biography
Paul Lazarus is an award-winning director, producer and writer of film, television, and theater projects. Recently, he completed work on a short narrative film entitled “Graham: A Dog’s Story” which is shot entirely from the viewpoint of a purebred Lab. His feature length documentary, “SlingShot,” about noted Segway inventor Dean Kamen and his work to solve the world’s water crisis, appeared in over 40 film festivals around the world and garnered numerous awards. SlingShot is currently available on iTunes, Amazon Prime and Vimeo. Lazarus directed and produced the feature film, "Seven Girlfriends," starring Tim Daly, Mimi Rogers, Jami Gertz, and Melora Hardin. Produced independently, "Seven Girlfriends" was released by Castle Hill Productions and was featured on HBO and Comedy Central.
Lazarus resides in Los Angeles where he has been directing many notable prime time television series. Most recently, he directed "Pretty Little Liars” for ABC Family, “Second Generation Wayans” for the BET, “The Middle,” "Samantha Who?" and "Ugly Betty" for ABC, and “Big Time Rush” for Nickelodeon. Past shows include: "Friends," "Psych," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Melrose Place," "Mad About You," "LA Law," and "Dream On.”
For the Hollywood Bowl, he produced and directed the acclaimed 75th birthday tribute to Stephen Sondheim. That evening featured the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Barbra Streisand, Warren Beatty, Angela Lansbury, Carol Burnett, Eric McCormack, Jason Alexander and Bernadette Peters among many others. His play, "A Tale of Charles Dickens," co-written with Janet Jones, was produced and recorded for radio by Los Angeles Theater Works in association with the Antaeus Theater Company. Other LA credits include directing John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" and Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues" at the Pasadena Playhouse, directing Kristin Chenoweth in her solo concert debut and the world premiere of a new musical, "The People vs. Mona," also at the Pasadena Playhouse. Favorite Los Angeles theatrical projects include directing the world premieres of Mark St. Germain's play "Camping With Henry and Tom" starring Robert Prosky, Ronny Cox and John Cunningham and "The 24th Day" starring Noah Wyle and Peter Berg. "Camping..." received the Outer Critics' Circle and Lucille Lortel awards for best off-Broadway play. "The 24th Day" received six Los Angeles Dramalogue awards including Best Director and four LA Ovation award nominations.
In the early 90s, he served as the Artistic Director of the historic Pasadena Playhouse. Lazarus has directed over ninety plays and musicals in such prominent theaters as The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, The Manhattan Theater Club, Circle Rep, The Actors Studio, La Mama ETC, and The Goodspeed Opera House, to name a few. Highlights include: receiving a Drama Desk Nomination for directing the hit Off-Broadway musical, "Personals," which was written by David Crane, Seth Friedman and Marta Kauffman and composed by Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken; directing Anouilh's "Antigone" for the Lincoln Center Institute; serving as associate director for the celebrated concert version of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" starring Carol Burnett, Lee Remick and Mandy Patinkin; and staging the premiers of Jon Klein's drama, "Life Class," for the Art Institute of Chicago; David Crane and Larry Coen's comedy, "Epic Proportions" for the Manhattan Punch Line; and Mark St. Germain and Randy Courts' AT&T award-winning musical "Johnny Pye and the Foolkiller" for the George Street Playhouse.
Early in his career, he produced and directed "A Stephen Sondheim Evening," which starred Angela Lansbury, George Hearn and Mr. Sondheim. That evening was recorded by RCA Records and received a Grammy nomination. He produced and hosted "Anything Goes," an award-winning radio series celebrating the American musical theater past, present and future for WBAI-FM in New York and National Public Radio. For many years, he has served on the Executive Board of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Lazarus apprenticed with the Royal Shakespeare Company in England.