I tend not to post these sort of things when someone famous passes, but I am just heartbroken by the loss of Marian Seldes. The first time I met her was on my first night on the job as Assistant House Manager at the Promenade Theatre during the run of Three Tall Women. My boss waved me over from across the room to introduce us and before I had taken 2 steps, she threw her arms wide, cried Darling! and gave me the warmest embrace. It was a real Auntie Mame moment and I was forever smitten. Who else could pull off such a theatrical gesture with such sincerity? Sometime after the run ended, I ran into her in the subway and she asked for my address because she had something to send me. It was a picture of me standing in the door to the Green Room announcing to the cast that the house was open. She included a lovely note, mentioning that she liked the relaxation in my hands- something only an actor would notice! Another time I was in a production of Much Ado and I invited her to come. She sent me a note saying she was out of town performing in The Royal Family, but would have loved to come. Her phrasing was so heartfelt I knew she meant it. She loved her fellow actors, whatever their stature. Thus every run-in with her was so, whether it was on the subway again, or the many times I saw her in the audience at a play. I was always so touched by the way she doted on her husband, the late Garson Kanin, and then later after he was gone, if I approached her, she always had a warm hello for me even after she had long forgotten who I was. I saw her many times on stage and was always humbled by her brilliance. Even when she was a bit over-the-top, she was always a marvel to watch. I often said I would watch her read the phone book, and I meant it. She was an original and an American Theatre great, and a real class act. I learned of her passing from my friend Melissa Erricos post, where Melissa told the story of approaching her at a restaurant at the age of 12 and asking her what she needed to do to be an actress. Marians response: Live. To a life well-lived Marian, and your legacy of work, your grace, theatricality, kindness and your dedication to and abiding love of the theatre and all of us in it. Flights of angels sing thee to thy rest, darling! XO
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 10:45:22 +0000
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