2014 Master Teacher: David Hyde Pierce
“What a gift this is — a chance to retreat and recharge, to connect with and learn from a diverse group of accomplished actors, and to remind ourselves, through Alfred and Lynn, of the theatrical lineage we all share.” David Hyde Pierce, 2014 Master Teacher
The guest list at Ten Chimneys was a glorious who's who of the theatre world - Noël Coward, S.N. Behrman, Helen Hayes, Uta Hagen, Katharine Hepburn, Laurence Olivier, Carol Channing, George Burns, and on and on. Our 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Class delved into that legacy and explored all works related to the Lunts and their illustrious guests. In doing so, the actors had the opportunity to reflect on their own theatrical roots, and those of the theaters they came from.
Master Teachers (2009-2013)
Every year, Ten Chimneys selects and collaborates with a Master Teacher for the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program — a luminary stage actor whose talent, generosity, ability to teach, and dedication to mentoring are deeply admired by stage actors and the entire theatre community. The Master Teacher for each year is a key collaborator in the program, working with Ten Chimneys staff to develop the curriculum, content, and focus of the artistic elements of the experience. During the first two years of the program, the top regional theatre actors in the U.S. spent the artistic portion of their Ten Chimneys immersion delving into Shakespeare — with the late actress Lynn Redgrave in 2009 and renowned Shakespearean Barry Edelstein in 2010. In 2011, they explored Chekhov with award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis, and in 2012, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellows focused on American Musical Theatre with Broadway legend Joel Grey. The 2013 program explored spontaneity on stage, and was led by American icon, Alan Alda.
About David Hyde Pierce
Mr. David Hyde Pierce is a Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor widely known for his distinctive voice and deadpan humor, which was perhaps best exemplified on TV's iconic comedy Frasier. For his portrayal of Dr. Niles Crane, Mr. Pierce was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for a record eleven consecutive years, every year of the sitcom’s run, earning him four Emmy Awards, among many other accolades. Mr. Pierce won a Tony Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his role in the musical comedy Curtains. He made his professional and Broadway debut in 1982 in Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy. Since then, his prolific theatre credits include That’s It,Folks!, The Author's Voice, Elliot Loves, The Heidi Chronicles, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Accent on Youth, La Bête, and The Landing. Mr. Pierce’s directing credits include It Shoulda Been You, The Importance of Being Earnest, and this year, a new production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Mark Taper Forum. He returns to the play as director after earning a Tony nomination for his performance as Vanya, the role he originated in Durang’s play. Mr. Pierce’s film credits include Little Man Tate, Sleepless in Seattle, Nixon, Down With Love, and the Sundance Film Festival selection, The Perfect Host. In addition to his work as a performer, Mr. Pierce has spent years working with the Alzheimer's Association advocating for Americans with Alzheimer's disease.