Sheldon Patinkin

Sheldon Patinkin
Born	August 27, 1935 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 21, 2014 (aged 79) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Director, teacher, writer
Known for	The Second City, Columbia College Chicago

Sheldon Arthur Patinkin (August 27, 1935 – September 21, 2014) was a chair of the Theater Department of Columbia College Chicago, Artistic Director of the Getz Theater of Columbia College, Artistic Consultant of The Second City and of Steppenwolf Theatre and Co-Director of the Steppenwolf Theatre Summer Ensemble Workshops.

He received a Jeff Award for directing his Irving Berlin revue Puttin’ on the Ritz and a special Jeff for his contribution to Chicago theater. His translation of Brecht's The Good Person of Setzuan was directed by Frank Galati at the Goodman Theatre. He was a cousin of the actor and singer Mandy Patinkin.

Born and raised in Chicago, Patinkin graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in English. While there, he joined Playwright's Theater Club, where he put up plays with a group of other students including Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Ed Asner. Patinkin was a member of The Second City Chicago in 1959, first serving at assistant director to Paul Sills and then succeeding him as artistic director from 1963 until 1968 eventually becoming Artistic Consultant. From 1968 until 1974, he lived in New York City working in theater, film, and writing. In 1974, he was asked by Bernard Sahlins to move to Toronto to help Second City in Toronto get off the ground. While there, he was a writer-assistant producer for SCTV (1976-78). He provided additional dialogue for an adaptation of an Isaac Bashevis Singer novel entitled The Magician of Lublin. In 1980, he became the Chair of the theater department at Columbia College Chicago, serving until 2009, but continued to teach and direct as Chair Emeritus until his death. He was an artistic consultant to the Steppenwolf Theater Company and co-founded The School at Steppenwolf, where he taught for 17 years.

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