Who was Richard Greenberg? Everything to know about the Tony-winning playwright dead at 67

Richard Greenberg, the American playwright known for Take Me Out, has died at the age of 67. News of his death was confirmed by collaborators and friends in the theatre community, many of whom paid tribute to the late writer.

Specific details regarding Richard Greenberg's death have not been publicly shared. The news was met with respect and remembrance from actors, directors, and more in the theatre scene.

Greenberg's career spanned more than three decades. He has written over 30 plays. His work was often described as humorous and melancholic. Reports suggest that they were also featured with verbal and emotional nuances.

Who was Richard Greenberg?

Richard Greenberg was born on February 22, 1958, in East Meadow, New York. He was raised on Long Island. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, where he studied under author Joyce Carol Oates. After a brief stint at Harvard for graduate school, he transferred to the Yale School of Drama and enrolled in its playwriting program.

One of his earliest pieces was The Bloodletters, which earned him the George Oppenheimer Award in 1985. It eventually started his career that would see him premiere plays in New York and across the country, such as at the Manhattan Theatre Club and South Coast Repertory.

Arguably, Greenberg's most recognized work is Take Me Out. It is a 2002 play about a fictional Major League Baseball player who comes out as gay. The story explored issues of homophobia, race, masculinity, and more. The play premiered at London's Donmar Warehouse. It moved Off-Broadway and then to Broadway in 2003.

Take Me Out earned Richard the Tony Award for Best Play, along with additional wins for direction and performance. The work ran for 355 performances, reports suggest.

The play was revived on Broadway in 2022. It earned another Tony for Best Revival of a Play, as well as a win for Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played the character of Mason Marzac. The role was originated by Denis O'Hare.

Denis O'Hare took to his official Instagram account to share a tribute to the late playwright Richard Greenberg.

The post read:

"Hard to believe the genius that was Richard Greenberg is no more. I owe him more than I could possibly say. He gave me the greatest gift ever -- a beautiful character to inhabit in a beautiful play. He also gave me 2 of my best friends -- Lisa Peterson and Linda Emond. We all met and worked on Rich's one act - The Author's Voice at Remains Theatre in 1987 in a festival of one acts called "Sneaky Feelings" I have a sneaky feeling of grief mixed with gratitude for this man. RIP Rich."

Richard Greenberg's other notable plays include:

• Three Days of Rain (1997), a Pulitzer Prize finalist
• Eastern Standard (1988)
• The Violet Hour (2003)
• The Dazzle (2002)
• The American Plan (1990)
• The Assembled Parties (2013), which earned a Tony nomination for Best Play

He also worked on adaptations, such as the 2013 Broadway version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and a reimagining of Pal Joey.

Greenberg's family details have not been publicly disclosed at this time.

Rest in peace, Richard Greenberg.

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