Riverside Shakespeare Company
In 1985 the Riverside Shakespeare Company presented the New York premiere of "The History of King Lear", adapted with a happy ending by 18th-century English Poet Laureate, Nahum Tate, from William Shakespeare's "King Lear". The production was directed by W. Stuart McDowell, produced by Andrew B. Harris, who had joined Riverside as its executive director at the beginning of the season.
Sebastian Doggart
After leaving Cambridge, Doggart trained as a drama director at Central School of Speech and Drama. His production of "Ms Lear"—which radically re-interpreted King Lear as a neo-Thatcherite woman—performed at theatres in London and Amsterdam. On graduating, he directed productions for eminent British companies Cheek by Jowl (world tour of "The Duchess of Malfi"); Actors Touring Company ("Ion" by Euripides); Theatre Museum Covent Garden ("Playing with Fire" by August Strindberg) and Creation Theatre Company ("Romeo and Juliet", which Doggart set in 18th century Ireland, with English Capulets and Irish Montagues).