theaterboy®

Gilbert Mead, 1930-2007

From Linda Levy Grossman at the Helen Hayes organization:

Gilbert Dunbar Mead, age 76, philanthropist and retired research scientist, died May 29, 2007 at Washington Home and Hospice of complications following a stroke.  Mr. Mead and his wife Jaylee are noted arts philanthropists, whose recent commitment to Arena Stage marks the largest individual gift ever given to a regional theatre.

This is how much I'm glad you're all here.

{{  --------------------------------- this much ------------------------------------ }}

Thank you, everyone who sent such kind notes after Wednesday's post.  My friend's death has made this week such a strange thing: A period of up, energized excitement -- about the new job at NPR, which has been a string of challenges and a lot of fun as I meet new people and figure out how things work -- punctuated by a series of disassociative moments.

Friends gathered, as people do when someone dies--to talk, to tell fond stories and funny stories and stories of mischief and misbehavior, and to listen and to weep. People brought food. Two astonishingly kind people helped take charge of logistics: The funeral is Monday, in the Midwestern state where my friend's family is waiting, devastated.

When I went over to his house Wednesday night, his partner pointed out the most bizarre thing. My friend's cellphone has AOL's mobile IM client on it. And the phone's on the charger at their house.

So every time any of us fire up the iChat, there he is -- present, unaccountably and inaccurately present.

His voice is still there, too, on the outgoing message of his answering machine.

Huh: Technology makes even death more complicated.

There are no words.

I had a phone call today that still, six hours later, feels like a hallucination: One of my oldest friends in D.C. is dead. Suddenly, senselessly.

I sent him an e-mail last night. I don't even know how to think of him as gone.

Belatedly ...

... Tboy notes the death of Sheridan Morley, stage director, critic, and biographer of fun theatrical people.

Tboy will now head to bed with his tattered copy of A Talent to Amuse, which he hasn't read since around the time he bought it from (after failing to return it to) the Augusta College library.

Don Waters

Jim Petosa reports that Don Waters, a longtime Catholic University professor of dramatic lit and theater history, died today.

Your remembrances are welcome.

Reminder: Kate Fleming memorial tonight

At Woolly Mammoth, in memory of the actor, voice-over artist, and ex-D.C.er who died when her home studio flooded in December.

The service starts at 7, runs 90 minutes, no intermission (or so went the wry joke in the e-mail). Reception afterwards.

Anthony Louis Mondello, 1919-2006

Anthony Louis Mondello, who as General Counsel of the U.S. Civil Service Commission, recast federal regulations in ways that affected millions of government employees in the 1970s -- eliminating loyalty oaths, discouraging discrimination based on sexual orientation, and even permitting Postal Service employees to wear short pants in hot weather -- died this morning in Bethesda of complications from Parkinson’s Disease. He was 87.

Mike Malone, 1943-2006

As some of you will know, the director, Howard University professor, and Duke Ellington School co-founder Mike Malone died over the weekend. His body was discovered at his home early Monday.

Malone had been ill, suffering from diabetes complications, and friends had been concerned that depression had gotten the better of him recently, since the deaths of his mother and a colleague. Friends worried that he wasn't taking care of himself.

D.C.'s tight-knit African-American theater crowd was reeling Monday and today, as news spread, and for good reason: Malone had been a fixture among them for a long time. "The influence he had on black artists in Washington was considerable," said actor Jewell Robinson, who was close to him.

Malone won a Helen Hayes Award in 1994 for choreographing Studio Theatre's production of Spunk, and in 1996 was nominated for the direction and choreography awards for the Kennedy Center's production of Black Nativity, the hugely popular gospel musical he staged around the country for nearly three decades. He'd been working on remounting the Congo Square Theatre's Chicago production this month, but apparently was too unwell to continue and returned home not too many days ago.

UPDATE, Wednesday: If you haven't seen them yet, the Post's coverage today includes an Appreciation in addition to the obit.

Helen Hayes judge dies in Metrobus accident

If you're like me, and you don't watch local TV news, you won't have heard this upsetting story, which I was alerted to by the Helen Hayes Awards folks: Emily Fenichel, an awards judge who was also associated with Venus Theatre, died last night after being hit by a Metrobus in Friendship Heights.

Deborah Randall, of Venus Theatre, said this in a posting on the DC-Theatre Yahoo group:

Emily and I last communicated a few months ago through email where she offered help and abundant encouragement regarding the Venus Play Shack.  She said was working for another non-profit called Zero to Three, which she seemed very passionate about.  I told her it was a busy time but I'd like to get back to her about it...she said there was no rush we could do it later. ...

It's already been said that acting was her passion.  I concur.  It's difficult when we lose one of those loving spirits so willing to share and grow.  Just praying she did not suffer and certain she left the world a much better place than it was before.

Fenichel was 64, according to news reports.  Our thoughts are with her friends and family.

Bart Whiteman, 1947-2006

From Pat Murphy Sheehy:

I have just learned some very sad news for the entire theater community. ... It is especially poignant when were are fighting for the life of Source Theatre as a performing arts space.

Bart Whiteman, the founder and Artistic Director of Source Theatre Company until 1986, died very suddenly [last week from heart failure] in his office at Mortgage South in Chattanooga, Tenn.

His obituary, written by his wife Melinda, can be found here.

His family address is 1400 Peter Pan Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750.  Donations to an educational fund for his daughter in his memory can be sent to Mary Bartlett Whiteman Fund,  c/o Mortgage South 409 South Germantown Road, Chattanooga, Tenn. 37411.

Bart was an inspiration and a dynamic force for anyone who worked with him.  I directed him in The Father, was his Acting Company Manager and later carried on his legacy as the Producing Artistic Director of Source. I remember particularly traveling with him to various small towns in Virginia when he would teach or tour a play.

I thought his talents were particularly brilliant as a skilled teacher and creative counselor.  It is more important than ever that  Source Theatre remain as an ongoing performing arts space as a visible tribute to not only Bart but to all the artists and supporters who followed him.

-- Pat Murphy Sheehy

It's worth noting that though Tboy never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Whiteman, Mr. Whiteman went to the trouble of seeking Tboy out.  From his latter-day home in Tennessee, he kept up with D.C. theater through various channels, including this blog--and wasn't shy about weighing in from time to time.

Tboy's thoughts are with his family, and with those of you who knew him and worked with him when Tboy was still trying to figure out how to escape the Deep South.