Nationality American Education Kenyon College Role Playwright | Name Murray Horwitz Years active 1987–present Plays Ain't Misbehavin' | |
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Born September 28, 1949 Dayton, Ohio Occupation American actor , writer, NPR broadcaster, and arts administrator Spouse(s) Lisa Miller (m. September 7, 1974) Children Alex Horwitz, Ann Horwitz, Charles Horwitz Parents Alan S. Horwitz, Charlotte Vangrov Horwitz Awards Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical Similar People Richard Maltby - Jr, Fats Waller, Nell Carter, Lisa Miller, Andre De Shields | ||
How Do We Listen? Part 1: Rhythm
Murray Horwitz is an American playwright, lyricist, NPR broadcaster, and arts administrator.
Contents
Education
Horwitz graduated from Kenyon College with a bachelor of arts degree, with a dual major, in English and Drama. In 1992, he received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Kenyon College.
Career
Horwitz began his career working with Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus as a clown for three years.
In 1973, after moving to New York City, Horwitz appeared in the one-man show, An Evening Of Sholom Aleichem, which was directed by Richard Maltby, Jr., and in which he continues to perform at The Kennedy Center, The Manhattan Theatre Club, and The New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater. In 1978, Horwitz and Maltby created the Broadway musical Ain’t Misbehavin’, which won Tony, Obie, Emmy, Grammy, and New York Drama Critics' Circle awards.
He became the assistant director of Opera-Musical Theater at the National Endowment for the Arts in 1987. Horwitz created Ain't Misbehavin' with Richard Maltby, Jr. The musical is named after a Fats Waller song. Horwitz received multiple awards for co-writing Ain't Misbehavin', including a Tony, Obie, Emmy, Grammy, and New York Drama Critics' Circle award.
Since 1998, Horwitz has been creative consultant to the annual Mark Twain Prize ceremonies at the Kennedy Center.
In 1989, he began his career at NPR, where he created several series, including Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me, Wynton Marsalis: Making the Music, and The NPR Basic Jazz Record Library. Horwitz received three Peabody awards for his work at NPR.
In 2002, Horwitz became the founding director of the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, in Silver Spring, Maryland. He later served in fundraising positions at Washington National Opera and the Washington Performing Arts Society. He created the radio game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!. He is also frequently a panelist on another public radio game show, Says You!. Horwitz was the director and chief executive officer of the AFI Silver Theatre and Culture Center from 2002 until 2009.
In 2016, Horwitz took over as host of WAMU's The Big Broadcast old-time radio show.
Credits and Achievements
(in chronological and subject order)
Personal
Horwitz was born in Dayton, Ohio on September 28, 1949 to Alan S. (a physician) and Charlotte (Vangrov) Horwitz. He is married to singer Lisa Miller and has three children, Charles, Ann, and Alexander. They live in Washington D.C.