Remembering Our Friend Sandi Durell

BroadwayWorld lost a friend this week.  Actually, everyone involved in the performing arts lost a friend this week.  Sandi Durell, the founder, publisher, and editor of Sandi Durell’s Theater Pizzazz had been fighting cancer since 2021 and that fight ended on October 22nd.  The news was confirmed by her family, and online outlets, as floods of tributes were shared on social media.  

Dedicated to the performing arts, Sandi Durell worked as a reviewer of theater and cabaret, as well as an editor, but she was also a producer and member of many arts-based organizations like the Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, and American Theatre Critics Association.  She was a true leader and mentor to many, always operating from a love of the arts and a desire to promote those arts and the people who created them.  The website that bore her name was created in 2012 and provided a home for like-minded writers with a wish to support, just as she supported their wish to write.  Many are the writers and photographers who got their start as entertainment journalists because Sandi Durell gave them their first break.  

Sandi Durell had a career in performing, particularly as a vocalist, and was an event producer. Sandi and theater producer Shari Upbin formed Sharell Productions, a company that specialized in the creation of revues like Broadway and Hollywood Live! and Timeless Divas!  For nineteen years, Sandi produced the Songwriter Showcase for The American Popular Song Society, where she was a board member.  She was also a producer on the much-lauded film Broadway The Golden Age by the late Rick McKay.

Speaking personally, my interactions with Sandi Durell were always joyful over the years.  When I started at BroadwayWorld, she introduced herself to me one night at 54 Below, and a professional friendship was formed.  For four years, whenever she saw me, she had a smile, a hug, and some kind words, and on those occasions, she was in the company of a member of the New York City arts community, both there to cheer on and champion the performers on the stage.  Sometimes I would awaken at five am to discover that Sandi (clearly a night owl and dedicated worker) had sent me an email that read, “I need photos for a review, might you have some to spare, please?” to which I always said yes, after curating a selection of photos especially for usage on her site.  On one occasion, when I strayed from my cabaret lane to write a piece about theater, the bosses at BroadwayWorld gently said it didn’t quite fit the BroadwayWorld tone.  I turned to Sandi with the story in my outstretched hands, and her response was immediate:  Yes, she said, without question, she said, I will publish your article, she said.  She gave the piece a place to live on Theater Pizzazz.  She was undeniably one of the most generous people, loving, kind, and friendly to all. It is an observation that has been made by many.

Theater Pizzazz correspondent Ron Fassler offers: “When Sandi Durrell first recruited me to write for Theater Pizzazz, I can recall exactly what she said verbatim: ‘I wish I could pay my writers, but I can’t. What I can do is make it possible for you to see a lot of theatre and cabaret without having to pay for it,’ which sounded like a rich deal to me.

As founder, publisher, and editor, Sandi’s true objective was providing a home for writers, many of whom were displaced when she first started up the site fifteen years ago. Due to the shrinking of print media, excellent theatre writers were losing their longtime homes. Essentially, Sandi housed the homeless. She was a gatherer and a force. She held it all together with spit and sealing wax and we all loved her for it.”

Theater Pizzazz photographer Melissa Griegel remembers: “I have been a fan of Broadway for years, but Sandi introduced me to the world of cabaret. Sandi had a true love for theater and cabaret and became a good friend and mentor. Wherever we went together, Sandi was greeted warmly by singers and actors of all generations. She had boundless energy and soaked in every performance. It was an honor to work with her at Theater Pizzazz.”

Andrew Poretz, who credits Sandi Durell with starting his career in entertainment reporting, declares: “I went to the University of Maryland to study journalism. I always dreamed of writing for a living but life took me in another direction. 

Writing reviews is my pandemic gift from the universe. It took my job, but gave me an amazing life, and it's thanks to Sandi Durell. Back in 2021, I was thisclose to writing for the defunct Cabaret Hot Spot for David Sabella, but it didn't work out. Judy Stewart mentioned that Sandi was looking for writers, so I gave her a call. She told me she'd take me to a show and I could see how it's done. 

When some weeks went by with that not happening, I found myself comped by Bill Boggs for a show by a young singer named Charlie Romo, a Facebook acquaintance I had once met at a Friar's event. I took a notebook and wrote many notes. I put it into some semblance of an article, and posted it on Facebook. I messaged Sandi and asked her to take a look at it and see if I was on the right track. She wrote me a note saying, "Not bad, but too many 'I' s and 'mes' . Take those out, clean it up, and I'll publish it." She did. That was in August  2021.

After that, she took me under her wing, giving me assignments, and lots of guidance. Over time, she'd let me take on all kinds of assignments, including jazz. I've had several other wonderful mentors, including Marilyn Lester and Stephen Mosher, but it's thanks to Sandi Durell that I can, today, call myself a jazz and cabaret reviewer, respected by, and in demand by, many artists and publicists. 

Since 2021, I've written more than 250 reviews, at least 200 of which were for Theater Pizzazz. I will forever be grateful to my dear friend, Sandi Durell.” 

This message came in from Sandi’s close friend and colleague Brian Scott Lipton:  "I know from having run a theater website - TheaterMania.com - for nearly eight years, the kind of time commitment, perseverance, and passion it takes to do this job well, so I was thrilled and honored when Sandi asked me to be a contributor to Theater Pizzazz. In working together, I learned she not only had those aforementioned qualities, but a true love of all of New York City's art forms, from Broadway to Off-Off-Broadway and especially cabaret. Most of all, she had the greatest respect and admiration for the industry's hard-working performers, which she made sure was present in all of our reviews. She made an indelible contribution to arts journalism, and her legacy will not be forgotten."

Tributes from Ann Hampton Callaway, Jeff Harnar, Tracy Stark, and many others from the show business community can be seen on Sandi’s Facebook page HERE.  The outpouring of love for the lady, by way of words and photos, is proof positive that, in spite of the enormity of her success in the business, Sandi Durell was an even greater success at living life, having fun, and nurturing relationships.

In the name of the Sandi Durell legacy, Theater Pizzazz will continue to operate, providing people with all the news of New York theater, regional theater, and cabaret, under the aegis of Eyal Solomon, whom Sandi personally selected to be her successor.

Sandi Durell is survived by her husband, Dr. Robert Durell, her daughter, Cooper Lawrence, and her son-in-law, JK Clarke.

Services and a celebration of life will occur this Sunday, October 27, at twelve noon at Plaza Jewish Community Chapel located at 630 Amsterdam Avenue.  In a telephone conversation yesterday, Mr. Clarke expressed the intended tone of the event by saying, "It's going to be a celebration of Sandi!"  These are sentiments echoed by Ms. Lawrence, who is urging attendees to dress in bright colors by saying, "My mom would hate everyone in black, crying."  

All photos used courtesy of JK Clarke.

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