RIP Wendy Wasserstein

January 30, 2006 11:12 PM

American Playwright Wendy Wasserstein died today of cancer at the age of 55. She was the author of plays such as The Heidi Chronicles (winner of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Drama), The Sisters Rosenzweig, Old Money, and several books, including, Shiksa Goddess.
posted by kosem (12 comments total)

More on/with Wasserstein:

NPR’s memorial;
Michael Kuchwara on Wasserstein in the Washington Post;
Bomb Magazine Interview with Wasserstein;
Older NPR piece
posted by kosem at 11:13 PM on January 30, 2006

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posted by matteo at 3:14 AM on January 31, 2006

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posted by rainbaby at 7:05 AM on January 31, 2006

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posted by moonbird at 8:06 AM on January 31, 2006

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posted by OmieWise at 8:29 AM on January 31, 2006

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posted by padraigin at 9:58 AM on January 31, 2006

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posted by Elsbet at 10:46 AM on January 31, 2006

She gave the best graduation speech I've ever heard at her alma mater (and mine), Mt. Holyoke, in 1991. She started by schlumping up to the podium, hood falling off her shoulders and mortarboard falling off her head, and saying, "God, this is like having a paper due 19 years after you graduate!"

We gave her 3 standing ovations. She deserved more.

We used to put on bootleg productions of "Uncommon Women and Others" every few years. The unofficial motto of MHC, at least when I was there, was "Uncommon Women".

She was and uncommon woman. And she both made us want to be one, and showed us part of the way.
posted by QIbHom at 11:24 AM on January 31, 2006

She was *an* uncommon woman.

She probably proofread better than I do, too.
posted by QIbHom at 11:25 AM on January 31, 2006

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posted by jennanemone at 1:25 PM on January 31, 2006

I was not crazy about her as a playwright.

There, I said it, knowing that it will come back to haunt me somebody.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:49 PM on January 31, 2006

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posted by ArsncHeart at 7:17 PM on January 31, 2006