Variety is reporting that Jack V. Booch, the former executive producer and director of the Theater Guild of NY, died February 11 in Portland of cancer. He was 73.
Booch, born November 14, 1936, was the executive producer and director Theater Guild of New York in the 1980s. He also worked as the director of the Portland Civic Theater during the 1960s and was a contributor to the Vancouver Voice.
The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1919 by Theresa Helburn, Lawrence Langner, and Armina Marshall. It evolved out of the work of the Washington Square Players.
The Portland Civic Theatre Guild began in 1958 when Mary Brand invited a small group of women to form an independent support group for the Theatre. At the time, the Portland Civic Theatre was one of the oldest and largest community theatres in the country, having been founded in 1926.T he newly formed Guild decided upon play readings as its primary fund raising focus. Since December of 1958, the readings have been produced regularly as affordable, daytime entertainment in a social setting. Top acting and directing talent is used, from both in and outside the Guild. Directors and actors are paid a nominal honorarium, and it is considered an honor to be asked to do a Guild reading.
