Thursday, January 13, 2011

Ellen Stewart, 91


There are reports now that La Mama founder Ellen Stewart has passed away. She was 91.

Stewart founded La Mama in a Lower East Side basement back in 1961 ... and guided the theater to its current mini-empire on East Fourth Street. "Not only did she introduce unusual new work to the stage; she also helped colonize a new territory for the theater, planting a flag in the name of low-budget experimental productions on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and creating the capital of what became known as Off Off Broadway," according to her obituary in the Times today.

As Michael Feingold wrote on Runnin' Scared, Stewart opened every La MaMa performance the way same: By "ringing a cowbell and declaring, 'Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to La MaMa, dedicated to the playwright and to all aspects of the theater.'"

Wrote Blue Glass upon hearing the news: "There will never be another like her."

[Photo via La Mama]
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6 comments:

  1. Marty WombacherJanuary 13, 2011 at 2:24 PM

    Sad news. R.I.P.

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  2. LisaJanuary 13, 2011 at 2:48 PM

    RIP, Ellen. Put on great shows in Heaven.

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  3. AnonymousJanuary 13, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    What a beautiful photograph of an obviously very elegant and respected lady.

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  4. MelanieJanuary 13, 2011 at 5:08 PM

    R.I.P.--she was definately a leader in the theatre.

    ReplyDelete
  5. NYCDreaminJanuary 14, 2011 at 12:58 AM

    This is indeed sad news but at least she made it to 91 - that's not too bad! Thanks for reporting this, Grieve.

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  6. ClaribelJanuary 14, 2011 at 3:14 AM

    All so true. She was a pioneer, a phenomenal woman who contributed so much. She always was and will continue to be an inspiration to me. A sad, sad day...

    ReplyDelete

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