos); his 2006 production o
''King Lear''
with André De Shields, which opened the 75th Anniversary season at The Folger Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C; and his critically acclaimed original adaptations of ''

Caligula Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), also called Gaius and Caligula (), was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Ag ...

'', ''

Medea In Greek mythology, Medea (; ; ) is the daughter of Aeëtes, King Aeëtes of Colchis. Medea is known in most stories as a sorceress, an accomplished "wiktionary:φαρμακεία, pharmakeía" (medicinal magic), and is often depicted as a high- ...

'', ''

The Trojan Women ''The Trojan Women'' (, lit. "The Female Trojans") is a tragedy by the Ancient Greece, Greek playwright Euripides, produced in 415 BCE. Also translated as ''The Women of Troy,'' or as its transliterated Greek title ''Troades, The Trojan Women'' ...

'' and ''Electra''. Other productions in New York include ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'', which toured Germany in 2004, ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'', ''Day of Absence'',

Derek Walcott Sir Derek Alton Walcott OM (23 January 1930 – 17 March 2017) was a Saint Lucian poet and playwright. He received the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature. His works include the Homeric epic poem '' Omeros'' (1990), which many critics view "as ...

's ''

Dream on Monkey Mountain ''Dream on Monkey Mountain'' is a play by the Nobel Prize-winning St. Lucian poet and playwright Derek Walcott. It was first published in 1970 with a collection of short plays entitled ''Dream on Monkey Mountain and Other Plays''. It was first per ...

'', and ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

''. Preisser's theatrical productions have been recognized with the American Theatre Wing Award (Outstanding Artistic Achievement),

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

(Artistic Achievement), Edwin Booth Award (Outstanding Contribution to NYC Theater),

Lucille Lortel Award The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...

(Outstanding Body of Work), two

Obie Awards The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...

(Sustained Achievement and Excellence in Theatre) and numerous Audelco Awards.

Projects in the works

Preisser and co-writer

's ''Caligula Maximus'', an outrageous theatrical extravaganza, combining elements of a circus, a play with music, and a nightclub installation, was helmed by Preisser in the Spring of 2010 at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre, had a twice extended run, and is in development for a commercial run this Fall. Preisser and Tracy Jack's annual Christmas dance-concert ''Black Nativity Now'' at Theatre at St. Clements, opens December 2010;"Black Nativity Now Set for Limited Off Broadway Run at The Theatre at St. Clements, 12/3-1/2/11"
''Broadwayworld.com'', New York, August 11, 2010. and in 2011, Preisser will present a multi-city tour of ''Ain´t Supposed To Die a Natural Death'' by

, to mark the 40th Anniversary of that seminal American spoken word musical.

References

External links

Alfred Preisser Official Website
*Penketh, Tom
"With Caligula, Alfred Preisser Offers a Pleasurable Mess"
''Backstage.com'', March 19, 2010. *Tallmer, Jerry

''The Villager'', March 3–9, 2010. {{DEFAULTSORT:Preisser, Alfred Living people American theatre directors American dramatists and playwrights American artistic directors American educators American theatre managers and producers Year of birth missing (living people)