Tom Stoppard dead RIP

RIP

So sad to read. His body of work is testament to his mastery of storytelling. I am thankful I had the opportunity to see many of his plays during their original runs in London or on Broadway. A personal favorite (favorites?) is The Coast of Utopia trilogy. Leopoldstadt is a close second. I was 9 years old when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern... came to Broadway and I have always wished for a revival. RIP, Sir, and thank you for your gifts of theatre.

Updated On: 11/29/25 at 12:37 PM

Gosh, what a loss! I read Coast of Utopia and Arcadia at least once a year -- with each read, something new emerges. What a legacy he leaves us with!

This is very sad news.  He was truly one of the greats.

Does anyone remember back in 2007 when Coast of Utopia was getting so much (deserved) awards attention, and someone on a TV program pronounced his name as "stahpard" (which is how he pronounces it)?  I had heard his name pronounced as "STAHP-erd" my whole life before that, and I remember there was a flurry of activity online where people were asking each other, "Is that how his name is supposed to be pronounced?"  I thought it was the 2007 Tonys, but the announcer, Marcia Gay Harden, and even Jack O'Brien (the director of Coast of Utopia) and Andre Bishop of Lincoln Center pronounce it as STAHP-erd.   Of the people on the main telecast, only Billy Crudup pronounces it correctly but he does it fairly subtly and very early in the program (his was the first award), and I'm pretty sure it wasn't him that drew the attention.  The other award winner from Coast of Utopia from the main telecast, Jennifer Ehle, just calls him, "Tom," without saying his last name.

Does anyone remember who said his name correctly and caused some discussion?  I can't find footage online of the Tony nomination announcement, the creative arts portion of the Tony program, or of the Drama Desks or any other award ceremony from that year.  

Dreamboy3 said: "So glad that he lived long enough to have gotten to a place where he could write Leopoldstadt. I am still so haunted by it."

I think about the last scene of Leopoldstadt all the time. Rarely have I ever encountered such a personal and powerful piece of theatre, and it's the only time I can remember bawling (silently) in a theatre. What a life, and what gifts he gave to the world.

May his memory be a blessing.

When Tom Stoppard Confronted His Background in His Final Play

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/theater/tom-stoppard-leopoldstadt-jewish-heritage.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5E8.5iYy.bRWpgcQFjnqw&smid=nytcore-android-share

Glenn Close, Ethan Hawke and Others Mourn Tom Stoppard

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/theater/tom-stoppard-tributes-reactions.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5E8.lQFm.5wmgp2STu24t&smid=nytcore-android-share

Sara Holdren: Tom Stoppard Was the Real Thing

https://www.vulture.com/article/tom-stoppard-remembrance-obituary-theater.html