Biography
Des McAnuff is an American-Canadian theatre and film director and producer. Born on 19 June 1952 in Princeton, Illinois, he grew up partly in Ontario and studied theatre at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. He began directing in the Toronto alternative theatre scene before co-founding the Dodger Theatre Company in New York in 1978.
McAnuff served as artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse from 1983 to 1994 and again from 2001 to 2007, and as artistic director of the Stratford Festival from 2008 to 2012. He directed the Broadway productions of Big River (1985) and The Who's Tommy (1993), for both of which he won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. His film work includes directing Cousin Bette (1998) and The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000), and producing The Iron Giant (1999). He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2013.
