Donmar Warehouse
From 2002 to 2012 he was Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse where he succeeded Sam Mendes. During his tenure, he expanded the theatre's repertoire to include European work, touring productions and an extensive education programme as well as taking the new Donmar brand to international audiences in America, Australia, Argentina and Europe. In September 2008 he launched a one-year Donmar West End ‘access for all’ season of four plays with affordable ticket prices.
In September 2008 the company extended its repertory to the newly refurbished Wyndham's Theatre. Grandage directed all four productions: Kenneth Branagh in Ivanov, Derek Jacobi in Twelfth Night, Judi Dench in Madame de Sade and Jude Law in Hamlet.
In 2010 he launched a three year West End season at the Trafalgar Studios to highlight the work of young directors who have emerged from the Donmar’s training scheme. During his decade at the Donmar he produced sixty six productions directing twenty five of them himself. His most lasting legacy will be the purchase of the theatre site in Earlham Street in 2009 and the purchase of Dryden Street (office and rehearsal space) in 2011. Both of these were made possible because of the commercial activity that Grandage engaged in on behalf of the Donmar during his tenure, particularly transferring productions to the West End and Broadway.
His work at the Donmar won Tony, Olivier, Evening Standard, Critics' Circle and South Bank Awards. He was first nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award in 2001 for Best Director for Peter Nichols' Passion Play at the Donmar Warehouse before winning in 2004 for David Greig’s Caligula. Two of his musical productions for the Donmar have also won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and a third won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. He has won four Evening Standard Awards for his Donmar work including productions of Passion Play, Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel, Ivanov, The Chalk Garden and Othello. In 2010, his production of Red by John Logan won 6 Tony Awards including Best Play and Best Director.
In June 2012, Constable & Robinson published A Decade At The Donmar by Michael Grandage, a photographic record of his tenure.
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