Stage veterans receive praise at induction
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Actors Len Cariou, left, Marian Seldes and Brian Murray at the party at Sardi's following Monday's ceremony inducting the 2004 class of the Theater Hall of Fame, held in New York City. Cariou and Murray were inductees. Seldes was mistress of ceremonies.Click photo for larger image.
NEW YORK -- "This is simply the proudest night of my life," said Broadway stalwart, actor Brian Murray, at Monday's induction into the Theater Hall of Fame. "It's the most meaningful night in my life," said another inductee, Estelle Parsons, "except for performances."
That pride was general. The inductees also subscribed to another theme familiar on this annual occasion: that the theater is family.
"Thank you for inviting me into this community," said Parsons.
"I've been in theater since I was 7. I've lived with it, for it and from it," said the English-born Murray, who described himself as "the only child of only children" and said it was the American theater where he found his most congenial family.
The occasion sustains both sentiments. As they receive their medallions, each year's inductees face about 140 theater veterans, family, colleagues and friends gathered in the north rotunda of Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. On the walls above, inscribed in thick gold letters, are the names of more than 400 Hall of Fame members, many of whom had a long history of collaboration and friendship with inductees and audience members.
Now in its 34th year, the Hall annually accepts eight new members. Joining Murray and Parsons this year were actors Len Cariou and Sir Ian McKellen, playwright A.R. Gurney, designer Santo Loquasto, producer Elizabeth McCann and late actor/dancer Gregory Hines.
All living inductees were present but McKellen, who is currently performing on stage in London. The only other no-show was Broadway legend Julie Harris, who was to have inducted Parsons but was snowed in at her home on Cape Cod. That hardly surprised the largely elderly audience, already congratulating itself for having reached the Gershwin through the heaped snows of Manhattan.
First Published January 26, 2005 12:00 am
