theatre royalty so close to home

growing up 14 miles from ten chimneys – the summer home of theatre legends alfred lunt and lynn fontanne – i had no idea folks like charles chaplin, carol channing, montgomery clift, noel coward, joan crawford, edna ferber, uta hagen, katharine hepburn, helen hayes, somerset maugham, and sir laurence olivier were vacationing just down the street.

one of the folks spending time at ten chimneys in more recent years was actress lynn redgrave, who died today at the age of 67.

lee ernst and lynn redgrave during the 2009 ten chimneys lunt-fontanne fellowship.

redgrave served as master teacher for the inaugural lunt-fontanne fellowship program, a groundbreaking national program in which ten actors from across the u.s. take part in a week of intensive study and reflection on the art of acting. redgrave was to return this summer to reprise her role as master teacher.

here is ms. redgrave summing up the first lunt-fontanne fellowship at ten chimneys.