2014 Master Teacher:
David Hyde Pierce

The guest list at Ten Chimneys was a glorious who's who of the theatre world - Noël Coward, S.N. Behrman, Helen Hayes, Uta Hagen, Katharine Hepburn, Laurence Olivier, Carol Channing, George Burns, and on and on. Our 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Class delved into that legacy and explored all works related to the Lunts and their illustrious guests. In doing so, the actors had the opportunity to reflect on their own theatrical roots, and those of the theaters they came from.

“What a gift this is — a chance to retreat and recharge, to connect with and learn from a diverse group of accomplished actors, and to remind ourselves, through Alfred and Lynn, of the theatrical lineage we all share.”

—David Hyde Pierce, 2014 Master Teacher

Mr. David Hyde Pierce is a Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor widely known for his distinctive voice and deadpan humor, which was perhaps best exemplified on TV's iconic comedy Frasier. For his portrayal of Dr. Niles Crane, Mr. Pierce was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for a record eleven consecutive years, every year of the sitcom’s run, earning him four Emmy Awards, among many other accolades. Mr. Pierce won a Tony Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his role in the musical comedy Curtains. He made his professional and Broadway debut in 1982 in Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy. Since then, his prolific theater credits include That’s It,Folks!, The Author's Voice, Elliot Loves, The Heidi Chronicles, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Accent on Youth, La Bête, and The Landing. Mr. Pierce’s directing credits include It Shoulda Been You, The Importance of Being Earnest, and this year, a new production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Mark Taper Forum. He returns to the play as director after earning a Tony nomination for his performance as Vanya, the role he originated in Durang’s play. Mr. Pierce’s film credits include Little Man Tate, Sleepless in Seattle, Nixon, Down With Love, and the Sundance Film Festival selection, The Perfect Host. In addition to his work as a performer, Mr. Pierce has spent years working with the Alzheimer's Association, advocating for Americans with Alzheimer's disease.