Public Theater Celebrates Contribution of Merle Debuskey, Its Founding Press Rep, Nov. 4
By Kenneth Jones
04 Nov 2009
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Merle Debuskey
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Veteran theatrical press agent Merle Debuskey will be honored by The Public Theater — an organization that grew from roots that he helped tend — at a Nov. 4 ceremony attended by friends and colleagues.
Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis and executive director Andrew D. Hamingson will honor Debuskey "for his invaluable contributions to The Public Theater and Free Shakespeare in the Park." Debuskey will be in attendance for the 5-6:30 PM cocktail reception at The Public (425 Lafayette Street). Remarks and a ceremony recognizing Debuskey's work will be at 5:30 PM. A plaque will be unveiled.
Robert Kamlot, longtime New York Shakespeare Festival general manager and general manager for A Chorus Line and Pirates of Penzance on Broadway, will say a few words. Other guests expected to raise a glass: Gordon Edelstein, Moises Kaufman, Jeffrey Horowitz, Tom Viola, Richard Jay Alexander, Paul Libin and Gail Papp.
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Debuskey is perhaps best known as the New York Shakespeare Festival's first and most lasting press agent, beginning with the nonprofit in the 1950s when Joseph Papp was a poor unknown working out of a church on the Lower East Side. Debuskey left in 1985, six years before Papp's death.
"Merle Debuskey is a central figure in the history of The Public Theater and the New York theatre community in general," Public Theater executive director Andrew D. Hamingson told Playbill.com. "From the earliest days of Joe Papp's theatre company — before 425 Lafayette, before Shakespeare in the Park, and even before Off-Broadway existed, Merle was instrumental in shaping the identity of The Public Theater. Merle's tireless efforts on behalf of our theatre and the countless directors, actors, playwrights and designers whose work he has promoted make him extremely worthy of this recognition, and I am proud that we can honor him in this way."
Debuskey did the publicity for more than 300 Broadway productions — more than any other press agent in Broadway history. He entered the trade shortly after World War II and retired in 1996. During that time he handled the press for the legendary Circle in the Square for 30 years and was Lincoln Center Theater's first press representative, working first under artistic director Gregory Mosher and then Andre Bishop.
Among the landmark Broadway shows he handled are the original productions of Raisin in the Sun, Inherit the Wind, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls, Little Me, Come Blow Your Horn, Purlie and Amadeus.
Debuskey was also the president at ATPAM, the press agent's union, for 25 years, and was instrumental, in the 1950s, in developing a workable Actors' Equity contract with the then-nascent Off-Broadway theatre.
In spring 2010, Applause Books will publish Robert Simonson's "The Gentleman Press Agent: 50 Years in the Theatrical Trenches," a far-ranging account of Debuskey's rich and varied experiences during the Golden Age of Broadway theatre and beyond.
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