Posted by Executive Director, Blake West—

When the marquee lights on Broadway are dimmed tonight at 7pm in honor of Lynn Redgrave, who died on Sunday night at the age of 67, I will be thinking of how much joy Lynn gave me, and so many others, over the years. 

I am grateful that I, and all of us at MCC Theater, had the opportunity to work with and get to know Lynn when she appeared in our 2008 production of Grace.  She played a woman of great intellect and control who loses her son and, in one particularly wrenching scene at the play’s climax, finally releases her grief and rage in a shocking, almost ghastly, wail.  It is an acting moment etched in my memory.  Lynn was riveting and true.  I was, and am still, in awe.  While at MCC, Lynn was generous with her time.  For us she participated in many talk-backs and patron events, she came to our galas, she signed fundraising letters.  She was a dream.  For many years she dealt with illness, but she did not let it stop her from acting or from her cancer advocacy.  Last year while undergoing treatments yet again, she continued to perform her one-woman play Nightingale at Manhattan Theater Club.  She was the consummate professional actor — the show must go on.  When we heard the news yesterday that Lynn had passed away, everyone at MCC was quite sad — from the artistic and administrative staff right on up to the board. She was amazing.  She was our friend.  We’ll miss her very much.