LARRY HART (1945-2026)
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Lincoln Park’s Frank Lawrence (Larry) Hart, 81, sound engineer, actor, designer, photographer and visual artist died in January.
A native of Powell, Wyoming, Larry was a foundational member of Chicago’s earliest Off-Loop theater scene, working as a sound designer, actor and producer as well as designing posters for theaters including Steppenwolf, Next, Body Politic, Pegasus, Lifeline, Bailiwick, Loyola University, Touchstone, and Organic Theater. He was a founder of the late, great Kingston Mines Theatre, which famously premiered the 1971 musical GREASE. Larry made his way to Chicago after earning an associate degree in theater from his home state’s Northwest College. He continued his studies at the Goodman School of Drama, adding to his resume by training in the Stanislavsky method with Bella Itkin, John Reich and Charles MaGaw. “He was part of this group of people who started doing really interesting plays and helped Chicago develop its own unique identity in the theater world,” said Rick Paul, a friend and scenic designer.“Before that, it was largely big national tours out of New York City that were in Downtown theaters. And then these smaller theaters started churning out really good shows.” Larry began making his mark on the burgeoning Off-Loop theater scene in its formative, earliest days,collaborating with Steppenwolf, Next, Body Politic, Pegasus, Lifeline, Bailiwick, Loyola University,Touchstone, and the Organic Theater. One of his early acting credits was playing a naked cadaver who was being embalmed in 1971’s TERMINAL at Kingston Mines. “He’d be lying there naked but still vocalizing as if his character was alive, especially when he was being mishandled,”recalled his friend and fellow actor, Gary Houston, who was the founder and artistic director of Pary Theater Company, where Larry was a producing artistic director. Larry’s work was noticed: he was cast by the great playwright Edward Albee in a Chicago production of TINY ALICE. He earned a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination for his work as Phil Hogan in the Touchstone production of Tennessee Williams’ MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN. His work at Touchstone was remembered by the theater’s artistic director, Ina Marlowe. “He was brilliant in ROUGHING IT, DESIGN FOR LIVING, SEA GULL (twice) and so many more. I loved his perspective,” she said. Larry was training at the Goodman when he met Patricia L. Hart, a costume designer who became his wife. They married in 1967 and were fixtures in the Off-Loop theater scene; Pat for her costumes, Larry for acting, producing, poster design, and sound design. By day, Larry worked as a sound engineer at McCann Erickson and for several decades at Leo Burnett Worldwide. Larry was preceded in death by his wife Patricia and is survived by his son Michael Lawrence Hart. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to www.strokecomebackcenter.org With thanks to the Chicago Sun-Times. |