Joel Gersmann

Joel Gersmann (August 26, 1942 – June 24, 2005) was am American playwright of experimental theatre. During his 35 years as artistic director at Broom Street Theater, Joel was fearless in the subject matter of his plays, with no regard to the reactions of politicians, his audience, or granting organizations. He did, however, receive consistent support from the National Endowment for the Arts from 1973 through 1990, was awarded grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, and obtained financial support from numerous state and local arts organizations. Many authors, playwrights, and actors have credited Gersmann as a major influence in their work. The Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research at the Wisconsin State Historical Society houses a collection of Gersmann's manuscripts and papers. Gersmann is the subject of the 2012 documentary film Filthy Theater.

Joel Gersmann was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 26, 1942, to John and Irma Gersmann. At the age of one, his family left New York City for Clifton, New Jersey, where Joel's sister Gayle was born in 1945. The family moved once again to Passaic, New Jersey in 1954, where Joel spent the remainder of his childhood, graduating from Passaic High School in 1960. Gersmann entered Rutgers University as an accounting major in 1960, switched to English, finally settled on the study of theater, earning his undergraduate degree in 1964 and MFA from Adelphi University in 1966. Gersmann was strongly influenced by professor Jacques Burdick while at Adelphi. Joel then served two years in the US Army, as a sergeant he managed the Post Movie Theater in Fort Monroe, Virginia. After trying his hand for a few months as a newspaper reporter, Joel reconnected with Professor Burdick, (who had received his PhD from UW-Madison), and was persuaded to study Asian theater under A.C. Scott in a doctoral program at the UW.

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