In Memoriam – Martha Coigney

In Memoriam by Maxine Kern

Our dearest Martha Coigney was the Queen of International Theater, as well as a devoted member of The League of Professional Theater Women. She was invited to reign at every International Festival or conference that I ever attended, and I often wondered who she was and why she was so revered. That question was answered by speaking to her personally and hearing her vibrant and enthusiastic support for theater “heroes,” which she called all theatre artists. But also hearing how she shepherded ITI, the International Theater Institute, into an ongoing bridge between countries, even during the Cold War days of the Iron Curtain. Martha made sure that fellow artists on both sides of the curtain could be recognized and connected in spite of heavy censorship and surveillance. Her gifts of heart, tact and intelligence have served artists world-wide in spite of dangerous politics, while we at the League have benefitted from her steadfast presence among us, as a glorious hostess of meet-ups and a supporter and founding member of the LPTW Gilder/Coigney International Award.
She will be greatly missed!

Martha with the 2011 Gilder/Coigney award winner Odile Gakire Katese

Martha Coigney with the chairs of the LPTW International Committee

Martha presenting the Gilder/Coigney award in 2011