Dear Friends and Family:
Most Marvelous Marjorie left us on Friday, Feb. 12th, 2010 after a brief illness. Marjorie was an amazing, courageous, inspiring human being who brought her creativity and humanity to everything she did including her work in theater, the arts and activism.
Please check back here for details on her Life Celebration that will be held towards the end of March. You may also "Subscribe to Posts" (below) to receive updates. Please also see Misha Berson's article in the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2011090797_webnelsonobit16.html
In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts and memories of Marjorie by clicking on "Comments" below. {You may post as "Anonymous"; if you get a message saying your comment could not be posted, click "post comment" again, enter the letters you see and click "post comment" again.}
Love,
Judith and Rachel
Most Marvelous Marjorie left us on Friday, Feb. 12th, 2010 after a brief illness. Marjorie was an amazing, courageous, inspiring human being who brought her creativity and humanity to everything she did including her work in theater, the arts and activism.
Please check back here for details on her Life Celebration that will be held towards the end of March. You may also "Subscribe to Posts" (below) to receive updates. Please also see Misha Berson's article in the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2011090797_webnelsonobit16.html
In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts and memories of Marjorie by clicking on "Comments" below. {You may post as "Anonymous"; if you get a message saying your comment could not be posted, click "post comment" again, enter the letters you see and click "post comment" again.}
Love,
Judith and Rachel
26 comments:
Dear Marjorie:
I miss you. You are very creative. I remember when we went to the park by your house together. It was fun at the beach in Port Townsend, too.
I love you. Hotsie-totsie Mem!
Love,
Zac
Dear Judith, Rachel, family & friends,
Marjorie inspired so many with her artistry, wit, compassion and true friendship. I feel so honored to have known her, worked with her and call her a friend. Sending you all love,
Anne (Christianson) McQuary
What a lovely, gracious, moving tribute to a brilliant artist and an all-around amazing woman. Marjorie has affected so many lives in so many ways. It has truly been a privilege to know her.
Very sincerely,
Terry Healy
For a while I was her teacher, but it was always Marjorie who taught me. As she aged and changed, she dared share her fears and uncertainties, as well as her amazing experiences and skills. She lived undaunted for as long as I know her. I will miss her. I wish comfort for Judith and Rachel and all those close to her.
-John Nelson
Marjorie made me dinner, a lot. Marjorie encouraged me to start my theater. She served on my board and she brought her friends to serve on my board. She donated money and she got her friends to donate money. She gave me her time, her fierce and loyal support and she believed in me some days more than I did myself. I'm certain I'm not the only one...
She made a great stew, that's what I often asked for 'cause I didn't know how to make it., and her's was delicious.
As the song goes; "When they built her, brother, they broke the mold."
-Nikki Appino
Marjorie directed me in a show in college and left such an impression as someone who deserved my utmost respect. Her support of so many of us was wonderful and, now, inspiring. Both as an artist, but even just as a person lending travelling advice and sharing her home.
-Sarah Harlett
What a sadness has befallen Seattle and it's theater community. I was priviledged to be able to light shows that Marjorie acted in and directed. She was inspired and inspiring. She taught me to fold origami cranes and served me tea in her wonderful home. Marjorie will be missed by many. My sympathy goes out to her family, Judy Wolcott
In the short time I had to work with Marjorie and be with her in her home, I always felt that I was in the presence of something kind of magical. She was absolutely serious and steely and committed to her work, but also whimsical and elfish and fragile. I wish I could have worked with her again.
Craig Huisenga
Miss you so much Marjorie!
While hosting a party once, Marjorie was showing off some rare and valuable ornaments she had displayed on her mantelpiece, and everyone oohed and ahhed. Later on, a young women backed into the mantel and knocked one of the pieces to the ground, shattering it. The crowd went uncomfortably silent. Before the mortified woman could apologize, Marjorie grabbed another ornament and, with a loud cheer, threw it to the ground, also shattering it. It was the most surprising and complete act of generosity I've ever seen.
I got to direct Marjorie in a play once, but more important than that I got to sit at her kitchen table and get an education. She was hugely remarkable - I haven't seen her in years, but I miss her already.
Dear Rachel:
It has been years since I have seen you or Marjorie. I am sorry about your loss.
I remember Marjory best in Port Townsend where I was an apprentice, summer 1966 (I think). Upon leaving the theater one evening, there was not enough room in her VW bug for all of us, so I got up on the luggage rack. Marjorie drove past the police station with me on top of her bug and got pulled over. The policeman was very upset but said he could not write her a ticket because no one would believe him and he would get laughed out of court. He then said something about (paraphrasing) “you theater people come up here and turn this town up side down. Could you please behave yourselves?”
She was a lot of fun and lived a good life. I am all the better for having known her.
Bob Holley
Marjorie was a great teacher, a great friend and mentor. She was the one I wanted to be, or be like. Loyal, generous, tough, and filled to the brim with the childlike wonder of this world and all of its possibilities. And what a laugh! She could laugh us all awake, and she did, many a time. I will miss her so very much, but am galvanized to get up, do more, give more, love more and live with more zest because of her.
Dawn Warren
I only knew Marjorie for a short period of time in the mid 80s but she made a lasting impression on me. I still think of many lessons I have learned from her. She helps me daily and will forever. Thank you Marjorie.
Katy Philp
She was my colleague, my collaborator, my patron, my sister, my mother, my auntie, my housemate, my travelling companion, my teacher, and my friend. I miss her every hour right now, and maybe the longing of missing her will dull so that I only miss her every day, or every week. I don't know. She was one of the first people I met in Seattle in 1983, and even though I left a few years ago, one of the only people who always called, always kept in touch, and who I always called as well. I treasure my friendship with Rachel, and will never forget the image of marjorie playing a young adolescent boy in a Brecht collage (of some sort, at the Bathouse years and years ago) and thinking "I will never think of casting in the same way ever again". She was an inspiration, a protector, unfailingly honest and caring. I spent many many hours in the big yellow house...I cleaned for her, and lived with her and we cooked for each other. She is a part of me.
Marjorie was my neighbor and friend for many years. She would often come to my place to watch movies with me. One she asked for time and time again was All Passion Spent with Wendy Hiller. It was set in Hampstead, London, where Marjorie had lived at one time. We often talked theatre and I brought her programs from plays I saw in London. She was always interested and taught me many things about actors and directors and playwrights. I think her favorite was Brecht with whom she had worked at one time. I will miss seeing her go out to her car, take in her groceries, wave at me, and come to my house to watch movies. Ruth McCormick
Marjorie was a wonderful spirit and moved through life with panache and good common sense. She was so supportive of me and Rachel during the early days of Seal Press, especially when we used to set type in the charming little converted garage in her back yard. She made us many tuna sandwiches during that period, as well as lots of wonderful meals. That was 1976. I was new to Seattle and loved to hear the stories Marjorie and Victor told about helping save the Market and the early days of the Rep. They connected me with Seattle's precious radical past and continuing activist present.
She was a brave citizen, an inspired actor, a marvelous mother and a fine friend to aspiring artists of all stripes. When I last saw her, in Port Townsend where I now live, she breezed on stage into the house looking marvelous as always and said dramatically, "I LOVE your house"
She made life bigger. Thank you, Marjorie!
I don't know how to express how I treasure Marjorie, or how much I miss her. She was taken from all of us so quickly....I keep hearing her voice - on my voice mail, in the coffee shops, on our walks together, and oh, my, on stage! I'll be grieving and remembering all the rest of my life, I think. Love and comfort and strength to Rachel and Judith, and young Zac, and all the rest of that wonderful family. Martha Brice
Marjorie used to call up and ask "are the lilacs in bloom yet" and then come and sit in the magic circle of them, bathing in fragrance, content as a cat. I remember painting posters, spread all over her house, and marching along together, so happy to be Americans shoutin' out! And my fondest memory is working on our scene together in Fefu & her Friends with Irene Fornes in the New City garage...watching and listening, basking in the presence of those two wise ones.
She graced our world.
Ki Gottberg
Oh Marjorie, dear one, dear friend, my comrade in theatre, in love, in life. How I love and cherish you and all our many trials, tribulations and gaity we shared. Life's a blast and we lived that together -- so much life and laughter we shared. THANK YOU for being one of the great treasures of my life. I carry you always in my heart of hearts.
I adore you. Always.
Dian
Marjorie brought her actor friends to our screenwriting class in 2001. What a thrill to watch our writing come alive with her direction! Thanks for believing in me Marjorie. You are a treasure in my heart.
Fondly,
Robin McCall
Dear Marjorie,
I will miss you. I am eternally grateful to you for taking a chance on me and casting me in "Skin of our Teeth." It was such an honor to work with such an accomplished professional. You taught me a great deal.
Marjorie was the quintessential Seattle actress. Kind, generous, and warm, she shared her heart openly. Perhaps she was amused by upstart supernumeraries like myself, but she was always gracious, a green room mother hen young actors flocked to for affirmation.
The last time I saw Margorie was in New York in the 1980’s where we both happened to catch the same crowded bus heading down 5th Avenue to Washington Square. She encouraged me share my newly gained knowledge of theatre by returning to Seattle, and, once again, validated my ambitions as she had always done in the past.
My heart goes out to her family, and the entire Seattle theatre community, yet how noble the Emerald City will pay tribute to her ascending star. -Eric Augusztiny
When I think of the coterie of Seattle actors I think of Marjorie as the passion head. Seeing her in so many roles, she was always predictably excellent and generous to others. She was firce and gentle. I was so happy when she graced the Intiman stage.
Pam Schell
Gosh, living in Snohomish, I missed the news of Marjorie's passing until receiving an email from Cornish today ... amazing the tumble of thoughts and feelings that are activated by this news. And thanks for setting this up, reading everyone's postings is just the ticket.... Warner
There isn't a day that goes by .........I miss you Marjorie. You made me who I am today. I miss your humour, your marmalade jam, and your wisdom. There is no one else who can ever fill those shoes!
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