“We are not nearly as special as we think we are!”: Denise Shubin gives a candid interview about the Philadelphia theater community

Denise Shubin with crown, color
Denise Shubin, longtime royalty of Philadelphia theater.

Denise Shubin, legendary figure in the Philadelphia cultural scene, turned her house on Bainbridge Street, one block from South Street, into the Shubin Theatre. For almost three decades, hundreds of theater artists and young companies spread their wings there. Its recent closure left a void in the city’s theater scene.

When I requested an interview at the goodbye party after a moving farewell performance, she joked, “Really, an interview with a vampire?” and then shot back, “No, no—a Diva!” and smiled with that warm and welcoming Shubinesque smile. A few days later she responded, “I am flattered that you want to do an interview with me. In no way do I view myself as a legend. I do believe, however, that I have much to say, not only on my behalf, but that I can represent many others who have been under-appreciated by the Philadelphia theater community”—and that is putting it mildly.

Denise Shubin as a child with her father reading The Dancing Princess for her
Denise Shubin as a child with her father reading The Dancing Princess for her

GROWING UP IN A CRAZY, YET CREATIVE WORLD

Henrik Eger: You were raised in a Jewish family. Tell us more about your upbringing and your love for the arts.

Denise Shubin: My family was quite secular, but it was clear that they wanted my brother and me to know that we are Jewish, identify with that heritage, and take pride in that knowledge. Both of my parents were born and raised in Philadelphia, and I was born here, too. However, my family moved to Southern California when I was three years old, and I lived there for 28 years.

But life growing up was not all that wonderful. My father was an alcoholic, and my mother was a prescription drug addict. Our world was wrought with domestic violence. They divorced when I was eleven years old.

Eger: Given that background, how did your appreciation and love for the arts develop?

Shubin: My attraction to the performing arts has always been quite innate. However, even with all the madness in my childhood world, I can now see where many of my talents were nurtured in a weird kind of way.

My father was hugely charismatic, possessed a huge presence, was a natural MC and comedian—one of the funniest people I have ever known or have known of. He would grab a microphone whenever there was one in sight and sing and sing and sing. He never actively sought life in “show business,” but I know that is always what he wanted to do, and he found his way to take the stage, any stage, whenever he could.

My mother was gorgeous, deeply troubled, and charismatic as well. She expressed her artistic side with drawing, painting, and creating a beautiful home. My mother taught Latin ballroom dancing for a time at Arthur Murray’s. And both of my parents were great dancers. My fondest memory of them was of them dancing together.

Still, it was a crazy world. It is a wonder that any of us survived. But I can tell you, that as far back as I can remember, I dreamed of dancing and singing.

Eger: How did you transition from dance to theater?

Shubin: I didn’t. I am still dancing, and will continue to dance as long as I am able. I believe the call to the dance to be a spiritual one. One never stops being a dancer as it is part and parcel of who one is. The wisdom of the body informs everything I do. Whether I dance, sing, act, or decorate the house, it is within the body where the truth lies, not the mind. Dancers have to be extremely comfortable in their own skin, presenting the totality of who they are with a perfect balance of body, mind, and spirit fully present in the moment.

Actors are supposed to be doing this, too. However, we see bad acting with inappropriate facial expressions, and awkward, contrived gestures. These performers are not fully in the moment because they are thinking and not being. Dancers can’t get away with that. Whether one is dancing, singing, or speaking a role, the “being” has to be there.

the-shubin-theatre

SHUBIN THEATRE: STEPPING STONE FOR NEW THEATER COMPANIES

Eger: You are one of the few people on the East Coast who turned her house into a theater. Tell us more about the evolution of the Shubin Theatre in Philadelphia.

Shubin: My husband Don Martinelli and I didn’t exactly turn our house into a theater. We selected this building at 407 Bainbridge Street with the intention of creating a theater on the ground floor before we moved into the house. So it was not an afterthought. We were in a position of acquiring our first family home, and it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to select a storefront with living space above, as opposed to buying a conventional home.

Growing up on the West coast brought me back here with fresh eyes. I saw Philly differently than lifelong residents do. A property like this in a like location would cost millions in L.A. or New York, but here it was doable. And I could be free to explore and express my passions and energies in a way that was constructive and, hopefully, be of service to others as well.

Eger: What were the highlights of your experience as a producer and host to many individual theater artists and small theater companies in the area?

Shubin: I don’t know where to begin! How can I possibly document nearly 30 years of experience? Mostly it is the joy of simply being able to do something that you always wanted to do. I have produced my own shows, and have worked in collaboration with many other artists.

We had triumphs and failures and all places in between with many lessons learned and the growth that comes with such experience.

Because of the low overhead we always maintained, gazillions of independent artists and small theater groups could afford to perform at the Shubin. We knew from the very beginning that we didn’t want our lives to be about fundraising. We never wanted a board of directors, and did not want to become yet another non-profit vying for what little grant money is out there. We never applied for a single grant. I have always joked that I am a true non-profit. I never made any money! I have no regrets about any of those decisions.

Altogether, I’m happy that far more artists [who produced their shows at the Shubin Theatre] were able to make their dreams come true than I could have ever imagined.

denise-shubin-graveyard-caberet
Denise Shubin, Rudy Caporaso, and Felicia Anderton (l-r). Promotional shot for the 2014 Fringe show, Graveyard Cabaret at Laurel Hill Cemetery. REV Theatre Co.

“WE ARE NOT NEARLY AS SPECIAL AS WE THINK WE ARE.”

Eger: You apparently faced some difficulties in producing hundreds of shows.

Shubin: Mostly just poor behavior on the part of some of the theater renters. For example, trashing the space and in so many other ways treating us, and the space, disrespectfully. For all the kind words that have been expressed in the wake of announcing that the space is closing, we have had to endure at least as many denigrating comments over the years. And, of course, there is the betrayal of false friends. People are people. I had to learn that “artists” run the range of human characteristics, just like any other profession. We are not nearly as special as we think we are.

Eger: What made you decide to close your theater after 29 years?

Shubin: I accomplished what I set out to do. And now it is time to move on. We no longer want to contend with liability issues, and would just like to have our house to ourselves. As romantic as it may seem to live this lifestyle, it really wears on you over time. We tiptoed around upstairs so as not to make any noise during shows, while we had to endure the noise downstairs. We couldn’t have our family, or even a couple of friends over for dinner for fear of making too much noise, and our poor dogs have been pounced on should they have had the audacity to bark! And we have not been able to leave town for a couple of days on a whim, as it would be irresponsible to leave should there be some sort of a problem or an emergency.

We are not blaming anyone for this situation. We quite consciously created and chose this lifestyle. We just don’t want to live like this anymore. And there are many uses we have for both what was the theater space and the basement that now would radically improve how we live and free up space upstairs. We did not come to this decision lightly. We have been thinking about it for a few years now.

Denise Shubin dancing, 1981.
Denise Shubin dancing, 1981.

PERFORMING ON STAGES ALL OVER PHILADELPHIA

Eger: You have performed in quite a few productions in Philadelphia. What was one of the most memorable performances for you?

Shubin: I was the first actor in Philadelphia to perform The Search For Signs Of Intelligent Life In The Universe [by Jane Wagner, Lily Tomlin’s wife], produced by Gary Day’s The Daylight Zone at the Actors Studio in the Bourse (Sept. 1995). I actually got a great review there from Neal Zoren. He told Lily Tomlin about my performance and she almost made it to the show, but the theater was dark on that night. She wanted to remain incognito so Neal couldn’t tell us she was coming or we surely would have gone on! Later we brought the show here to The Shubin for many more performances.

Eger: You developed a close working relationship and friendship with Ed Shockley, playwright, actor, teacher, and community activist.

Shubin: Yes, I have worked with Ed on numerous projects, including another one-woman show, Martha Mitchell In Mostly Her Own Words, which documents the tortured life of the woman who tried to blow the whistle on Watergate and suffered severe character assassination as a result of her honesty and openness.  She was drugged, beaten, forcibly institutionalized, and lost everything, including her life, aged 57.

I am especially proud of performing in a play written by Bill Rolleri (Ed Shockley directing) which dealt with the attempted genocide of the Armenian people by the Turks: The Armenian Question. This was performed at an Armenian church to a full house of both native and transplanted Armenians —a deeply moving experience.

I also performed in another of Ed’s productions. Forces of Darkness, exploring the infamous case of the Rosenbergs, executed for treason in the early 1950’s. After the Shubin farewell party, Ed, who is working on overcoming the effects of the stroke on his language, saw a dance photo of me and reiterated that he wants me to perform Indubitable, the new movement-based piece he is working on. He said, “I know you can do it.” I can’t tell you how much I appreciate his faith in me.

Eger: Great. You were also featured in the Fringe festival.

Shubin: Yes, I performed in a number of Fringe productions, including Lure at Plays and Players in 2006, which dealt with the issue of addiction. Lure was interesting in that we had two playwrights and two directors: Todd Holtsberry and John D’Alonzo co-directed, and Robert Kangas and Alex Dremen co-wrote the piece. The Jesse Schurr band in that production made for a most interesting and highly popular show.

And the past two years, I have worked with REV Theatre Company, doing our delightful Graveyard Cabaret, performed at the Laurel Hill Cemetery—a national historic landmark.

Eger: And you collaborated with a number of Philadelphia playwrights.

Shubin: Yes, I have worked directly with numerous playwrights, including Alex Dreman, Quinn D. Eli, Bill Hollenback, Robert Kangas, Kate McGrath, Debra Leigh Scott, Sam Toll, Mark Wolverton, and, of course, Bill Rolleri and Ed Shockley—just to name a few. I honestly never kept track of all that I have done.

Eger: How did those collaborations work?

Shubin:I was just fortunate enough to be cast in some of their plays and many of them have written for me personally. And, on occasion, I reached out to some of the playwrights, asking them to write for me, and never once did any of them decline my invitation. They considered it to be jolly good fun to consider me as their muse! They are all quite gifted artists and some of them have become very good friends. I am deeply appreciative of our work together.

Daughter Tarra, Denise Shubin, holding Lady Bug & daughter Gina, October 2014
Daughter Tarra, Denise Shubin, holding Lady Bug & daughter Gina, October 2014

PHILADELPHIA THEATER COMMUNITY: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Eger: Given your experience, what do you consider the greatest strength of the Philadelphia theater community?

Shubin: Its diversity. There is SO much going on here.

Eger: Absolutely. However, I understand that you also have some concerns about the Philadelphia theater community.

Shubin: It is no secret that the Philly theater community is quite cliquish. There is a definite hierarchical structure within it. And the powers that be within this system decide who is considered somebody or who is not—depending on whether or not one chooses to climb that ladder. Talent, or the lack of it, has nothing to do with it. It really has more to do with who you know, and to what lengths one will go to be known.

Eger: Thank you for your willingness to address a sensitive subject. To balance the picture, a number of writers featured your work as a legendary patron of theater arts. It’s heartwarming reading the many wonderful things people all over Philadelphia have said about you, for example, “She made people’s dreams happen” (Rich Rubin), or “a lovely human [being] and gifted lady, a true Renaissance renegade! Wild Woman of the Art Universe, and most treasured Soul Sister” (Oni Lasana).

Shubin: I am deeply appreciative of any and all of the kind words that have been expressed in the wake of closing my theater. I think all of us, if we are emotionally and psychologically healthy, would like to think that we have had a positive impact on the world, no matter how big or how small. My concern is that my legacy is simply that I provided an affordable theater space. That is a good thing, and while I am very happy about that, there is a lot more to me—and anyone else for that matter.

I have been performing in Philadelphia for 33 years as a dancer, singer, and actor—and sometimes as a producer, director and writer. Yet, few of the theater critics or other notables in the theater community—again, making reference to that hierarchy—are even remotely aware of my work as a theater artist. And I am not the only one.

Eger: There are other theater artists who feel neglected?

Shubin: So many of my colleagues—actors, writers, singers, dancers, directors, designers, and many other theater artists—are just ignored by the powers that be. We are not Barrymore eligible. However, we are neither inferior beings nor inferior talents. And many of these colleagues are highly accomplished on many levels, including having received prestigious awards. We live, breathe, and have our own followings. We make people think and move them to both laughter and tears. We are, at the very least, memorable to those who have seen us, and we make a positive difference in this world.

The business of this “business” is something that has never set well with me, but this is just what I see going on, based on the culture of pandering in Philadelphia that folks feel forced into in order to be taken seriously. I realize this is just the nature of doing business, any business. I just had the tremendously naive notion that life in the arts would be different.

shubin-theatre-front
Closed for business: The Shubin Theatre on its corner on Bainbridge Street.

MOVING FORWARD

Eger: What could change that culture in our community, and what would you like to share with the next generation of actors, directors, and theater artists to enrich the cultural life in Philadelphia?

Shubin: Don’t prejudge anyone based on their credentials. Instead, experience people directly. See if it is possible to scale down your budget. It is inspiring what can be produced on a shoe string. So many companies had to throw in the towel because of having to feed the fund-raising beast. But most of all, BE TRUE TO YOURSELVES! You, and everyone else you know, will vastly benefit in the long run.

SING! DANCE! RECOVER YOUR JOY. That is what I intend to do.

Eger: Wonderful. Let’s dance. Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Shubin: I have tried in this interview to communicate a balanced view of my life in the arts here in Philly.  All in all, it has been a most positive experience and I am at peace with all that we have done.  I wanted to tell the truth, and I sincerely hope in so doing, that others will be served by these comments.

Eger: If only you knew how many people, myself included, feel enriched by your very presence—on stage and off stage. Thank you for everything, Denise Shubin.

25 Replies to ““We are not nearly as special as we think we are!”: Denise Shubin gives a candid interview about the Philadelphia theater community”
  1. Denise Shubin, who is as talented as they come as actor, dancer, operatic songstress and general theatre artist, is indeed as special as I think she is. And that is very. One of the most giving people I have ever met (who draws the line at suffering fools gladly), she has contributed as much to the Philly theatre community as the Great Ed Shockley has to the very existence and growth of the Philadelphia Dramatists Center; both have collaborated in the development of playwrights, directors and actors whose work today graces stages, large and small, local and distant. When I was first getting to know her and her work, she was playing the role of an elderly Armenian woman, a survivor of the Turkish Genocide against her people in 1915 in a special reading at the Armenian Church in Manhattan, under Ed’s direction. She had never heard the Armenian accent in her life. The audience was mostly Armenian-American descendants of the diaspora. After the reading, several women crowded her into a corner wanting to know what town (in Armenia) she, the real Denise, or her ancestors had come from. My heartfelt thanks to Henrik Eger for doing a great job of measuring the breadth an depth of a Great Lady of Philadelphia Theatre.

    1. Thank you, Bill Rolleri, for your comments about the amazing Denise Shubin. I have received quite a few private messages from playwrights, directors, and actors who expressed their support for Denise and her work, and the many theater artists in the Philadelphia area who have spent a great deal of time in honing their skills and giving of themselves, often without much acknowledgment.

      May this Phindie interview encourage more members of our community to support each other. As a result, we would all benefit.

    1. Thank you, Don Martinelli. Torn between wanting to give an honest account of how she sees the Philadelphia theater community, and her desire to give a platform to the many writers, actors and directors who have been marginalized, while at the same time not wanting to hurt anyone, Denise Shubin and I had long e-mail exchanges. Her caring for the many talented and dedicated theaters artists in Philadelphia came through powerfully in letter after letter.

      I admire her courage to talk about things that needed to be said, but were not discussed much in public, if at all, or, as you put it, “Denise, courageously going where others fear to tread!”

      It would be wonderful if, as a result of this interview, a discussion could ensue that would bring the theater community closer together so that the spirit of the Shubin Theatre will live on in all of us.

  2. Thank you for writing this article about my mother. I have been so lucky to have Denise Shubin for my mom & can honestly say that I have known her longer than most people. It has been great to have grown with her and watch her perform over the years. She has accomplished so much and given so much through her theatre and her art. I know that my mother still has so much to contribute and am particularly looking forward for to see what comes next, especially the theatre. Thanks for your honesty Mom and keep on truckin.

    1. Dear Tarra Navarro, Philadelphia is abuzz with talk about your mother ever since this Phindie interview got published. I have received many private messages from established writers, directors, and actors, all of whom are grateful to Denise for having spoken up.

      I can’t wait till we see her in action again. She has a unique way of connecting with the audience, and, of course, her beauty and liveliness live on in you and the next generation.

      P.S.: I just posted the article to the INTERVIEW section of http://www.DramaAroundTheGlobe.com . Feel free to check it out. You’ll find your mother in good company there.

  3. So true Denise… but as you say it is in all business and the arts too… really not new… but sometimes some people break through in their community and that is what you did and that is why so many people are sharing your interview! Thank you for sharing. Sheila

  4. Denise is and has been a true Philadelphia treasure for decades…and not because she happened to provide a wonderfully versatile and inexpensive venue for innumerable theatrical groups and performers. That’s only an incidental measure of her contributions. Far more significant, as this excellent article demonstrates, are her accomplishments as a performing and creative artist. Anyone who’s ever witnessed Denise in action knows her as a true force of nature…perhaps one of the purest and most honest artists that Philly has ever hosted. I can personally attest to that, as can the legions of actors, singers, dancers, musicians, writers, and every other creative type she’s inspired and continues to inspire through the singular example of her life and her art. Thanks to Henrik for this, and of course, thanks to Denise.

    1. Hello Mark Wolverton. Reading your response to the interview with “Philadelphia’s treasure” made me fight tears of joy. Who knows, as a result of the many responses from the theater community that are coming in, we may see much more of her on stage.

      Thanks for speaking up.
      Henrik

  5. A courageous and fabulous statements by fabulous and courageous actress, dancer and person and my dearest friend Denise Shubin. Congrats Denise!!!! Your interview is amazing as same as you are!!!!

    1. Thank you, Lilliana Didovic, for your warm-hearted response to Denise Shubin, who has, as you pointed out, not only been a courageous actress, dancer, and person, but also a good friend to many people in the Philadelphia theater community.

      Kind regards,
      Henrik

  6. Thank you for putting down in writing:

    ” It is no secret that the Philly theater community is quite cliquish. There is a definite hierarchical structure within it. And the powers that be within this system decide who is considered somebody or who is not—depending on whether or not one chooses to climb that ladder. Talent, or the lack of it, has nothing to do with it. It really has more to do with who you know, and to what lengths one will go to be known.”–

    You are continuing to help other artists.

    Lewis Black was a failed playwright fresh out of Yale before he was a successful comic, said:

    “In the Theater, there is always someone saying “No” just :”No” for the sake of saying “No”. Everyday, all the time, “No”.

    So I think theater is by nature cliquish, everywhere.

    But it is refreshing to hear that Philly is particularly so.

    (Perhaps because there is very little money to be made in theater, a director here, working on a shoe-string budget, rehearsing at night, is going to rely on an actor he.she knows to play his/her George in Thorton Wilder’s Our Town. (Just as an example). Economics is everything. But this is another tangent for another time.)

    Its so easy to just quit.

    Are there artists who are neglected, not booking work, in Philly, Henrik?

    That question made me laugh at loud for like an hour, straight up, hilarious.

    The issue that I have with this interview is that it ended.

    Thank you, Denise. I hope to meet you someday.

    Thank you so much for this, Henrik.

  7. I want to thank you all so much for your kind words. I have been feeling somewhat vulnerable, as you can imagine, and now I see there was no need. I felt, along with Henrik’s encouragement, that some of these difficult issues needed to be addressed. But I hope that the overall feeling about the interview is that of an ultimately joyous one. I LOVE my work. I am so grateful for all the support I have received from so many brilliant artists in my life.

    And an important note about that rather ghoulish portrait under which it says, “we are not nearly as special as we think we are”. Well we aren’t. However, I want to give credit where credit is due. On the left is yours truly, center is the awesome Rudy Caporaso, and on the right is the delightful Felicia Anderton. This was a promotional shot for our fringe show from last year, our Graveyard Cabaret at Laurel Hill Cemetery. REV Theatre Co.

  8. Thank you Denise, for many years of memories at the Shubin Theatre, both as a performer and an audience member. Your generosity + spirit are a rare breed. Thank you Henrik, for highlighting.

  9. My wife and I had no experience in theater, whatsoever. We had very little talent to go along with it. But, being suburbanites entering our midlife crisis years, we decided to open a theater company. We had no business putting on shows, and the critics and the theatre community in general were none to thrilled with our presence. But, Denise gave us the same respect that she gave everyone in the community. Even though her talent far exceeded anything that we brought to the table, she treated us as her equal. She encouraged us, and helped us lick our wounds when we got knocked down.
    Though the last 11 years, we have put countless shows on at the Shubin and have grown into a real theater company. It would never have happened if we didn’t call the tiny theater on Bainbridge Street our home. Denise is more than a landlord, she is a part of what we do and who we are. I have seen her perform countless times and am blown away by her many talents. This is a woman who can sing, dance and act, a woman who created a place for so many of us to perform, yet, the thing that stands out about Denise Shubin is what a wonderful human being she is.

  10. What encouraging comments, Todd Cardin, Tina Brock, Jessica Foley, et al. I am not religious, but I feel blessed by the presence of Denise Shubin–not only because of her work as a theatre artist, and as the head of the Shubin Theatre, giving countless actors, dancers, musicians, and singers a chance to grow and share their art with us, but also as a mensch.

    It is heartwarming to see this interview making the rounds and more and more people writing in, contributing to the discussion of whether or not we marginalize each other, however unintentionally.

  11. All I can say is thank you to Todd, Tina, Jessica and again all of the others who have contributed such supportive comments. It means a great deal to me. And a very special thank you to Henrik, for caring enough to give me a forum to speak my mind and tell some of my personal history.

  12. Many years ago — I think it was in the early 1990s — I barely had the courage to call myself a playwright. But I heard, somehow, about Theatre Centre Philadelphia, run by the wonderful Albert Benzwie, that met every Tuesday evening at….you guessed it….the Shubin Theatre. Denise opened the theatre for a group of theatre lovers – writers, actors, tech people – to share their ideas and their new scripts. I can’t believe it’s been so many years — but I can believe that thousands of people have spent wonderful times in that valiant little theatre space over these decades. Denise, it’s been an honor and joy to know you and Don all these years, and to have so many fond memories of working with you. Here’s to the next few decades — who knows what adventures still await us?

  13. There’s a saying in my country: “She’s all that and a bag o’ chips.” Well, Denise *IS* all that that plus the most delicious chips you could wish for.

    re: “And, on occasion, I reached out to some of the playwrights, asking them to write for me, and never once did any of them decline my invitation. They considered it to be jolly good fun to consider me as their muse! ”
    Damn fine we did! In fact I’m still working on a commission that happened last year over several jugs of of some wonderfully dangerous Copacabana Monday-night-special margaritas. Denise launched into a rant about the Lifetime movie “Liz & Dick” – described as half biopic, half Lindsay Lohan exploitation showcase by Variety. Queen D (as I call her) opined that Lohan was awful. ‘Why’, asked Queen D, ‘doesn’t someone write a Burton and Taylor play for me?’ In my cups, I trotted out my Richard Burton imitation. ‘You write it for me lovey’ says she ‘and you can play Burton’. And Xmas 2012 saw the first reading of the opening scene of ‘Liz Likes Dick, Martha Hates George. And Guy..?’

    She’s all that and a bag o’ chips. And she can play Liz to my Dick anytime. Ummm.. that didn’t come out quite right. Sorry Queen D.

  14. This is my fourth time to read the interview and I am running it off and, with your permission, passing it out to my Company here and that part of it that is in the mid-west. Thank you for telling the truth on all points. Theater is beyond underestimated and undervalued here. I don’t know who makes the rules for what is “savvy” and what is not, but those “rules” should be revised and/or discarded; furthermore, not enough credence or attention is given to the new writers, some of whom are local. You have been a wonderful friend to us all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

  15. What a wonderful response, Patricia Doc Robinson-Linder. It’s good to know that there are individuals like you who care so much about creativity and people connecting through theatre that they print out articles and, in this case, the interview with the legendary Denise Shubin (even though she’s way too modest and doesn’t want to hear it), and share them with colleagues and staff at their companies.

    Your observations that “Theater is beyond underestimated and undervalued here,” hit me hard. I don’t know where you live, but perhaps your initiative could bring in some theatre folks or companies in surrounding areas who could start a program. As a European who now lives in the US, I value and admire the initiative in this country that encourages people to create their own theatres, rather than waiting for a city to build a theatre.

    If life is like a garden that needs cabbages and potatoes, it also needs roses and trees. Above all, it needs gardeners who take good care of the land, in this case, the cultural garden in your neck of the woods. 🙂 Who knows, you might like to start by inviting Denise Shubin to do a solo show for your colleagues and staff, and once word spreads, organize a weekend theatre event and bring in Denise with some of her actor and musician friends. That could be the beginning of theatre in your area. What do you think?

    Best from Philadelphia,

    Henrik Eger
    Editor, http://www.DramaAroundTheGlobe.com

  16. Such a great interview. I had the privilege of many of my plays developed thanks to Denise over many years. She is Philly Theatre to me. The Shubin embodies having faith in artists! I so grateful for the many times I acted in plays or had my plays read over so many great years! She also hosted a great benefit for Ed Shockley after his stroke. So nice to see Denise profiled this way. We all owe a huge debt! Congrats to all involved.

    1. Kate,

      What a wonderful comment about Denise Shubin’s work–as a theater artist, a mentor, as owner of the Shubin Theater, as an activist, and, above all, as a mensch.

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