Remembering Mel Shapiro

Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama(opens in new window) honors the life and artistic contributions of alumnus and former head of School Mel Shapiro, who died Dec. 23, 2024 at the age of 89.

Shapiro earned his BFA and MFA from the School of Drama in 1961. He launched his impressive directing career at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, and went on to direct at the country’s leading regional theaters, including Arena Stage in Washington D.C., the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Hartford Stage in Connecticut, and Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.

In 1972, Shapiro won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for his musical adaptation of “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” co-written with John Guare and Galt MacDermot. Shapiro was also nominated as Best Director for the production, which won the Tony for Best Musical that year.

He returned to CMU as head of the School of Drama in 1980, where he mentored generations of future artists.