Mel Shapiro, Director Whose Specialty Was John Guare, Dies at 89 NYT | Top Stories Richard Sandomir 7 January 2025 at 06:50 He directed the playwright’s “The House of Blue Leaves,” and they helped turn “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” into a hit musical. © Friedman-Abeles/The New York Public LibraryRaul Julia and Jerry Stiller “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” The Broadway production won two Tony Awards in 1971.