Willy Russell

Name	Willy Russell
Birth name	William Russell
Birth date	August 23, 1947
Birth place	Whiston, Merseyside, England
Nationality	United Kingdom
Occupation	Playwright, screenwriter, author, lyricist, composer
Spouse	Annie Russell
Debut works	John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert
Notable works	Educating RitaShirley ValentineBlood Brothers
Website	http://www.willyrussell.com/

William Russell (born 23 August 1947) is a British dramatist, lyricist, and composer. His best-known works are Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine, and Blood Brothers.

Biography

Willy Russell was born in Whiston, on the outskirts of Liverpool, where he grew up. His parents worked in a book publisher's and often encouraged him to read. After leaving school with one O-level in English, he first became a ladies' hairdresser and ran his own salon. Russell then undertook a variety of jobs, also the first play he wrote was Keep Your Eyes Down Low (1975). His first success was a play about The Beatles called John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert. Originally commissioned for the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool was transferring to the West End in 1974. Educating Rita (1980) concerned a female hairdresser and her Open University teacher. The semi-autobiographical Educating Rita was turned into a 1983 film with Michael Caine and Julie Walters. The musical Blood Brothers (1983), for which Russell also composed the music, first opened in Liverpool and transferred to London's Phoenix Theatre. It won the best actress award at the Lawrence Olivier awards. Bill Kenwright produced a revival in 1988 which has run for more than twenty years; the show was produced on Broadway in 1993. Shirley Valentine, which first opened in Liverpool in 1986 before a new production opened in London in 1988 starring Pauline Collins. It was also made into a successful film, in 1989, again with Collins in the title role. Russell received BAFTA and Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay for both Educating Rita and Shirley Valentine.

Russell has written songs since the early 1960s, and has written the music to most of his plays and musicals. He also co-wrote "The Show", the theme song to the 1985 ITV drama series Connie, which became a top 30 hit for vocalist Rebecca Storm. His first album, Hoovering the Moon, was released in 2003. Russell has also written television projects, including the one-off drama, Our Day Out, which aired in 1977. He penned another television drama, One Summer, which aired as a five-part series on Channel 4 in 1983, starring a young David Morrissey.

In 2000, Russell published his first novel, The Wrong Boy. In epistolary form, main character Raymond Marks, a 19-year old from Manchester, tells the story of his life in letters to his hero Morrissey.

The Willy Russell Centre

The Willy Russell Centre for Children and Adults Who Stammer, was opened by Russell in Liverpool, 1996. The centre took Russell's name as his writing in many of his plays puts forward the philosophy that anyone is capable of change whatever obstacles may be in their path, a theory shared by the centre.

Work

Keep Your Eyes Down on the road (play 1971)

Sam O'Shanker (Play 1972, musical 1973)

"Our day out" (play 1977, Later adapted for musical)

Blind Scouse (1972)

John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert (musical 1974)

''Death of a Young Man (play 1974)

Breezeblock Park (play 1975)

Our Day Out (made-for-TV film 1976, musical stage version, 1983)

One for the Road (play 1976)

I Read The News Today (BBC Schools Radio Play, 1976)

Stags and Hens (1978 play, filmed in 1990 as Dancin' thru the Dark)

Educating Rita (play 1980, film 1983)

One Summer (TV series 1983)

Blood Brothers (musical 1983, still running)

Connie (TV series, co-wrote theme tune "The Show" 1985)

Shirley Valentine (play 1986, film 1989)

Terraces (BBC TV film 1993)

The Wrong Boy (first novel, Mohammed)

Hoovering The Moon (2003)

Awards and nominations

;Awards

1980: Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy – Educating Rita

1983: Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical – Blood Brothers

1988: Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy – Shirley Valentine

1990: Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Screenplay – Shirley Valentine

;Nominations

1984: Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay – Educating Rita

1984: Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Motion Picture Screenplay – Educating Rita

1984: BAFTA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay – Educating Rita

1989 Tony Award for Best Play – Shirley Valentine

1990: BAFTA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay – Shirley Valentine

1993: Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical – Blood Brothers

External links

Willy Russell Homepage

Willy Russell at ContemporaryWriters

TV and film credits, screenonline.org.uk

Comprehenseive Q&A; with Willy Russell on theartsdesk.com (July 3, 2010)

Willy Russell in the National Portrait Gallery

Category:Alumni of Liverpool Hope University Category:English dramatists and playwrights Category:English musical theatre composers Category:Olivier Award winners Category:People from Whiston, Merseyside Category:Plays by Willy Russell Category:1947 births Category:Living people