The Broadway community mourns the sudden loss of Natasha Richardson, who died yesterday at age 45.
The marquees of Broadway theatres in New York will be dimmed in her memory on Thursday, March 19th, at exactly 8:00pm for one minute.
Charlotte St. Martin, Executive Director of The Broadway League, commented, "The Broadway community is shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our finest young actresses, Natasha Richardson. Her theatrical lineage is legendary, but her own singular talent shined memorably on any stage she appeared. On Broadway, her brilliant performances in Cabaret (Tony Award-winning), Anna Christie (Tony Award -nominated), A Streetcar Named Desire, and Closer demonstrated a pinnacle of excellence ... both emotionally and intellectually ... that electrified those fortunate enough to be sitting in the theatre and experiencing her magic. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and audiences; we will miss her."
Ms. Richardson received a 1998 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes' revival of Cabaret. She appeared most recently on Broadway in 2005 as Blanche Du Bois in A Streetcar Named Desire; in 1999 starred in Closer, and in 1993 played the title role Anna Christie in a tour-de-force performance. She also has an impressive list of London theatre credits, as well as numerous notable film and television roles.
A descendent of a famous British family of celebrated actors and directors, Ms. Richardson is the daughter of Oscar-winning director Tony Richardson and Tony-Award winning actress Vanessa Redgrave. She is the niece of actors Lynn and Corin Redgrave, granddaughter of Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, sister of Joely Richardson, wife of Liam Neeson and mother of their two sons.
Along with her mother Ms. Redgrave, she participated in a staged reading of A Little Night Music at the Roundabout Theater in January of this year.
The Broadway League, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League's 600-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers in over 240 North American cities, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada.
Visit www.BroadwayLeague.com.
Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
