CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A leading figure in Chicago theater — Tony winner and Oscar nominee Frank Galati — has died at the age of 79.
Galati was an ensemble member at both the Goodman and Steppenwolf Theatres.
“I don’t know of anybody that took more joy in creating theater than he did,” said Amy Morton, who worked with Galati as an ensemble member at Steppenwolf.
It was at the Steppenwolf where he worked with ensemble member Morton during the production of “Homebody/Kabul,” which Galati directed.
“Every director has their own style, but there was something about Frank that was so completely open and collaborative and waiting to see what you would do, rather than waiting to tell you what to do — which is unusual, quite frankly,” Morton said.
“Homebody/Kabul” opened with Morton performing a 22-page monologue.
We knew it was going to take me a very long time to memorize this thing,” she said. “And working with him — just him and me in his house, trying to parse through this monologue, which had words in it that I had never heard of — for months on end we worked on it, [and] it was one of the best experiences of my life.”
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Galati was born on Nov. 29, 1943, in Highland Park. He graduated from Glenbrook High School in 1961 and went on to attend Western Illinois University and Northwestern University, where he got his master’s degree and a doctorate in speech.
He later taught at Northwestern.
“You know, just having a conversation — a regular, d--- conversation with Frank, was an educational experience,” Morton said.
Galati adapted the Steinbeck novel “The Grapes of Wrath,” and the stage play went from the Steppenwolf to Broadway. Galati won a Tony Award for the adaptation in 1990.
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He was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2004, received nine Joseph Jefferson Awards for his work in Chicago theater, and was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in November.
“And I’m so glad he didn’t receive it posthumously,” Morton said. “I’m so glad he could be there at the ceremony in New York and feel all the love that was being thrown his way by the entire theatrical community. I mean, it’s a big loss, it’s really huge.”
Galati is survived by his husband Peter Amster.
Morton said the two had been together since college.
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(The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.)
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