Cheryl Crawford (September 24, 1902 â€" October 7, 1986) was an
American theatre producer and director. Born in Akron, Ohio, Crawford
majored in drama at Smith College. Following graduation, she moved to
New York City and enrolled at the Theatre Guild's school. By then she
knew that she didn't want to pursue an acting career, but saw no other
way to gain access to the organization producing the highest quality
theatre of its time. Finishing her training in 1927, she was hired by
Theresa Helburn, the Guild's Executive Director, as a casting
secretary. She then worked her way through various backstage jobs,
including assistant stage manager, to assistant to the “Board of
Managers,†an importantant administrative job. While working at the
Guild, she met Harold Clurman and Lee Strasberg who had also been
working there as play reader and actor, respectively. She was
impressed with these two young men and joined their animated
discussions about the need for a radically new form of American
theatre.In 1930 Crawford urged Clurman to start giving semi-public
talks to groups of like-minded actors. After he followed her
suggestion and the talks attracted more people than could fit in
Clurman's apartment, Crawford arranged for the use of a showroom at
the Steinway Piano Company. In 1931, Crawford, Clurman and Strasberg
announced the formation of The Group Theatre and invited 28 young
actors who had been attending Clurman's talks to join them for a
twelve-week-long summer of training and rehearsal at Brookfield
Center, Connecticut.
American theatre producer and director. Born in Akron, Ohio, Crawford
majored in drama at Smith College. Following graduation, she moved to
New York City and enrolled at the Theatre Guild's school. By then she
knew that she didn't want to pursue an acting career, but saw no other
way to gain access to the organization producing the highest quality
theatre of its time. Finishing her training in 1927, she was hired by
Theresa Helburn, the Guild's Executive Director, as a casting
secretary. She then worked her way through various backstage jobs,
including assistant stage manager, to assistant to the “Board of
Managers,†an importantant administrative job. While working at the
Guild, she met Harold Clurman and Lee Strasberg who had also been
working there as play reader and actor, respectively. She was
impressed with these two young men and joined their animated
discussions about the need for a radically new form of American
theatre.In 1930 Crawford urged Clurman to start giving semi-public
talks to groups of like-minded actors. After he followed her
suggestion and the talks attracted more people than could fit in
Clurman's apartment, Crawford arranged for the use of a showroom at
the Steinway Piano Company. In 1931, Crawford, Clurman and Strasberg
announced the formation of The Group Theatre and invited 28 young
actors who had been attending Clurman's talks to join them for a
twelve-week-long summer of training and rehearsal at Brookfield
Center, Connecticut.
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