Arthur Kopit
Birth Place: USA
Freddie Fox Will Make Musical Theatre Debut in HIGH SOCIETY at the Barbican (Apr 8, 2026)
Prohibition-Era Musical Comedy FIFTH AVENUE to Have Industry Reading (Jan 22, 2026)
Review: YESTON & KOPIT'S PHANTOM IN CONCERT at BrightSide Theatre (Jan 11, 2026)
BIO
Kopit was an American playwright. He was a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist (Indians and Wings) and a three-time Tony Award nominee: Best Play, Indians (1970); Best Play, Wings (1979); and Best Book of a Musical, for Nine (1982). He won the Vernon Rice Award (now known as the Drama Desk Award) in 1962 for Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad and was nominated for another Drama Desk Award in 1979 for Wings.
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Awards and Nominations
Arthur Kopit, Nine
Arthur Kopit, Wings
Arthur Kopit, Wings
Arthur Kopit, Indians
Arthur Kopit, Indians
winner
Arthur Kopit, Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad
Videos
Video: Robyn Hurder, Max Clayton & More in HIGH SOCIETY at Ogunquit Playhouse
by Joshua Wright - 2025-08-13 10:47:21
Video: Watch Robyn Hurder Perform 'Let's Misbehave' in HIGH SOCIETY
by Michael Major - 2025-08-04 16:02:07
Video: Max Clayton & Ari Groover Rehearse 'Now You Has Jazz' From Ogunquit's HIGH SOCIETY
by Michael Major - 2025-07-22 14:56:51
Video: Inside Rehearsals of HIGH SOCIETY at Ogunquit Playhouse
by Joshua Wright - 2025-07-15 15:54:59
Video: Watch Ramin Karimloo Perform 'Only With You' From NINE
by Michael Major - 2025-01-30 10:04:34
Video: Steven Pasquale, Lesli Margherita, and More in NINE at the Kennedy Center
by Joshua Wright - 2024-08-08 11:00:21
Video: Hear From Steven Pasquale, Elizabeth Stanley & More From the Cast of NINE at the Kennedy Center
by Backstage Live with Richard Ridge - 2024-07-29 13:38:19
Exclusive Video: Get A First Look At Yeston/Kopit's PHANTOM Starring K-Pop Sensation Kyuhyun
by Alan Henry - 2022-04-26 10:28:10
VIDEO: Get A First Look At Yeston/Kopit's PHANTOM Starring K-Pop Sensation Kyuhyun
by Alan Henry - 2022-04-20 10:47:24
VIDEO: On This Day, April 10- Ti Voglio Bene! Antonio Banderas Leads A Revival of NINE to Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - 2017-04-10 00:00:03
Who Was Lucille Lortel and Why Is There An Award Named For Her?
by Michael Dale - 2016-03-31 21:01:50
STAGE TUBE: First Look at La Jolla Playhouse's A DRAM OF DRUMMHICIT!
by Kelsey Denette - 2011-05-23 18:43:48
STAGE TUBE: NINE Director Rob Marshall Appears On The Today Show
by Gabrielle Sierra - 2009-12-24 09:55:23
News
by Stephi Wild - Apr 8, 2026
Freddie Fox will make his musical theatre debut in HIGH SOCIETY at the Barbican Theatre, with the full cast now announced for the summer production. Learn more here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 22, 2026
Following a string of sold-out performances at Don't Tell Mama and a celebrated presentation at The York Theatre, the new musical comedy Fifth Avenue will have an exclusive, industry-only Salon Reading.
by Tina St. Angelo - Jan 11, 2026
What did our critic think of YESTON & KOPIT'S PHANTOM IN CONCERT at BrightSide Theatre?
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 11, 2025
BrightSide Theatre will open its 2026 season with Phantom in Concert, a concert staging of the musical by Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit. The production will run January 9–18 at North Central College’s Madden Theatre.
by Stephi Wild - Dec 5, 2025
The razor-sharp wit of Cole Porter will return to the Barbican next summer in a new production of Porter’s musical masterpiece HIGH SOCIETY. Learn more here!
by Stephi Wild - Dec 2, 2025
North Shore Music Theatre has announced its upcoming season for 2026. The season will kick off with On You Feet in June. The rest of the lineup includes Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Rock of Ages, Come From Away, and Phantom.
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 21, 2025
BrightSide Theatre has announced casting for its January 2026 concert staging of PHANTOM, the Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit musical based on The Phantom of the Opera.
by Patrick Honoré - Oct 27, 2025
Just days after its October 22nd 2025 premiere at Paris's Théâtre Antoine, Benoît Solès's bold French adaptation of Gaston Leroux's Le Fantôme de l'Opéra has already sparked a whirlwind of reactions.
by Marina Kennedy - Oct 17, 2025
Luna Stage in West Orange, NJ is presenting Jenny Lyn Bader’s Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library, directed by Ari Laura Kreith. The show will run through November 2.
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 16, 2025
Peacedale Global Arts is thrilled to announce playwright Zora Howard has been selected as the inaugural Arthur Kopit Fellow. The Arthur Kopit Fellowship is a year-long residency that includes a cash prize of $10,000, a seat in Peacedale Global Arts' New Work, NY Generative Workshop program with international artists, and additional artistic support.
by Joshua Wright - Aug 13, 2025
Watch Robyn Hurder, Max Clayton, Andrew Durand and more perform in Ogunquit Playhouse's production of the Cole Porter musical comedy, HIGH SOCIETY! The musical runs through August 23 in Ogunquit, Maine.
by Stephi Wild - Aug 6, 2025
Post-performance talkback hosts have been announced for the remaining eight performances of Committed? A Ritual for Robbie, written and performed by Lisa Robins and directed by Mitch Levine.
by Michael Major - Aug 4, 2025
Watch Robyn Hurder, Max Clayton, Bryan Batt, and more perform “Let’s Misbehave!” in Ogunquit Playhouse's production of the Cole Porter musical comedy, HIGH SOCIETY! Watch the video now.
by Dan Marois - Jul 29, 2025
The brassy stage musical, High Society, is currently holding court at the Ogunquit Playhouse in a production that was specifically reimagined from Philip Barry's play The Philadelphia Story (and its iconic film counterpart), for the hallowed playhouse. This production delivers a generous helping of wit, charm, and musical sophistication, making for an unforgettable evening of theater.did our critic think of HIGH SOCIETY at Ogunquit Playhouse?
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 25, 2025
Ogunquit Playhouse has released new photos of its production of High Society, the Matt Lenz-directed musical with Cole Porter’s timeless tunes. The production runs July 24 thru August 23 in Ogunquit, Maine.
by Michael Major - Jul 22, 2025
Ogunquit Playhouse has released new video from rehearsals for High Society, the Matt Lenz-directed musical with Cole Porter’s timeless tunes. Watch Max Clayton and Ari Groover sing a rousing rendition of Cole Porter's 'Now You Has Jazz.'
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 16, 2025
Experience Yeston and Kopit’s opulent PHANTOM, on stage at The Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, NY in August. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets!
by Joshua Wright - Jul 15, 2025
Get a first look inside rehearsals for High Society, directed by Matt Lenz, with Cole Porter’s timeless tunes, which begins performances Thursday, July 24 with a limited run through August 23, 2025 at Ogunquit Playhouse.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 7, 2025
Ogunquit Playhouse has revealed the full cast and creative for the reimagining of High Society, directed by Matt Lenz. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.
by Joshua Wright - Jun 30, 2025
Ogunquit Playhouse has revealed that Tony Award nominee Robyn Hurder (Broadway’s Smash, Moulin Rouge!) will star as Tracy Lord in their upcoming production of High Society, alongside previously announced star Max Clayton (The Music Man).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Arthur Kopit has written 13 shows including Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad (Playwright), Asylum (Playwright), The Day the Whores Came Out to Play Tennis/ Sing to Me Through Open Windows (Playwright), Indians (Playwright), Wings (Playwright), Wings (Playwright), Nine (Bookwriter), End of the World (Playwright), High Society (Bookwriter), Road to Nirvana (Playwright), Wings (Source Material), Phantom (Bookwriter), Y2K (Playwright).
Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Nine, Outstanding New Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Wings, Best Play (Tony Awards) for Wings, Best American Play (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for Indians, Best Play (Tony Awards) for Indians and Best Playwright (Drama Desk Awards) for Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad.
Arthur Kopit won the Best Playwright award at the Drama Desk Awards for Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad. Additionally, he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Play for his work on Wings. Kopit also earned a nomination for a Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Indians and won the Best Play award at the New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for both Oh Dad, Poor Dad, and his play The Daylight Zone.
Videos