David Cromer (born October 17, 1964) is an American theatre director, and stage, film, and TV actor. He has received recognition for his work on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in his native Chicago. Cromer has won or been nominated for numerous awards, including winning the Lucille Lortel Award and Obie Award for his direction of Our Town. He was nominated for the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for his direction of The Adding Machine."Cromer listing" InternetBroadway Database, accessed April 24, 2011 In 2018, Cromer won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for The Band's Visit.
Biography and education Born the third of four sons to Richard and Louise Cromer, he was raised in Skokie, Illinois. Cromer dropped out of high school in his junior year, later acquired a GED, and attended Columbia College Chicago.Witchel, Alex. "David Cromer Isn’t Giving Up", The New York Times, February 11, 2011.
Career Cromer has been nominated for or won the Joseph Jefferson Award for his work in Chicago productions, winning for Angels in America Parts I and II in 1998, The Price in 2002, and The Cider House Rules in 2003. "Jeff Awards Cromer Listing" jeffawards.org, accessed April 25, 2011 In 2005, Cromer made his Off-Broadway debut directing Austin Pendleton's Orson's Shadow at the Barrow Street Theatre. The production originated at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago.Isherwood, Charles. "Two Titans of Drama Assemble for a Battle of Wills and Wits" The New York Times, March 14, 2005 His 2008 production of a musical adaptation of The Adding Machine also moved to Off-Broadway from Chicago and received wide critical acclaim, receiving six Lucille Lortel Award nominations in the 2008 season, more than any other show. Cromer received a nomination for the 2008 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Director of a Musical, for The Adding Machine. It is now being produced in regional theaters around the country.Isherwood, Charles. "Prolific Director, Off Off Off Off Broadway" The New York Times, November 11, 2008
In 2009, Cromer performed the role of the Stage Manager in an Off-Broadway revival of Our Town, which he also directed, at The Barrow Street Theatre. The production, which began in Chicago in 2008, has been acclaimed for its non-traditional elements.Isherwood, Charles. "21st-Century Grover’s Corners, With the Audience as Neighbors"The New York Times, February 27, 2009 Cromer won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director and the Obie Award, Directing for Our Town."'Our Town' Listing" Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed April 24, 2011 In the wake of his Our Town success, The New York Times profiled Cromer, referring to "his suddenly thriving career [which] has etched him as a visionary wunderkind, a genius in a black cape with secrets up his billowing sleeves."
In October 2009, Cromer directed a short-lived Broadway revival of Brighton Beach Memoirs starring Noah Robbins, Santino Fontana, Laurie Metcalf, and Dennis Boutsikaris. (The planned production of Broadway Bound was cancelled.) He directed the Broadway revival of The House of Blue Leaves, which starred Ben Stiller and Edie Falco and played a limited run from April 2011 to August 2011. In 2010, he was announced to direct the Broadway production of the musical Yank! by Joseph and David Zellnik. In 2010, he said of Yank!, "I'm hungrier to work on this than anything in recent memory."Cromer newyorktheatreguide.com However, the production was postponed, according to The New York Times article of September 2010.Healy, Patrick. "'Yank!' Won't Reach Broadway This Season" New York Times, September 4, 2010
In June to July 2011, he directed A Streetcar Named Desire, with Jessica Hecht as Blanche, at the Williamstown Theater Festival.Healy, Patrick."Cromer and Hecht to Reunite for 'Streetcar' at Williamstown" The New York Times, March 7, 2011. He was announced to direct a Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth starring Nicole Kidman and James Franco and set for Fall 2011, but in August 2011 the production was delayed and Franco dropped out. Cromer said it was "still on the drawing board." He directed the play in Chicago in 2012 with Diane Lane. He directed Tribes by Nina Raine at the Off-Broadway Barrow Street Theatre, which ran from February 2012 to September 2012.Brantley, Ben. "World of Silence and Not Listening" nytimes.com, March 4, 2012
Cromer also has worked as a character actor. In 2012, he appeared in a small role in the pilot of the television show The Newsroom.Jones, Chris. "Cromer shows up in Sorkin pilot", Chicago Tribune, April 03, 2012, accessed April 30, 2016 at In 2015, he played a character in the show Billions.
In October to December 2013, he returned to Chicago to star as Ned Weeks in TimeLine Theatre Company's production of The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer. In 2016 he directed The Effect and The Band's Visit, the latter of which won him the 2017 Obie Award for Directing.Obie Awards for his work, 2017 Winners In 2017, The Band's Visit transferred to Broadway, where it won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical.
In 2017 he directed The Treasurer at Playwrights' Horizons.Brantley, Ben. "In ‘The Treasurer,’ a Son Remembers Mama, as She Forgets Everything" nytimes.com, September 26, 2017 In 2019, he directed The Sound Inside at Studio 54 for which Cromer received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play, one of the six Tony nominations the production received. In 2022, he directed Camp Siegfried at the Tony Kiser Theatre and A Case for the Existence of God Off-Broadway. In 2023, he appeared in the title role in Uncle Vanya Off-Broadway.
Cromer directed the Broadway production of the play Prayer for the French Republic by Joshua Harmon in 2024. In 2024, it was announced that Cromer was set to direct the stage adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck co-written and starring George Clooney. Cromer directed the musical Dead Outlaw on Broadway in 2025.
Personal life
He was named a 2010 MacArthur Fellows Program; the foundation cited his efforts in reviving classic theater such as his work on The Adding Machine and Our Town in their announcement."MacArthur Fellows Program: Meet the 2010 Fellows" macfound.org, accessed April 24, 2011
He taught directing at Columbia College Chicago, the same school he attended years prior.
Cromer is gay.
Stage credits YearTitleRoleVenue1995Oscar RememberedDirectorRegional, Writers Theatre1996Golden BoyRegional, Steppenwolf Theatre1998Angels in AmericaLouis IronsonAlso director; Regional, The Journeymen1999TranslationsDirectorRegional, Seanachi Theatre Company2000Orson's ShadowRegional, Steppenwolf TheatreRegional, Williamstown Theatre FestivalBoothRegional, Writers Theatre2001Betty's Summer VacationRegional, Roadworks Productions2002The PriceRegional, Writers TheatreThe DazzleRegional, Steppenwolf TheatreThe Hot l BaltimoreRegional, Marry-Arrchie Theatre Company2003The Cider House RulesRegional, Famous Door TheaterJourney's EndRegional, Seanachi Theatre CompanyThe Grapes of WrathRegional, Ford's Theatre Company2004Blue/OrangeRegional, Northlight TheatreMojoRegional, Marry-Arrchie Theatre Company2005Orson's ShadowRegional, Marry-Arrchie Theatre Company2006Come Back, Little ShebaRegional, Shattered Globe Theatre2007The Adding Machine: A Chamber MusicalRegional, Next Theatre Company2008Adding MachineRegional, Minetta Lane TheatreOur TownStage ManagerAlso director; Regional, Chopin Studio TheatrePicnicDirectorRegional, Writers TheatreCelebrity RowRegional, American Theater Company2009Our TownStage ManagerAlso director; Off-Broadway, Barrow Street TheatreThe Farnsworth InventionDirectorRegional, Alley TheatreBrighton Beach MemoirsBroadway, Nederlander TheatreBroadway BoundThe Santaland DiariesRegional, Alley Theatre2010When the Rain Stops FallingOff-Broadway, Lincoln Center TheatreA Streetcar Named DesireRegional, Writers TheatreCherrywood: The Modern ComparableRegional, Marry-Arrchie Theatre Company2011The House of Blue LeavesBroadway, Walter Kerr TheatreA Streetcar Named DesireRegional, Williamstown Theatre Festival2012TribesOff-Broadway, Barrow Street TheatreRentRegional, American Theater CompanySweet Bird of YouthRegional, Goodman TheatreOur TownStage ManagerAlso director; Regional, Huntington Theatre Company2013Really ReallyDirectorOff-Broadway, MCC TheaterNikolai and the OthersOff-Broadway, Lincoln Center TheatreTribesRegional, La Jolla PlayhouseWomen or NothingOff-Broadway, Atlantic Theatre Company2014A Raisin in the SunKarl LindnerBroadway, Ethel Barrymore TheatreOur TownStage ManagerAlso director; Regional, Kansas City Repertory TheatreAlso director; West End, Almeida Theatre2015Angels in AmericaDirectorRegional, Kansas City Repertory TheatreCome Back, Little ShebaRegional, Huntington Theatre Company2016The EffectOff-Broadway, Barrow Street TheatreThe Band's VisitOff-Broadway, Atlantic Theatre Company2017Man from NebraskaOff-Broadway, Second Stage TheatreThe TreasurerOff-Broadway, Playwrights HorizonsThe Band's VisitBroadway, Ethel Barrymore Theatre2018The Sound InsideRegional, Williamstown Theatre FestivalThe Waverly GalleryHoward FineBroadway, John Golden Theatre2019The Sound InsideDirectorBroadway, Studio 54Next to NormalRegional, Writers Theatre2020BugRegional, Steppenwolf Theatre20212022A Case for the Existence of GodOff-Broadway, Signature Theatre CompanyCamp SiegfriedOff-Broadway, Second Stage Theatre2024Prayer for the French RepublicBroadway, Samuel J. Friedman TheatreDead OutlawOff-Broadway, Minetta Lane TheatreThe CounterOff-Broadway, Roundabout Theatre CompanyI'm Almost ThereOff-Broadway, Minetta Lane Theatre2025The AntiquitiesOff-Broadway, Playwrights HorizonsRegional, Goodman TheatreGood Night, and Good LuckBroadway, Winter Garden TheatreDead OutlawBroadway, Longacre TheatreCarolineOff-Broadway, MCC TheaterMeet the CartoziansOff-Broadway, Second Stage Theatre2026BugBroadway, Samuel Friedman TheatreThe Fear of 13Broadway, James Earl Jones Theatre
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.2008Drama Desk AwardsOutstanding Director of a MusicalAdding MachineOuter Critics Circle AwardsOutstanding Director of a Musical2012Drama Desk AwardsOutstanding Director of a PlayTribesOuter Critics Circle AwardsOutstanding Director of a Play2017Drama Desk AwardsOutstanding Director of a MusicalThe Band's VisitOuter Critics Circle AwardsOutstanding Director of a Musical2018Tony AwardsBest Direction of a MusicalDrama League AwardsOutstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical 2020Tony AwardsBest Direction of a PlayThe Sound Inside2022Lucille Lortel AwardsOutstanding DirectorPrayer for the French Republic2023A Case for the Existence of God2024Dead OutlawDrama League AwardsOutstanding Direction of a MusicalDrama Desk AwardsOutstanding Direction of a Musical2025Tony AwardsBest Direction of a MusicalDrama League AwardsOutstanding Direction of a PlayGood Night, and Good LuckDrama Desk AwardsOutstanding Director of a PlayThe Antiquities2026Drama League AwardFounders Award for Excellence in Directing
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