Posted: 9/9/21 at 6:13pm
Per social media reports, the great Elizabeth I. McCann has passed away at age 90. RIP to a giant of her field –– one of the most prominent producers and general managers of the last 50 years, and one of the few women working at that level. With credits ranging from the original Elephant Man and a host of Edward Albee plays, all the way through Indecent and the never-opened Hangman.
Posted: 9/9/21 at 6:27pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Per social media reports, the great Elizabeth I. McCann has passed away at age 90. RIP to a giant of her field ––one of the most prominent producers and general managersof the last 50 years,andone of the few women working at that level. With credits ranging from the originalElephant Manand a host of Edward Albee plays, all the way throughIndecentand the never-openedHangman."
Terribly sad to hear this. A true Broadway treasure, and - a word I never use - unique.
Posted: 9/9/21 at 6:40pm
Met her a few times. So many accomplishments and contributions. RIP.
Posted: 9/10/21 at 2:53am
SmoothLover said: "Met her a few times. So many accomplishments andcontributions. RIP."
At a conference I attended, she told a wonderful story about the first rehearsal for Dracula. Frank Langella came to her office and said he had a wonderful idea for the character's first entrance. The doors would open and two Russian Wolf Hounds would enter, go down to the edge of the stage, sit and look upstage as Dracula entered. She said she thought it was a silly idea, but didn't want to insult her star on the first day. Instead, she said, "And for rest of the act, the audience would spend all the time wondering how the dogs were trained to do this." She never about the idea again.
Posted: 9/10/21 at 1:24pm
A Director said: "SmoothLover said: "Met her a few times. So many accomplishments andcontributions. RIP."
At a conference I attended, she told a wonderful story about the first rehearsal for Dracula. Frank Langella came to her office and said he had a wonderful idea for the character's first entrance. The doors would open and two Russian Wolf Hounds would enter, go down to the edge of the stage, sit and look upstage as Dracula entered. She said she thought it was a silly idea, but didn't want to insult her star on the first day. Instead, she said, "And for rest of the act, the audience would spend all the time wondering how the dogs were trained to do this." She never about the idea again.
van Hove made it work for THE CRUCIBLE, and it didn't cause a problem.
Posted: 9/10/21 at 4:45pm
Van Hove's Crucible wasn't exactly the pinnacle of critical success...
McCann –– a good, frugal producer –– was also probably thinking of the bottom line and didn't want to spend a bunch of money on what was basically a gimmick devised by an actor with an ego. Directors and Producers say yes and no to ideas like that all day long.
Posted: 9/10/21 at 6:44pm
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Van Hove's Crucible wasn't exactly the pinnacle of critical success...
McCann ––a good, frugal producer ––was also probably thinking of the bottom line and didn't want to spend a bunch of money on what was basically a gimmick devised by an actor with an ego. Directors and Producers say yes and no to ideas like that all day long."
IDK but I think Liz meant exactly what she said, that it would be diverting, not that it would cost a lot. In effect, she said and did the same thing in The Goat where she had already paid for the stuffed animal.
Posted: 9/21/21 at 1:03am
Did they ever dim the lights on Broadway for her? Where and when was her memorial?
Posted: 9/21/21 at 10:13am
not yet on either. There was a funeral last week but a memorial has been promised for later.
Posted: 9/21/21 at 12:10pm
I am kind of surprised there was not a big light-dimming/vigil on September 14 in honor of the losses the theatre community sustained in the past 18 months.
