News

Playwright Terrence McNally passes away at 81 from coronavirus complications

Terrence McNally was a man known by many for his groundbreaking pieces of theatre. Considered to be “the bard of American theatre” and “one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced,” he was renowned for tackling difficult and confronting issues in his writing. Most, if not all of his work focused around the need for human connection, and discussed the divide between race, religion, gender, and sexual orientation.

McNally’s work was critically acclaimed, earning him 5 Tony Awards including a Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre (2019), 3 Drama Desk Awards, 2 Lucille Lortel Awards, an Emmy, and a Pulitzer Prize, to name a few.

His plays include Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, and Deuce. He wrote the books for musicals such as Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Ragtime, Catch Me If You Can, and Anastasia.

McNally had previously battled lung cancer, and passed away this morning from Coronavirus-related complications.

Vale Terrence, and may you live on through your incredible work.

 

Gabi Bergman

Gabi Bergman (she/her) is a Melbourne-based performer and educator, and the current Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AussieTheatre.com. She holds a double degree in Theatre Studies and Film/Screen Studies, along with a Master of Teaching (Secondary Education). A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity in the arts, Gabi brings her deep love of storytelling to the stage, the page, and the classroom. A lifelong lover of theatre, she spends more on tickets than she’d like to admit. Her most prized possession is her ever-growing collection of theatre programs.

View Comments

  • Reading about the death of Terrence McNally really shocked me. Earlier this morning, and it's only 10 0'clock now, I was reading the obituary of Zoe Caldwell and her career in theatre. it included the story that Terrence McNally wrote Master Class for her.

    We live in very scary times.

    Tom Keck

Recent Posts

LESLIE ODOM, JR. to perform solo concert at London Palladium

Producers Darren Bell and Cuffe & Taylor are thrilled to announce that Tony and Grammy…

13 hours ago

The 2026 Tony Awards Gave Broadway A Strange But Beautifully Balanced Ending

There are Tony Awards nights that feel like coronations. There are years when one production…

14 hours ago

Smart Phone Film Fest opens its 12 year! International Aussie success story

The 12th annual Smart Fone Flick Fest (SF3) is open for entries. The Sydney-founded -…

17 hours ago

Anna Wintour And Andrew Lloyd Webber Join The Ballroom For CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL Tony Awards Performance

CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL brought one of the most stylish surprises of the 2026 Tony…

18 hours ago

Rachel Zegler Celebrates 50 Years Of A CHORUS LINE With Moving Tony Awards Tribute

Rachel Zegler honoured one of Broadway’s most influential musicals at the 2026 Tony Awards, delivering…

18 hours ago

Original THE BOOK OF MORMON Cast Reunites For Joyous 15th Anniversary Tony Awards Performance

Broadway received a major blast of theatrical nostalgia at the 2026 Tony Awards as the…

18 hours ago