The life and legacy of the late Tony® Award-Winning playwright and LGBTQ activist Terrence McNally who passed away from COVID-19 complications on March 24, 2020, will be celebrated through the award-winning American Masters documentary Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life, streaming on pbs.org/americanmasters from June 15 – August 31, 2020. In addition, special virtual online discussions and talkbacks with some of Broadway’s brightest stars will take place beginning June 17 as they remember and honor the legendary McNally.
Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life, directed, written and produced by Jeff Kaufman and produced by Marcia Ross, traces McNally’s life – from escaping his troubled home in Corpus Christi, Texas to becoming one of America’s most groundbreaking and honored playwrights.
The film includes interviews with actors Nathan Lane, Angela Lansbury, Rita Moreno, Chita Rivera, F. Murray Abraham, Audra Macdonald, Edie Falco, John Slattery, and Billy Porter, to name a few, discussing McNally’s remarkable legacy. McNally sadly passed away fromCOVID-19 complications on March 24, 2020.
The film captures McNally’s essence and acts as a beacon of hope for future generations of writers, LGBTQ+ youth, and storytellers who also dream of living out loud. It premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival to stellar reviews and endearing audience reactions. In June 2019, American Masters broadcast the film nationally on PBS. The film has been submitted for the 2020 EMMYS® consideration in several craft categories including Non-fiction Directing; Non-fiction Editing; and Non-Fiction Sound Mixing.
UPCOMING VIRTUAL DISCUSSIONS :
OVEE DISCUSSION!
This Wednesday, June 17 at 5:00 PM PST/8 PM EST
Special Pride Month Celebration with Director, Writer and Producer Jeff Kaufman and Tony® Award-Winning Actors André De Shields, John Glover and John Benjamin Hickey
Moderated by Lucy Mukerjee of the Tribeca Film Festival
IDA AWARDS SPOTLIGHT!
Wednesday, July 1 at 6:00 PM PST/9 PM EST
Panel Discussion with Director, Writer and Producer Jeff Kaufman and Tony®, Grammy®, Emmy® and Oscar® Award Winner Rita Moreno and Tony®, Grammy® and Emmy® Award Winner Billy Porter
Moderated by IDA Executive Director Simon Kilmurry
OVEE DISCUSSION!
Wednesday, July 8 at 5:00 PM PST/8 PM EST
Panel Discussion with Director, Writer and Producer Jeff Kaufman together with Tony®-Nominated Producer Tom Kirdahy and other guests TBD
Moderated by David Rooney – Chief Film Critic for The Hollywood Reporter