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Eve Adamson |
Eve Adamson
(also see our Photo
Tribute pages)
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of one of New York's great theatre spirits, our
dear friend, teacher, mentor, and director, Eve Adamson. She was an inspiration to our theatre family and to innumerable
theatre artists throughout the world.
Eve, Founder of Jean Cocteau Repertory and Artistic Director from 1971 to 1989,
was a theatre director, lighting designer, and auteur who continued working
tirelessly on theatre projects up until the time of her death. Although her work was
centered in New York, she staged productions across the country and internationally.
She was to begin rehearsals this month for Phoenix Theatre Ensemble's production
of Jean Anouilh's Antigone, opening on November 28th. The company is
planning a memorial service for Eve to be held in December or January.
Eve devoted her unswerving dedication to nurturing and developing the American theatre artist in an atmosphere of uncompromising artistic integrity. In honor of her life and the care with which she supported our work, we are establishing the Eve Adamson Phoenix Theatre Legacy Fund, which will support the elements of production design—the lights, sound, costumes, and sets—that Eve used so beautifully to create what Cocteau and she called "the poetry of theatre." Eve's artistic aesthetic, vision and integrity have greatly influenced those of us who grew up in the house that Eve built, and that vision has become our artistic compass.
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Eve Adamson and Tennessee
Williams |
Eve could never imagine how much and by how many she will be missed. It is with great certainty that we know she would have wanted us to go on with the show, and so we will. As she so often requested of the artists she worked with during rehearsals, we now promise her this: we will find our light.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible
donation to the Eve Adamson Phoenix Theatre Legacy Fund, please
make checks payable to"Phoenix Theatre Ensemble", put "Eve
Adamson Fund" in the memo line and send your contribution
to: |
We dedicate our Winter Repertory to Eve Adamson.
In October, we suffered the loss of the woman who was truly the very creator of our vast extended theatre family. Eve Adamson was the beginning for so many of us. She was our beloved family member, our friend, our teacher, mentor, and collaborator. She was a theatre artist of the highest caliber and greatest integrity. In times of great struggle, when it seems the mountain might be too hard to climb, we remember we are Eve’s children and we go on.
But of late, in the face of genocides and wars, poverty and disease - as individuals and as a collective of artists, we must ask ourselves daily – why? Why have we spent so much of our lives, resources and energy telling stories? Is theatre so important? Worthy? Necessary?
Yes. When it is at its best…when, as Eve would say, the stories
are “universal.” When they can reach out and beyond and touch
and teach us. When the theatre shows us ourselves, in all our human-ness.
Showing us that every little thing we do has an effect…large or
small...no matter...it ripples on and outward...for good...or ill. The
theatre shows us…if we look...it tells us...if we are listening...it
is bigger than the small stories...it is smaller than the large ones…it
can give voice so that the world might not forget those voices now silenced…those
that came before, those that perish now, those that will come after. The
theatre is a land out of time and place where we see ourselves in all our
nakedness...all our darkness of heart...all of our greatness of spirit...all
of our infinite capacity to hurt...all of our infinite capacity to overcome
and all of our willingness to sacrifice ourselves to help another.
We dedicate our winter repertory to Eve Adamson. Eve, you should have been
here with us. And no one will ever know how very much we miss you and will
go on missing you. But WE know that you will always be “here” – at
the very heart of this company that your children have built – a
home for artists telling stories full of universality – important,
necessary, worthy and ever striving to find our light.
In addition to Eve's artistry in the theatre, she also created pottery and sculpture. One of her sculptures has recently been installed in a community garden in the East Village. The sculpture will be unveiled sometime this spring. Check this page for the announcement - and visit www.creativelittlegarden.org , and this lovely public garden in person. The Creative
Little Garden is
located on 6th Street between Avenue A and B and is a lovely little Oasis
in the East Village of New York City. Eve's family and friends are thrilled
that one of her sculptures has found such a special home. |