{{Short description|American stage director and playwright (born 1959)}} {{Distinguish|Stephen E. Sachs|Stephen H. Sachs}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Stephen Sachs | image = Stephen Sachs.jpg | alt = close-up image of Steven Sachs wearing a light blue shirt, looking directly at camera with slight smile | caption = Sachs in 2025 | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|8|14}} | birth_place = San Francisco, US | alma_mater = Los Angeles City College | other_names = | occupation = {{flatlist| * Stage director * playwright }} | years_active = | known_for = | spouse = Jacqueline Schultz | children = 2 }}
'''Stephen Sachs''' (born August 14, 1959) is an American stage director, playwright, producer, and screenwriter. He co-founded the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles in 1990 and served as its artistic director until 2024. He is known for his work in American regional theater, including collaborations with Athol Fugard and Deaf West Theatre, and for productions staged in Los Angeles, New York, and London.<ref name="BWFeb24">{{cite news|title=Fountain Theatre Co-Founding Artistic Director Stephen Sachs Will Retire|work=BroadwayWorld|date=February 20, 2024 |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Fountain-Theatre-Co-Founding-Artistic-Director-Stephen-Sachs-Will-Retire-20240220 |access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> He has received multiple theater awards, including the Milton Katselas Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle for lifetime achievement in directing.
==Biography== ===Early life=== Sachs was born in San Francisco and grew up in Westlake Village, California. He attended Agoura High School and later studied at the Theatre Academy at Los Angeles City College. Early in his career, he worked as an actor in film, television, and theater, before transitioning to directing and writing.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fountain Theatre celebrates its first 25 years as a vital, intimate L.A. stage|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 21, 2015|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-fountain-theatre-20150821-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
===Career=== Sachs is the author of 18 full-length plays. His directing debut came in 1987, with a stage adaptation of Italo Calvino's ''The Baron in the Trees'' at Ensemble Studio Theatre in Los Angeles.<ref name="BWFeb24" /> In 1990, he joined the staff of the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills, where he worked on the Los Angeles premiere of A. R. Gurney's ''Love Letters''. Featuring a rotating two-person celebrity cast, the production ran for 565 performances.<ref>{{cite news|title='Love Letters,' Having Written a Record, Closes|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 6, 1991|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-06-ca-172-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> That same year, Sachs co-founded the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood. His early work there included the world premiere of his stage adaptation of Vikram Seth's verse novel ''The Golden Gate'', which transferred to the Zephyr Theatre in San Francisco in 1991.<ref name="BWFeb24" />
In 2001, the Fountain Theatre presented the world premiere of ''Central Avenue'', a drama written by Sachs and set in Los Angeles' Black jazz scene of the 1940s. The production ran for seven months and was a finalist for the PEN West Literary Award for Drama.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Playwright Who Found His Groove|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 22, 2001|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-22-ca-25361-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
In 2002, playwright Arthur Miller granted Sachs exclusive permission to direct ''After the Fall'' at the Fountain Theatre.<ref>{{cite news|title=Staging of Arthur Miller's 'After the Fall' Is Rare Indeed|work=Los Angeles Times|date=February 22, 2002|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-feb-22-et-miller22-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026 }}</ref> In 2006, Sachs directed ''Hippolytos'', featuring a new translation by poet Anne Carson, to inaugurate the Outdoor Classical Theater at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McNulty |first=Charles |date=September 11, 2006 |title=An arrow through the heart |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-sep-11-et-hippolytos11-story.html |access-date=January 18, 2026 |website=Los Angeles Times |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Sachs was involved in the early development of Deaf West Theatre, which began operating at the Fountain Theatre in 1991. He directed early Deaf West productions, including ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1992) and '''night, Mother'' (1994).<ref>{{cite web|title=Production History|publisher=Deaf West Theatre|url=https://www.deafwest.org/production-history|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref><ref name="BWFeb24" /> His work with deaf theater continued with ''Sweet Nothing in My Ear'', a family drama addressing the experiences of a deaf and hearing couple raising a deaf child. It premiered at the Fountain Theatre in 1997 and was directed by Sachs.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Sign of the Times|work=Los Angeles Times|date=June 22, 1997|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-22-ca-5287-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> The production later received the California Governor's Media Access Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fountain Theatre's 'Sweet Nothing' Wins Award for Portraying the Disabled|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 23, 1998|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-23-ca-35454-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> Subsequent productions were staged at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago (1998) and Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis (2003), both directed by Sachs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Words Fall|work=Chicago Reader|date=April 9, 1998|url=https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/words-fall/|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mixed Blood History|publisher=Mixed Blood Theatre|url=https://mixedblood.com/history/|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> Sachs later wrote the teleplay adaptation, which premiered on CBS as a ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' presentation in 2008, directed by Joseph Sargent and starring Marlee Matlin and Jeff Daniels.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sweet Nothing in My Ear|work=Variety|date=April 16, 2008|url=https://variety.com/2008/film/reviews/sweet-nothing-in-my-ear-1200470985/|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
Sachs developed a long-standing artistic relationship with South African playwright Athol Fugard, beginning in 2000 with the Los Angeles premiere of ''The Road to Mecca'' at the Fountain Theatre. Over the following decade, he directed multiple Los Angeles premieres of Fugard's plays and the world premiere of ''Exits and Entrances'' in 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=Appreciation: Playwright Athol Fugard Proved the Pen Could Be Mightier Than the Sword|work=Los Angeles Times|date=March 10, 2025|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/story/2025-03-10/athol-fugard-appreciation|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> He later directed the 2007 Off-Broadway production at 59E59 Theaters, produced by Primary Stages.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Isherwood |first=Charles |date=April 5, 2007 |title="A Novice's-Eye View of Life and Sense in Theater" |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/05/theater/reviews/05exit.html |url-status=live |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
Sachs's play ''Open Window'' premiered in 2005 at the Pasadena Playhouse in a co-production with Deaf West Theatre. Directed by Eric Simonson, the production starred Linda Bove and Shoshannah Stern.<ref>{{cite news|title=It's a Battle of Wills in a Silent Reality|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 23, 2005|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-oct-23-ca-openwindow23-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> The play earned Sachs a second California Governor's Media Access Award for Theatre Excellence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stephen Sachs|publisher=HowlRound Theatre Commons|url=https://howlround.com/stephen-sachs|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
In 2011, Sachs directed ''Top Secret'', a dramatization of ''The Washington Post''{{'}}s publication of the ''Pentagon Papers'', for L.A. Theatre Works. The production toured China.<ref>{{cite news|title=L.A. Theatre Works to Tour China with Pentagon Papers Play|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 16, 2011|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-xpm-2011-nov-16-la-et-cm-la-theatre-works-china-20111116-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> Sachs's play ''Bakersfield Mist'' premiered at the Fountain Theatre in 2011 and ran for seven months. In 2014, it was produced in London's West End at the Duchess Theatre, starring Kathleen Turner and Ian McDiarmid.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kathleen Turner 'excellent' in Bakersfield Mist|work=BBC|date=May 28, 2014|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27602743|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
In 2012, Sachs wrote ''Cyrano'', a deaf-themed reinterpretation of Edmond Rostand's play, which premiered at the Fountain Theatre and starred Troy Kotsur. It received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Play.<ref>{{cite news|title=44th L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award Winners Announced|work=BroadwayWorld|date=March 19, 2013|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/44th-LA-Drama-Critics-Circle-Award-Winners-Announced-20130319|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> Sachs later collaborated again with Kotsur on ''Arrival & Departure'', a reimagining of the 1945 British film ''Brief Encounter'', which premiered at the Fountain Theatre in 2018.<ref name="BWFeb24" />
''Citizen: An American Lyric'', adapted for the stage by Sachs from Claudia Rankine's book, had its world premiere at the Fountain Theatre in 2015.<ref name="BWFeb24" /> A remount followed in 2017 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, produced by Center Theatre Group.<ref>{{cite web|title=Center Theatre Group Announces Inaugural Block Party|publisher=American Theatre|date=December 21, 2016|url=https://www.americantheatre.org/2016/12/21/center-theatre-group-announces-inaugural-block-party/|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
In 2018 and 2019, Sachs directed live staged readings of ''All the President's Men'' and ''Ms. Smith Goes to Washington'' at Los Angeles City Hall, produced in partnership with the Los Angeles City Council and featuring actors from the television series ''The West Wing'' and ''Scandal''.<ref>{{cite news|title='All the President's Men' Is Back in a Star-Studded L.A. Script Reading and 'West Wing' Reunion|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 10, 2018|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-all-the-presidents-men-reading-20180110-story.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Scandal Co-Stars to Reunite for Los Angeles Reading of Ms. Smith Goes to Washington|work=Playbill|date=January 15, 2019|url=https://playbill.com/article/scandal-co-stars-to-reunite-for-los-angeles-reading-of-ms-smith-goes-to-washington|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> ''Ms. Smith Goes to Washington'' is an authorized stage adaptation of the film ''Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'', reimagining the titular role as a female U.S. Senator. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Pontz |first=Maddy |date=January 31, 2019 |title=Ms. Smith Goes to Washington: Inside the Modern Send-Up of a Classic Political Story |url=https://msmagazine.com/2019/01/31/ms-smith-goes-washington-inside-modern-send-classic-political-story/ |access-date=January 19, 2026 |website=Ms. Magazine}}</ref>
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Sachs oversaw the installation of an outdoor performance space in the Fountain Theatre parking lot, which became the first live outdoor theater venue approved for public performances by the City of Los Angeles during the shutdown.<ref>{{cite news|title=Not a Drive-In: An L.A. Theater Gets City Approval for an Outdoor Stage|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 12, 2021|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/story/2021-01-12/fountain-theatre-outdoor-stage-covid|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
In 2024, Sachs wrote and directed ''Fatherland'', a docudrama based on court transcripts concerning the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol. The production premiered at the Fountain Theatre and later transferred to New York City Center.<ref>{{cite news|title=Disoriented in America: Two Political Plays Reflect a Changed Country|work=The New York Times|date=September 30, 2024|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/30/theater/political-plays-america.html|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
In 2024, the Fountain Theatre announced that Sachs would retire as artistic director at the end of the year.<ref name="BWFeb24" />
===Personal life=== Sachs is married to actress Jacqueline Schultz. They have two children.<ref>{{cite news|title=Playwrights' Arena Honors Artists at Play, Beatrice Casagrán, John P. Flynn, and Stephen Sachs at Annual Gala|work=BroadwayWorld|date=March 10, 2025|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Playwrights-Arena-Honors-Artists-At-Play-Beatrice-Casagran-John-P-Flynn-And-Stephen-Sachs-At-Annual-Gala-20250310|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
==Productions== {{columns-start}}
===as director=== * ''The Road to Mecca'' (2000) Los Angeles premiere * ''After the Fall'' (2002) Los Angeles * ''Exits and Entrances'' (2004) world premiere, Los Angeles * ''Hippolytos'' (2006) Getty Villa, Malibu, world premiere translation * ''String of Pearls'' (2006) Los Angeles premiere * ''Exits and Entrances'' (2007) off-Broadway, NYC * ''Miss Julie: Freedom Summer'' (2007) world premiere, Los Angeles * ''Gilgamesh'' (2007) world premiere adaptation * ''Victory'' (2008) United States premiere * ''Shining City'' (2009) Los Angeles premiere * ''Coming Home'' (2009) West Coast premiere * ''Side Man'' (2010) starring Christine Lahti, LA Theatre Works {{column}}
===as playwright=== * ''The Baron in the Trees'' (1987), adaptation * ''The Golden Gate'' (1991) * ''Sweet Nothing in My Ear'' (1997) * ''Mother's Day'' (1999) * ''Central Avenue'' (2001) * ''Open Window'' (2005), Pasadena Playhouse * ''Gilgamesh'' (2007), adaptation * ''Miss Julie: Freedom Summer'' (2007), new version of August Strindberg's ''Miss Julie'' * ''Bakersfield Mist'' (2012) {{columns-end}}
==Awards and honors== Sachs has received multiple Los Angeles theater awards as a playwright, director, and producer.<ref>{{cite web|title=Press and Awards|publisher=Fountain Theatre|url=https://www.fountaintheatre.com/press-awards|access-date=January 18, 2026 }}</ref> In 2024, he received the Milton Katselas Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle for lifetime achievement in directing.<ref>{{cite news|title=Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Reveals 2024 Season Award Finalists and Special Award Honorees|work=BroadwayWorld|date=March 5, 2025|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Los-Angeles-Drama-Critics-Circle-Reveals-2024-Season-Award-Finalists-and-Special-Award-Honorees-20250305|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref> The Los Angeles City Council issued a 2024 proclamation recognizing his contributions to theater in the city.<ref name="BWFeb24" />
{{columns-start}} ===as director=== * Best Director – ''Golden Gate'' – Drama-Logue Award (1990) * Best Director – ''Fanon's People'' – Drama-Logue Award (1991) * Best Director – ''Cuckoo's Nest'' – Drama-Logue Award (1992) * Best Director – ''The Seagull'' – Drama-Logue Award (1993) * Best Director – ''Night Mother'' – Drama-Logue Award (1994) * Best Director – ''Ashes'' – Drama-Logue Award (1994) * Best Director – ''Lonely Planet'' – Robby Award nomination (1996) * Best Director – ''The Road to Mecca'' – Maddy Award (2000) * Best Director – ''The Road to Mecca'' – Robby Award nomination (2000) * Best Director – ''After the Fall'' – Maddy Award (2002) * Best Director – ''After the Fall'' – Ovation Award (2002) * Best Director – ''Sweet Nothing in my Ear'' – Minneapolis (2003) * Best Director – ''Exits and Entrances'' – Ovation Award, Los Angeles (2004) * Best Director – ''Exits and Entrances'' – Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award (2004) * Best Director – ''Exits and Entrances'' – ''L.A. Weekly'' Award nomination (2004) * Best Director – ''Exits and Entrances'' – Maddy Award, Los Angeles (2004) * Best Director – ''Exits and Entrances'' – Carbonell Award nomination (2005) * Best Director – ''Victory'' – NAACP Theatre Award (2008) * 2009 Zelda Fichandler Award nomination (2009) * Best Director – ''Coming Home'' – ''LA Weekly'' Award (2009) {{column}}
===as playwright=== * Best Playwright – ''Golden Gate'' – Drama-Logue Award (1990) * Citation of Appreciation, Los Angeles City Council, for "enhancing the cultural life of the City of Los Angeles" (1996) * California Governor's Media Access Award for Theatre – ''Sweet Nothing in my Ear'' (1997) * Finalist – ''Sweet Nothing in my Ear'' – PEN West Literary Award for Drama (1998) * Best Play – ''Mother's Day'' – Garland Award Honorable Mention (1999) * Finalist – ''Central Avenue'' – PEN West Literary Award for Drama (2001) * Best Play – ''Central Avenue'' – Back Stage Garland Award (2001) * Best Play – ''Central Avenue'' – Beverly Press Maddy Award (2001) * Best Adaptation – ''Miss Julie'' – Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination (2007) * Best Adaptation – ''Miss Julie'' – ''L.A. Weekly'' Theatre Award nomination (2007) {{columns-end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons}} * {{IMDb name|0755189}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sachs, Stephen}} Category:American theatre directors Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:People from San Francisco Category:American dramatists and playwrights