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ISABELLE STEVENSON, Chairman of the Board, THE AMERICAN THEATRE WING, Died Sunday, December 28
By: Sam Rudy
ISABELLE STEVENSON, Chairman of the Board of the AMERICAN THEATRE WING, and one of the theatre world's most celebrated and committed advocates, died yesterday (Sunday, December 28th) in her home after a short illness.
Prior to becoming WING Chairman of the Board, Mrs. Stevenson served 33 years as the organization's President. The Wing is best known for establishing Broadway's most coveted honor, The Antoinette Perry Tony Award.
As Wing Chairman of the Board, she oversaw with the President a diverse range of programs designed to bring the theatre directly into the community as well as nurture a new generation of theatre-goers. These have included the "Theatre In-Schools Program", the "Grants and Scholarship Program", the "Hospital Program" and two innovative programs created specifically by Mrs. Stevenson-- "Working in the Theatre Seminars" and the "Introduction to Broadway Program".
ATW's "Working in the Theatre Seminars" are considered the liveliest and most stimulating arts related broadcasts to be found on New York television. The broadcasts, which air five times a week on CUNY-TV (City University Television) as on RCN channel 106 and also telecast on MSG Metro Channels were begun by Mrs. Stevenson. They are now in their 27th year. During her presidency, she single-handedly "booked" every seminar and assembled a group of panelists that read like a "Who's Who" of contemporary American Theatre. The panels are
comprised of stars, featured players, directors, playwrights, producers, designers, composers, lyricists, managers and publicists who have achieved theatrical success. Filled with theatre anecdotes and personal revelations they offer theatre students an aficionado's insight into the creative and business process requires for professional success. These seminars have also created a priceless visual archive of contemporary theatre which can be studied by future generations. Their importance warrants their inclusion in the permanent archives of The New York Library For The Performing Arts at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Radio and Television.
The "Theatre In-Schools'" initiated by Stevenson, brings theatre professionals directly into New York public schools for performance workshops, discussions on plays and playwrights, explanations of theatrical design and other fields. The goal of these meetings is to explain the practicalities of working in the theatre and to provide students with a language for discussing their craft. Through the program, students gain a new way to look at a performance, and at themselves.
The goal set forth by the "Introduction to Broadway" Program is to expose high school students to the boundless magic of live theatre, thereby creating a supportive audience for the future. In partnership with generous producers and New York City's Board of Education, the AMERICAN THEATRE WING's "Introduction to Broadway" program has enabled tens of thousands of young students to attend such Broadway shows as "LES MISERABLES," "MISS SAIGON," "CATS," and "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST," among others, at the minimal ticket price. As an added bonus, the students often take part in post show discussions with cast members and stage crew.
Isabelle Stevenson joined ATW's board in 1957, but her show business career began long before that. Confident she could achieve her goal to become a Broadway performer, she made a debut in Earl Carroll's "Vanities," an annual musical extravaganza, rival of Florenz Ziegfield's "Follies" and George White's "Scandals." She toured the United States as a dancer, played on the same bill as Bob Hope, and was invited to give a Royal Command Performance at London's Palladium. She basked in even bigger success at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, hailed as "the blonde Josephine Baker."
Mrs. Stevenson also studied journalism at New York University, and both fashion and costume design at the Traphegan School of Design. This led to an editorship at Greystone Publishing, where she supervised publication of books on decorating, design and sewing. In 1966, Stevenson became president of the Wing for what was expected to be an interim period.
Mrs. Stevenson was Co-Chairman of the New York City Board of Education's All-Day Neighborhood Schools, was formerly on the Board of Directors of The Museum of the City of New York, and the Board of New Dramatists, Inc. She devoted all her time to the Wing and the many activities of the organization as well as working on the details associated with the CBS & the past PBS Television's broadcast of The Tony Awards.
Isabelle Stevenson was honored at the New Yorker for New York Awards receiving The Elizabeth Chapin Award for Volunteers in the Arts at their annual benefit gala for the Citizens Committee for New York City. She was honored by the Encore Community Services (Saint Malucay's - The Actors Chapel) with their Heart to Heart Award, and in 2001 she was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.
On June 6, 1999, Isabelle Stevenson was honored with a Special TONY AWARD.
Mrs. Stevenson and her late husband resided in New York City, and summered in France. They were parents of two daughters and an adopted niece: Susan Brown of New York City, Laura Maslon of Venice California, and her niece Francine Ringold Johnson of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She also had two grandsons: David S. Brown and Ethan W. Brown and one great-granddaughter Ella. She is also survived by great grandnieces and grandnephews and their children. Services were held in New York City at All Souls Unitarian Church, 1157 Lexington Avenue on Tuesday, Dec. 30th at 2 PM.
LIGHTS WERE DIMMED ON BROADWAY IN HER HONOR (TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30) EVENING.
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