DIRECTOR
Charles Goforth
Selected
Work
NEW YORK
The Flame Keeper | Amos Kamil (The 47th Street Theater) *
Dutch Heart of Man | Robert Glaudini (The Public Theater) *
Race, Religion, Politics | Stephen Adly Guirgis (HERE Arts Center) *
Fur | Charlotte Miller (Access Theater) *
Jesus Hopped The A Train | Stephen Adly Guirgis (Edinburgh Fringe Festival)
Scotch & Water | Brett C. Leonard (Parkside Lounge) *
Swimming Naked | Fia Perera (Altered Stages) *
Roger and Vanessa | Brett C. Leonard (Center Stage) *
Moonlight Mile | Stephen Adly Guirgis (HERE Arts Center) *
How the Other Half Loves | Alan Ayckbourn (Inner Space Theater)
Boom Boom Boom Boom | Stephen Adly Guirgis (Center Stage) *
Waiting for Da Bus | Stephen Adly Guirgis (John Houseman Studio) *
Francisco & Benny | Stephen Adly Guirgis (One Dream Theater) *
REGIONAL
Swimming Naked | Fia Perera (Tamerind Theater, LA) *
The Flame Keeper | Amos Kamil (Luna Stage, NJ) *
Two Gentlemen of Verona | William Shakespeare (Center Theater, Chicago)
Love and the Piano | Georges Feydeau (Vermont Stage Company)
ASSISTANT DIRECTING
References to Salvador Dali | directed by Jo Bonney (The Public Theater, NYC) *
Neil Simon's Hotel Suite | directed by John Tillinger (Roundabout Theater Co, NYC)
Road to Mecca | directed by Amy Saltz (Indiana Repertory, Indianapolis)
*Development and premiere of a new play
Awards &
Associations
Directing Fellowship | The Drama League, NYC. Member Labyrinth since 1993
Fringe First Award | Edinburgh Fringe Festival, "Jesus Hopped The A Train" by Stephen Adly Guirgis
Professional
Info
Soon after he received an MFA in Directing from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, Labyrinth Theater Company invited Charles to direct a brand new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Adly Guirgis. The production was a success, and they did three more main stage premiere’s, including a wonderfully successful production of Mr. Guirgis’s compelling play, "Race, Religion, Politics", which starred Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
A production at Luna Stage is a favorite highlight. The New York Times Review enabled the production to move Off Broadway: “The director, Charles Goforth, knows where the priorities are....Even though these two characters at odds complete a rewarding theatrical journey, the playwright ultimately establishes that what is over may never be over. The Flame Keeper is Luna Stage's finest hour."
When Labyrinth accepted an invitation from New York’s Public Theater to become the company in residence, Charles directed the company’s inaugural production, Dutch Heart of Man. Ben Brantley for the New York Times wrote, “Directed with a steady hand by Charles Goforth, the play is a production of the Labyrinth Theater Company, the exciting troupe that has made its name with…gritty urban dramas…. For a youth culture that has zestfully embraced blue-collar chic—from hard-hat to trailer-park—no theater is hipper than Labyrinth. Dutch Heart of Man should only add to its cachet.”
So that was a beginning. Over twenty-five years with Labyrinth has meant directing over a hundred workshops and staged readings for the company. Charles is also happy to have directed Charlotte Miller’s FUR, at the Access Theater in New York, and to have assisted Jo Bonney at The Public Theater on References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, written by José Rivera, and starring Rosie Perez and John Ortiz.
As part of his directing fellowship with The Drama League, Charles assisted John Tillinger at the Roundabout, and worked with Mr. Neil Simon on the premier of Hotel Suite.
Directing with Labyrinth continues, and most recently Charles has created and directed several student productions for young actors in New York and elsewhere and currently Charles and CompassNeedle are developing "Foreclosure", a beautiful new play written by Vincent Delaney. Charles will direct the New York premier in 2021.