Zelda Fichandler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zelda Fichandler (born September 18, 1924) is an American stage producer, director, and educator, best known as cofounder and longtime artistic director of the Arena Stage theatre in Washington, D.C.
Fichandler, her husband Thomas C. Fichandler, and Edward Mangum cofounded Arena Stage in 1950. Zelda Fichandler served as its artistic director from then until her retirement at the end of the 1990-91 season. During that time, Arena Stage became known as one of America's premier regional theatres. Fichandler directed numerous plays at Arena Stage including Death of a Salesman, Uncle Vanya, A Doll's House and Six Characters in Search of an Author. Several of her Arena Stage productions toured internationally, including Inherit the Wind and The Crucible.
Since 1984, Fichandler has been chair of the graduate acting program and Master Teacher of Acting and Directing at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. From 1991-94, she was artistic director of The Acting Company.
Among Fichandler's many honors and awards have been the Common Wealth Award for distinguished service in the dramatic arts (1985); the Helen Hayes Award for directing The Crucible (1988); and the National Medal of Arts in 1996. She was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1999, the first artistic leader outside of New York to be so honored.
[edit] Quote
"There is a hunger to see the human presence acted out. As long as that need remains, people will find a way to do theater."[1]
