Edward Albee
Sept. 17, 2016
I just read that the playwright Edward Albee died. I did not know him and yet I feel a loss.
Sometimes when someone famous dies we feel sadness because of a personal connection despite never having met the person and that sadness deserves recognition.
Edward Albee wrote "Zoo Story." When I was in high school someone very important to me, David Rose, Directed "Zoo Story." The actors in it were Tom Zurich and Stuart Rosenfeld. David and Tom were both high school crushes of mine. And friends. David later became a director at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, California. In "Zoo Story," perhaps his directorial debut, he decided to cast Tom, more mild-mannered in real life, in as the more volatile character. Stuart, less subdued off-stage, got the milder role. In the wake of David's death I have re-connected with both Stuart and Tom. Stuart told me last month when we met in Seattle, that Mr. Pia, our wonderful faculty mentor for drama, was not in favor of this "switch" of David's; but David did it anyway and it was a triumph. Those of us in Staples Players in 1977 still remember the brilliant performances that Tom and Stuart gave FORTY years ago!
I remember Edward Albee for another reason. My multi-talented brother Roland, a playwright, filmmaker and composer, won the Edward Albee Award for one of his plays in the 1990s and got to go to Alaska to meet Edward Albee.
And then there was a play I was in. I thought it was an Edward Albee play. Grandma was one of the characters. The only line I remember is, "The boxes dammit!" But maybe it was Pinter. [Addendum: I remembered the play, "The American Dream." It was Albee].
Rest in peace, Edward Albee
