Positions
Biography
Founding Artistic Director of The Blank Theatre in Hollywood. He directed the critically-acclaimed revival of the musical THE CRADLE WILL ROCK. Henning directed West Coast Premieres of Michael John LaChiusa’s musical SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE (LA Weekly noms for "Musical of the Year," "Direction of a Musical"), Christopher Durang’s WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (LA Weekly noms: "Comedy Direction"), and the World Premiere of SETUP & PUNCH by Mark Saltzman (LA Weekly noms: “Best Musical”, “Best Director of a Musical”). Henning's debut as playwright, DICKIE & BABE: THE TRUTH ABOUT LEOPOLD & LOEB, played an extended run at The Blank. Henning won the NAACP Award for “Best Director” for LaChiusa’s THE WILD PARTY (“Best Production” -LA Drama Critics Circle, NAACP Award, BackStage West Garland and 17 other awards). Henning made his Lincoln Center directorial debut with THE GIRLY SHOW with Mr. LaChiusa. Henning directed the World Premiere of Saltzman’s MR. SHAW GOES TO HOLLYWOOD (OC Weekly Award) at the Laguna Playhouse. On The Blank’s Mainstage he has also directed: George Furth’s PRECIOUS SONS (revised by Furth & Henning) starring Nora Dunn & Gregory Jbara (BackStage Garland Award, “Best Director”), THE WHYstarring Noah Wyle & James Marsters (Ovation nomination), HELLO AGAIN (Ovation Award, 3 Garland Awards) with Susan Egan, Marcia Strassman & Richard Kline, BREAKING THE CODE with Dennis Christopher & Jeremy Sisto (LADCC Award - “Best Production”), the Los Angeles premiere of CHESS with Marcia Mitzman Gaven & Douglas Sills (2 LADCC Awards, 2 Ovation Awards), and SKY’S END a musical which grew out of The Blank’s nationwide Young Playwrights Festival - a 19 year-old competition for playwrights 19 and younger. In March 2008, Henning & The Blank Theatre were awarded the Hollywood Arts Council’s “Charlie Award” for “pursuing artistic excellence and for nurturing the next generation of playwrights in the heart of Hollywood.”