As 2004 comes to a close following a grim year’s worth of reports about deaths from war, natural disasters and terrorism, those of us who cling to the theatre as a life raft to help us navigate the stormy world can’t help but think of those from our own community who left us in 2004.

You might think about a composer whose muscular show tunes quickened your pulse and lightened your sadness; you may recall a character actor who was at home both in musicals and on a certain TV police drama; you’ll look back at the life of a TV and movie star with a passionate mission for a national theatre; or ponder the influence of two performers ? an actress who became a legendary teacher, and a brutish actor who heralded a new age of naturalistic acting when he cried, “Stella!”

The respective passings of Cy Coleman, Jerry Orbach, Tony Randall, Uta Hagen and Marlon Brando all made headlines on Playbill On-Line in 2004. As the year draws to a close we reflect on the varied losses the theatre suffered in the past year. [cont.]