It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Gold Card Press Agent Patt Dale on January 26, 2023. Patt was residing at the Entertainment Community Fund Home in Englewood at the time of her passing. A longtime member of ATPAM, Patt reached Diamond Club status as a 50 year member of the union in 2022.
As an ATPAM Press Agent, Patt worked on Broadway hits such as Jackie Mason’s The World According To Me, Quilters, Shirley MacLaine on Broadway and the tours of Chess, Into The Woods, Big River, Ain’t Misbehavin’, among others. Off Broadway, her credits include the US Premiere of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and An Evening with Quentin Crisp. Most recently she had worked to publicize the legacy of her grandfather, Seth Bingham, a composer of sacred music and the organist at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church from 1913 - 1953.
On the day after we were informed of Patt’s passing, I discovered by chance that Patt, who started her career as a theatre manager, mentored the man who was first person to hire me as a Company Manager and who subsequently became a mentor to me. Les Schoof, former General Manager of American Ballet Theatre, met Patt at the Charles Playhouse in Boston in the 70’s and followed her to the Cincinnati Playhouse shortly thereafter. She was the one who encouraged Les to pursue a career in management and to go on his first tour. Les shared very fond memories of working with Patt, noting her kindness and sense of humor. I can safely say that I personally owe a debt of gratitude to Patt, for without her mentorship to him, I would certainly have not have had my career in Company Management. Thank you Patt.
Donations may be made in her memory to the Seth Bingham Scholarship Fund: American Guild of Organists. 475 Riverside Drive , Suite 1260, New York, NY 10015.
May her memory be a blessing.
photo courtesy of the New York Times.
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