Gilbert Parker is a retired literary agent who represented many of America’s most influential playwrights over the span of nearly fifty years. His first job was as an assistant to Audrey Wood, the world-famous agent who represented Tennessee Williams and other important playwrights, at Liebling-Wood, Inc. He went on to work as an agent in MCA Artists (1956-1964), Saven  Parker APA (1964-1970), Curtis Brown, Ltd. (1970-1980), and the William Morris Agency (1980-1999). His clients included Robert Anderson, A.R. Gurney, Beth Henley, Claire Labine, Hugh Leonard, Terrence McNally, Richard Wilbur, and Paul Zindel. With his help, his clients went on to win 12 Tony Awards and three Pulitzer Prizes. 

Gilbert Parker was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. He was the first theatre major to graduate from Wesleyan University. During his time at Wesleyan, he served for a year and a half in the U.S. Navy. After spending a year as an actor at the Cleveland Playhouse, he moved to New York City and received a master’s degree from Fordham University. A longtime advocate for LBGT rights, he is a member of the Guardian Circle of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. The Gilbert Parker Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship was established in his name in 2012.