Linda Lavin (1937-2024)
William & 玛丽 Theatre alumnae and generous donor Linda Lavin '59 passed away on December 29, 2024.
Ms. Lavin was a Tony Award-winning actress and singer who starred in film, television, and on stage. 拉文出生于缅因州的波特兰，父母都是音乐家，他五岁就开始表演，1959年毕业于威廉玛丽学院。
Ms. Lavin's time at William & 玛丽 was marked by her extensive involvement in the Theatre Department. During her freshman year, she was cast by Dir. Althea Hunt to play Margo in Dial "M" For Murder (1955) and Rosalind in William Shakespeare's As You Like It (1956). The following year, she played Rosa Gonzales in Summer and Smoke (1956) and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (1957). Later that year, she was the leading actress in the Backdrop Club's original musical play Theatre is a Lady (1957). The Flat Hat reviewer Virgil McKenna praised her performance: "Linda Lavin was undoubtedly the star of the show. In fact it seemed that Theatre is a Lady was the perfect vehicle for the extraordinary talent of this actress" (May 21, 1957).
During her junior year, she worked on lights for the production Hark Upon the Gale (1957) and scenery crew for The Matchmaker (1958). She also performed in the Department's productions of Ghosts (1957) as Regina Engstrand and The Matchmaker (1958) as Dolly Levi, both directed by Howard Scammon. As a senior, she performed as MME. Josephine, the Madwoman of La Concorde in The Madwoman of Chaillot (1958).
In the summer of 1958, she played the Widow Huzzit in the annual production of The Common Glory, an outdoor symphonic drama by Paul Green presented along Lake Matoaka on the campus of William & 玛丽. Her profile from the program states:
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After graduating from William & 玛丽, she headed to New York, and started her career as a singer in clubs and Off-Broadway shows. Lavin then performed in a broad range of productions on Broadway, including dramas, musicals, and comedies. In 1987, she received the Tony, Helen Hayes, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for Neil Simon's "Broadway Bound." She was nominated for Tony Awards for her work in "The Diary of Anne Frank" and "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife." After many guest roles on several TV series, Lavin took on her most famous role as single mother Alice Hyatt on the successful comedy "Alice," which ran for nine years on CBS (1976-1985). She sang the theme song on the show, and won two Best Actress Golden Globe awards for her performance.
In 1984, the College recognized Ms. Lavin with its Alumni Medallion and served as grand marshal for the Homecoming Parade. During commencement exercises in 2009, she received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. She was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York City's Gershwin Theatre on January 24, 2011. Ms. Lavin established W&M Theatre's Linda Lavin Theatre Research Award that same year.
In addition to supporting our students' research aspirations, Ms. Lavin returned to campus as a Class of '59 Artist-in-Residence to offer master classes in the department. Her financial generosity toward our students was well-matched by the sensitivity and warmth of her teaching.
Through her philanthropy, incredible talent, and dedication to the arts, Ms. Lavin has left an indelible mark on our Department and the many lives she touched. We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friendfs, and all those who had the privilege of knowing her.
Thank you to [[dwwall, David Wall]], W&M Libraries Special Collections Assistant, for his help collecting information and photos from the Department of Theatre, Speech, and Dance Records and Linda Lavin Papers.
