Fran Soeder
biography
STAGE DIRECTOR
Fran Soeder made his Broadway directing debut in 1991 with the Tony Award Nominated Revival of the musical PETER PAN.
For Off-Broadway's Tony Award honored York Theatre Company, he directed the first New York revivals of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, and PACIFIC OVERTURES - the latter critically acclaimed production was transferred by the Shubert Organization for an extended run at the Promenade Theatre and was nominated for the Best Musical of 1985 by the New York Drama Desk. For his work on PACIFIC OVERTURES Fran Soeder received the Drama Desk's "Rosamund Gilder Award" for Outstanding Creative Achievement in the Theatre.
Other Stephen Sondheim directing credits include the West Coast premiere of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and the 1990 revival of FOLLIES for which he won a Los Angeles Drama-Logue Award for "Best Direction". The revival was also awarded "Best Musical".
He received the same double honor the previous year for his production of THE WIZARD OF OZ.
Also, for the York Theatre Company, Fran Soeder directed the first New York revivals of the Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt musicals 110 IN THE SHADE, PHILEMON, and the New York Premiere of COLETTE COLLAGE.
Regional credits include The Alliance Theatre, The Actors Theatre Of Louisville, The Cleveland Play House, The Goodspeed Opera House, The George Street Playhouse, The Hartman Theatre, and The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center.
International credits include SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE for the Toho Theatre Company in Tokyo and SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM for the Rialto Teatret in Copenhagen.
For over a decade Fran served as a Stage Director and Consultant for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida where he created record-setting attractions including THE LEGEND OF THE LION KING, THE VOYAGE OF THE LITTLE MERMAID, ALADDIN'S ROYAL CARAVAN, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. THE LEGEND OF THE LION KING completed a run of a record 79,152 performances. The VOYAGE OF THE LITTLE MERMAID, opened in 1991, enjoyed an almost 30 year run as one of Disney’s Hollywood Studios most popular live attractions until it closed in 2020.
Fran Soeder directed the critically
acclaimed revival of the Stephen
Sondheim / John Weidman musical PACIFIC OVERTURES at the Promenade Theatre, produced by the Shubert Organization. The production starred Ernest Abuba, Kevin Gray, Chuck Brown, John Caleb, Francis Jue, and Thomas Ikeda.
Fran Soeder directed the Los Angeles Premiere of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE starring Pamela Myers as Dot, Robert Yacko as George, with Marilyn Childs and Kathryn Skatula.
Fran Soeder directed the 20th Anniversary Production of FOLLIES for the Long Beach Civic Light Opera. Starring in this all-star production were Juliet Prowse, Shani Wallis, Harvey Evans, Ed Evanko, Karen Morrow and Denise Darcel. There are also Dorothy Lamour, Yma Sumac, Susan Johnson, Billy Barnes and Jackie Joseph.
Fran Soeder directed the 35th Anniversary Tony-nominated Broadway revival of PETER PAN. Cathy Rigby starred in the title role with Stephen Hanan, Don Potter, Lauren Thompson, and Cindy Robinson as Wendy.