48 | DECEMBER 23 • 2021 

OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

B

efore David Magidson 
established a longtime 
career in theater and 
film, he performed comedy 
routines at a Wisconsin resort. 
Keeping his sense of humor, 
Dr. Magidson moved into 
serious realms, acting a bit but 
most often fulfilling behind-
the-scenes responsibilities 
— whether as playwright, 
professor, founding director 
of the Lenore Marwil Detroit 
Jewish Film Festival or 
artistic director of the Jewish 
Ensemble Theatre (JET).
Two days before he died, 
on Dec. 10, 2021, at age 80, 
Magidson, of Bloomfield 
Hills, leased a new car, an act 
in line with his Motor City 
passion for timely vehicles.
“Think not of his heart 
condition as the ultimate 
cause of his death but rather 
as the cause and purpose 
of his life,” said Rabbi Brent 
Gutmann of Temple Kol Ami, 
where the Magidson family 
worshipped.
Both daughters, Adriane 
and Laura, pointed out their 
dad’s heartfelt commitments. 
During the memorial service, 
they told of ways he steered 
family closeness, reaching 
from a marriage of 53 
years and continuing with 
grandchildren. 
Adriane voiced his lessons 
of surrounding oneself with 
the right people and being 
the best one can be. Laura 
told of how he advised having 
confidence in personal 
choices.
“I never missed one of 
his plays,” said wife, Leslee 
Magidson, former Jewish 
Community Center assistant 
executive director. “The one 

production [out of more 
than 100] that holds special 
memories occurred when 
he was writing and directing 
Benchley Inside Himself, which 
was about columnist and 
actor Robert Benchley.” 
Magidson, department 
chair at the University of New 
Hampshire for most of the 
1970s-80s, visited the son of 
the columnist-actor who was 
the subject of his play and, to 
everyone’s surprise, Magidson 
shaved what seemed his ever-
present beard to take on the 
title role when the main cast 
member had to drop out.
“David did whatever he had 
to do to make productions 
right and authentic,” Leslee 
said. 
Dr. Magidson, who earned 
bachelor’s and master’s 
degrees at the University of 
Wisconsin and a doctoral 
degree at the University 
of Utah, handled his last 
directorial assignment at the 
Hilberry Theatre in 2017, 
when he worked on A Streetcar 
Named Desire.
Moving between the 
classics and new productions, 
Magidson directed the 
prizewinning My Name Is 
Asher Lev for JET. Christopher 
Bremer, now JET executive 
director and then managing 
director, remembered 
Magidson’s production 
intensity regarding the drama 
about a free-thinking artist 
at odds with an observant 
family.
“David was a wonderful 
director because he was very 
honest in his comments 
while offering a joke when 
the mood needed it,” Bremer 
recalled. “He added to JET’s 

repertoire by bringing in 
name performers to present 
one-person shows and 
collaborating productions 
with other local theater 
companies.
“David was optimistic 
in his pursuit of the arts, 
especially involving Jewish 
culture. He cared so much 
and encouraged everyone. He 
was a wonderful person to be 
around.”
Dr. Magidson served 
as dean of the College of 
Arts at the University of 
Colorado in Denver for two 
years before joining Wayne 
State University (WSU) in 
1991 as dean of the College 
of Fine, Performing and 
Communication Arts 
and later settling into the 
responsibilities of a theater 
professor. During the 
turbulent 1960s, he taught 
at Virginia’s Hampton 
University, a school serving 
the Black community.
“He won over his students 
because he thought it was 
important to break some 
barriers,” Leslee said. “It was 
something he felt very strongly 
about for his whole life.”

Mary Elizabeth Anderson, 
chair of the WSU Department 
of Theatre and Dance, 
described Magidson as a 
beloved teacher proud of 
the success attained by his 
students, most recently 
George Abud, a Drama Desk 
nominee for his role in the 
musical Emojiland.
“When I think of David, I 
think of his generous spirit,” 
Anderson said. “I worked with 
him for 13 years and knew 
him as a mentor and advocate 
for faculty. He valued the 
arts as communicating the 
power of a story to transform 
consciousness.” 
The family recalls Magidson 
pointing out TV appearances 
of former students, such as 
Thorston Kaye, a soap actor in 
The Bold and the Beautiful.
Seventeen years ago, 
Dr. Magidson launched 
the Lenore Marwil Jewish 
Film Festival, tapping into 
volunteer skills of people 
he knew. Accountant Terry 
Hollander, a member of the 
JCC executive committee, sold 
tickets and tracked funds.
“Each year, the festival 
got bigger and better, and I 
attribute that to David,” said 
Hollander, who estimates 
watching 90% of films shown 
over the years. 
Mark Chessler, co-chairman 
of that first festival, described 
how it affected his future.
“Through David, I 
learned the importance of 
helping creators with unique 
perspectives tell their stories,” 
Chessler said. “That led 
to my film and television 
post-production career at 
Dolby Technologies and 
my involvement with the 

Theater Director with 
a Generous Spirit

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dr. David Magidson

