{"id":5707,"date":"2016-08-01T13:33:31","date_gmt":"2016-08-01T18:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=5707"},"modified":"2016-08-04T15:09:59","modified_gmt":"2016-08-04T20:09:59","slug":"a-tribute-to-arena-stage-founder-zelda-fichandler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=5707","title":{"rendered":"A Tribute to Arena Stage Founder Zelda Fichandler"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

\"Zelda<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe miracle of theater is that it ever happens at all.\u201d
\n–\u00a0Zelda Fichandler, in Laurence Maslon\u2019s The Arena Adventure: The First 40 Years<\/em><\/p>\n

Zelda Fichandler, a powerhouse of the performing arts, passed away Friday, July 29 at the age of 91.\u00a0 Fichandler was a founder of the Arena Stage which remains, because of her vision, Washington, DC’s preeminent regional theater, a space of imagination and innovation.\u00a0 Fichandler\u2019s artistic achievements\u00a0span the length of her storied career, from the founding of Arena in 1950, to pushing for diversity on the stage with her thesis entitled \u201cTowards a Deepening Aesthetic\u201d, to educating future performers at NYU.\u00a0 Zelda, supported by her husband Thomas Fichandler, gave opportunities to actors, performers, and visionaries who were willing to push the boundaries of theater, who were \u201ctrailblazers\u201d, and who were unafraid of to challenge prevailing notions of race, identity, and class.<\/p>\n

With her support, programs such as the Living Stage (an Arena venture) brought the theater to less privileged members of society and encouraged them to find deeper meaning in their lives through art.\u00a0 Fichandler herself broke traditional ideas of gender roles as not only a founder of the largest regional theater on the East Coast, but also as its first Artistic Director, and a director of dozens of productions. \u00a0Zelda proved that theater is not the sole property of Broadway, or the ultra-wealthy, but instead belongs to us all.<\/p>\n

Please visit our small photo tribute to Zelda at:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/sca.gmu.edu\/zelda.php<\/a><\/p>\n

This post was written by SCRC Archives Assistant Nick Welsh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe miracle of theater is that it ever happens at all.\u201d –\u00a0Zelda Fichandler, in Laurence Maslon\u2019s The Arena Adventure: The First 40 Years Zelda Fichandler, a powerhouse of the performing arts, passed away Friday, July 29 at the age of 91.\u00a0 Fichandler was a founder of the Arena Stage which remains, because of her vision, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-1u3","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11181,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=11181","url_meta":{"origin":5707,"position":0},"title":"Recapping the Zelda Fichandler Speakers Event","author":"Meghan Glasbrenner","date":"October 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 The Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) and George Mason University (GMU) Libraries recently hosted a speaker\u2019s event focused on the life and work of Zelda Fichandler. Known for her leadership and innovation as a director and educator in theater during the mid-20th century, Zelda was one of the founders\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "SCRC interest"","block_context":{"text":"SCRC interest","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Zelda_03.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Zelda_03.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Zelda_03.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Zelda_03.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Zelda_03.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Zelda_03.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9893,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9893","url_meta":{"origin":5707,"position":1},"title":"Looking Over our Shoulder: Art and Entertainment During the Cold War","author":"admin","date":"November 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This post is part of a series pertaining to SCRC's current exhibition, Looking Over Our Shoulder: The Cold War in American Culture. Through the Cold War years, artists working in a variety of mediums in both the United States and the Soviet Union used their work to challenge the narrative\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"State department letter to Arena Stage","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/a5b5c2c0b3819f58adcad61d245af3e5.jpg?fit=982%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/a5b5c2c0b3819f58adcad61d245af3e5.jpg?fit=982%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/a5b5c2c0b3819f58adcad61d245af3e5.jpg?fit=982%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/a5b5c2c0b3819f58adcad61d245af3e5.jpg?fit=982%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8118,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8118","url_meta":{"origin":5707,"position":2},"title":"Reprocessing Adventures – The Zelda Fichandler Papers","author":"Amanda Menjivar","date":"December 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"This post was written by Bill Keeler, Processing Student Assistant. Bill is studying History with a focus in American History at George Mason University. Since processing the\u00a0Randolph H. Lytton Historical Virginia collection, I have begun reprocessing the\u00a0Zelda\u00a0Fichandler\u00a0papers.\u00a0I had the chance to poke around the collection and\u00a0many problems have presented themselves!\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_2015.jpg?fit=827%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_2015.jpg?fit=827%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_2015.jpg?fit=827%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_2015.jpg?fit=827%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8486,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8486","url_meta":{"origin":5707,"position":3},"title":"Spring Processing Finds","author":"Amanda Menjivar","date":"May 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This post was written by Bill Keeler, Processing Student Assistant. Bill has a Bachelor of Arts in History with a focus in American History from George Mason University. The act of reprocessing a collection is about what half of my time here at SCRC is spent doing. While, processing a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "recently processed"","block_context":{"text":"recently processed","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=162"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Brady.jpg?fit=769%2C486&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Brady.jpg?fit=769%2C486&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Brady.jpg?fit=769%2C486&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Brady.jpg?fit=769%2C486&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11172,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=11172","url_meta":{"origin":5707,"position":4},"title":"New Exhibit: “The Change We Want To See”: Artists and Social Transformation","author":"Stephanie Grimm","date":"September 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"\"The Change We Want to See\": Artists and Social Transformation Selections from Mason's Special Collections Research Center On view September 5\u2013December 20, 2024 Art is more than a reflection of society: it takes an active role in shaping ideas and beliefs, often with reverberations beyond the artists\u2019 intentions. \u201cThe Change\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"A collage of posters, photographs, and art objects showing theater scenes, protest signs, and artists' books.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/poster-web.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/poster-web.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/poster-web.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/poster-web.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5516,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=5516","url_meta":{"origin":5707,"position":5},"title":"Arena Stage reprocessing project completed by SCRC staff!","author":"admin","date":"March 4, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"After years of work and a combined effort by many archivists and student assistants, we have finished the Arena Stage reprocessing project. \u00a0\u00a0The project culminated in the creation of a brand-new finding aid, including a 739-box inventory, to help researchers access the riches of the collection.\u00a0 The scope of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"C0017_09","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/C0017_092-e1457105429155-151x240.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5707"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5707\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5727,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5707\/revisions\/5727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}