Craig Belknap (a.k.a. Allen R. Belknap) is a professional theater, film, and television director, actor, and the founder of Direct Theatre, Inc.  This Off-Broadway theater whose span was 1972-1980 brought then unknown plays and playwrights (like Christopher Durang and Albert Innaurato) to New York audiences.  Plays directed by Belknap include: POP (1974), A LITTLE RENAISSANCE AT MOLLY’S O (1974), THE DEVILS (1975), GILGAMESH (1975), COLUMBUS (1976), THE INTERVIEW (1976), EARTH SPIRIT AND PANDORA’S BOX(1976),  LULU (1977), THE BEASTS (1978), MODIGLIANI (1978), APPROCHING ZERO (1978), NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSE (1979), JAYWALKIN’ (1979), THE INTERVIEW (1980), BLAU AND PIGNOLI (1980), BEGINNER’S LUCK (1981), ALMOST AN EAGLE (1981), LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS (1982), SOUTH PACIFIC (1982), PRINCESS GRACE AND THE FAZARIS (1982), BLOOD MOON(1983), WITHOUT APOLOGIES (1983), THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE (1983), SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL (1984), THE FLIGHT OF THE EARLS (1984), THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG (1984), PHILCO BLUES (1984), DIMINISHED CAPACITY (1986), LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1989), THE BOYS NEXT DOOR (1989), A PIECE OF MY HEART (1991), CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (2009), and HONG KONGMISSISSIPPI (2023) recently done at La Mama.  Belknap directed the movie Traveler’s Rest winning three gold medals at the Houston World, San Francisco, and Philadelphia International Film Festivals and nominated for a Cable Ace Award. In television, Belknap directed Neil Patrick Harris in Doogie Howser M.D., Showtime Thirty Minute Movie for The Movie Channel, and the pilot Theatricks for CBS-TV.  He has written two screenplays; Snap Shots and Cooking in Hell’s Kitchen.  He took the musical They’re Playing Our Song to Japan, and spent two years directing shows and teaching for the USIA (United States Information Agency) all over Asia.

For a boy whose father lost all his money producing a Broadway play, it’s a miracle Craig Belknap became a curious, edgy, unusual actor and director, founding a theater company known for its ‘out of the box’ exceptional productions.  When Belknap got a good review in The New York Times, his father forgave him for becoming involved in theater.  During a summer break from school Belknap started The Purchase Players in Purchase, New York.  The following summer he directed Little Foxes after writing to Lillian Hellman to get the rights.  She attended the play and they remained until her death.  To stay out of the war he had to teach at a university level.  His work was so respected Dartmouth hired him directly from college, but when they discovered he was only 21 they had to let him go because he needed to be 24 to be a teacher at the college.  He then wrote to Robert F. Kennedy and Jacob Javits who both wrote to his draft board keeping him out of the war.  Then he secured a teaching position with the University of Washington (Seattle) where he learned his craft.  In the summer he directed at St. Cloud State College, Minnesota, doing five plays in five weeks.  Coming to New York City, he taught and directed at Hunter College Theatre Department where Vera Roberts was Chairman and the faculty included Harold Clurman, Lloyd Richards, Joseph Anthony, and Lillian Hellman.  He started Hunter College Summer Repertory Theatre, doing Ibsen’s BRAND.  The faculty told him to leave – he needed to go out into the commercial world of theater.  Thus, in 1972, Direct Theatre, Inc. was founded.