Richard Skipper Celebrates A Man of Much Importance

From his first plays in the early 1960s to his death in 2020, playwright Terrence McNally has been a force in American theater. Beginning in the Off-Off Broadway movement, McNally’s writing continually reflected a changing culture, from opposition to the Vietnam War through the emergence of AIDS and gay rights. His stage plays, musicals, and operas continue to be performed internationally, and they remain the work of a consummate artist, delving into the human soul and fearlessly examining both the lighter and darker aspects of existence in an uncertain—and sometimes frightening—world. A Man of Much Importance looks at McNally’s life and work against the backdrop of a dynamic theatrical culture, tracing the ways in which an artist grows and responds to his world. Based on extensive interviews with McNally, it also features interviews with many of the artists—actors, designers, and producers—with whom he’s collaborated, including Nathan Lane, Chita Rivera, Audra McDonald, Christine Baranski, Kathy Bates, Swoosie Kurtz, John Glover, Joe Mantello, Arin Arbus, Paul Libin, Lynne Meadow, and many more.

 Christopher Byrne is an author and theater critic.

 He is a member of The Drama Desk and the American Theatre Critics Association. He began his career as a stage manager and producer and is a graduate of Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. In his not-so-secret double life, he is a leading expert on toys and play, writing extensively (including seven books), speaking, and appearing on many television programs worldwide on the topic. He is the creator and host of The Playground Podcast, a B2B podcast for the international toy industry, as well as Voice Out Loud, a podcast amplifying diverse voices in the LGBTQ+community. The book is officially out on July 15, and it’s available for pre-order.