Lyle Kessler

Lyle Kessler
Born	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Occupation	Playwright, screenwriter, actor
Genre	Fiction, drama
Spouse	Margaret Ladd
Children	2

Lyle Kessler is an American playwright, screenwriter and actor, best known internationally for Orphans, the play he wrote in 1983.

Born in Philadelphia, Kessler began his career as an actor. His first professional appearance was in the Philadelphia premiere of the play Waiting for Godot, appearing opposite Bruce Dern. He has subsequently appeared in several films, including James Dean (portraying Lee Strasberg, under whom he had studied at the Actors Studio).

Kessler studied acting with Lee Strasberg and was accepted into the Director's Unit of the Actors Studio, where he wrote and directed his first one act play, The Viewing, which he subsequently directed at the Lucille Lortel Theater in New York.

Kessler's most well known plays include his first full-length work, The Watering Place, and Orphans.

The Watering Place (written in 1969) premiered on Broadway starring Shirley Knight and William Devane.

Orphans (1983) was directed by Gary Sinise and opened at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre before starting its successful Off Broadway run. Albert Finney won the Olivier Award for his performance in the London West End production of Orphans.

Kessler's other plays include:

Kessler was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Playwriting Grant for his play The Watering Place and won the New York State Council on the Arts Playwriting Award for his play Burning Bright.

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