Celebrating the Legacy of Zelda Fichandler: A Centennial Birthday Tribute at NYU’s African Grove Theater

The late Zelda Fichandler’s centennial birthday was celebrated at the new African Grove Theater at NYU. Recognized as the “Mother of American Regional Theater”, Zelda, with her husband Thomas, were the founders of Washington DC’s Arena Stage in 1950, the capital’s first integrated theater. Later, as head of NYU’s graduate acting program for 25 years, she shaped the careers of many of today’s leading actors, such as Rainn Wilson, Maggie Siff, and Richard Topol.

At the NYU celebration, excerpts were read from two new books chronicling her legacy; The Long Revolution: Sixty Years on the Frontlines of a New American Theater edited by Todd London and To Repair the World: Zelda Fichandler and the Transformation of American Theater by Mary B. Robinson. The evening also included reenactments of Zelda’s productions, including Uncle Vanya, performed by the original cast. The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation also presented Raymond O. Caldwell with their annual Zelda Fichandler Award for his contributions to theater.

Participants included Jane Alexander (Arena Stage company member), Mia Barron (NYU Graduate Acting, ‘99), Vivienne Benesch (GA, ‘93, Artistic Director, Playmakers), Cherise Boothe (GA, ‘04), Nadia Bowers (GA, ‘00), Mary Schmidt Campbell (President emerita, Spelman College), Carl Cofield (Chair, NYU Graduate Acting Program), Melissa Crespo (Allen Lee Hughes Fellow, ‘04), Randy Danson (Arena Stage company member), Angel Desai (GA, ‘97), Adam Green (GA, ‘04), Allyson Green (Dean, Tisch School of the Arts), Deborah Hecht (Graduate Acting faculty), Tom Hewitt (Arena Stage company member), Allen Lee Hughes (Design for Stage and Film faculty), Charles Janasz (Arena Stage company member), Patricia McGregor (Artistic Director, NYTW), Laura Penn (Executive Director, SDC), Bill Rauch (Artistic Director, PAC), Lisa Rothe (GA, ‘95), Gareth Saxe (GA, ‘99), Hana Sharif (Artistic Director, Arena Stage), Miriam Silverman (actor, Arena Stage), Tazewell Thompson (Artistic Associate, Arena Stage), Willa Taylor (Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship Director), Ron Van Lieu (Graduate Acting faculty), Victor Williams (GA, ‘95), and Janet Zarish (NYU Professor and Stage Director).

In the audience were Zelda’s two sons, Hal and Mark Fichandler. The evening was directed by Associate Chair of the NYU Graduate Acting Program, Laurence Maslon.