 Benjamin
Rush "Rusty" Magee, age 47, died in New York City on February
16th, 2003. His courage and good humor during his battle
with cancer was an inspiration to his family and many friends.
Rusty is survived by his wife, two-time-Tony-nominated
actress Alison Fraser, and son, Nathaniel Fraser Magee, both of
New York City and Shawnee on the Delaware Pennsylvania,
his mother, Bettie Morris Magee, of Natick, MA, his two younger
brothers: Kenneth Magee of Portland, Oregon and James Magee also
of Natick, MA; his nieces Daniella, Lorraine and his nephew Otto.
Rusty was
the son of the late Dr. Kenneth Raymond Magee of Ann Arbor, MI;
the stepson of the late Mary Wilson “Molly” Magee; the grandchild
of the late Benjamin Bernard Morris and Beatrice Wendell Morris
of Chicago, Illinois and the late Raymond Finfrock Magee and Edna
Roager Magee of Gardner, Illinois. Rusty was preceded in death
last April by his older brother Robert Morris Magee of Atascadero,
CA.
Rusty
was born August 6, 1955 at the Georgetown University Hospital
in Washington, DC. He attended Angell Elementary School in Ann
Arbor, Michigan . Rusty graduated from Eaglebrook School
in Deerfield, Massachusetts in 1970; and Philips Exeter Academy
in Exeter, New Hampshire in 1973. He received his
bachelor's degree in music at Brown University in 1978 and was
awarded an honorary Masters of Fine Arts. from the Yale School
of Drama after working there for three years as Musical Consultant
for the Yale Repertory Theater and the Yale Drama School.
He was an avid Detroit Tigers fan, which inspired his musical
1919: A Baseball Opera.
Rusty
then moved to New York where he became an accomplished composer
and lyricist for theatre, television, and film and commercials
as well as a beloved comedian. In 1984 he married Alison
Fraser, and their son Nathaniel, currently a student at
York Preparatory School in New York City, was born in April
1990. In 1993 Rusty won the New York Outer Critics' Circle
James Fleetwood Award for his music and lyrics for Moliere's
Scapin;. This adaptation has been produced at CSC
Repertory Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, the Intiman in Seattle,
the Court in Chicago, and American Conservatory Theatre in San
Francisco. His full length musical The Green Heart ,
with book by Charles Busch, was produced by The Manhattan
Theatre Club, and is published by Samuel French. His children’s
Christmas opera, Flurry Tale, with libretto by Billy
Aronson, is being developed by American Opera Projects in New
York City. Rusty wrote music and lyrics for American Repertory
Theatre’s acclaimed production of Ubu Rock, a new translation
and adaptation of Jarre’s Ubu Roi. Rusty also wrote
the music and lyrics for ART's production of Goldoni's Servant
Of Two Masters and Moliere’s Imaginary Invalid.
Scapin, Servant, Invalid and Ubu Rock were all
collaborations with director/adaptor Andrei Belgrader and translator/adaptor
Shelley Berc. With comedian Lewis Black, Rusty wrote the
musical The Czar Of Rock and Roll; which premiered at
Houston's Alley Theater in 1990. Rusty arranged and performed
the music for the Tony Award-winning production of The House
Of Blue Leaves at Lincoln Center and on Broadway and PBS.
Rusty co-produced and wrote music for hundreds of one-act
plays as Musical Director and co-founder with Lewis Black and
Rand Foerster of Steve Olsen’s West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theatre
Bar in New York City. Rusty wrote the music for Moonwork's prodcution
of What You Will, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth
Night.. and for Moonwork’s acclaimed version of A Midsummer
Night’s Dream.
As an
actor, Rusty appeared in the film Hannah and Her Sisters
and appeared on stage in The Irish...And How They Got
That Way at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York
City and the Wilbur Theatre in Boston. Rusty was Music
Director of the Irish Repertory Theatre in Manhattan and continued
in that role even when he became ill. Rusty played the piano
for the annual Irish Repertory Theatre Gala which included accompanying
Frank McCourt and the singers of the Irish and the American
National Anthems. He wrote the theme music for the CBS-Television
pilot "Family Brood". His song "Road To Victory" (co-written
with longtime collaborator Bob Golden) was featured in the documentary
film "New School Order", which competed at the 1997 Sundance
Film Festival. He wrote music featured on Comedy Central, Showtime,
and The Movie Channel, and songs for "The Wubbulous World of
Dr. Seuss" on Nickelodeon Television. Rusty also wrote music
for Arthur and his Lucky Pencil, which appeared at
venues throughout the country including Radio City Music Hall.
His last musical 19th Street Shuffle co- written with
Billy Aronson, will be finished with additional material by
Lynn Shenkel under the direction of Sheryl Kaller. His
songs have been recorded by such reknowned theatre artists as
Rebecca Luker, Mary Testa, and his cabaret anthem “New York
Romance”was performed at Carnegie Hall by his wife Alison
Fraser. Rusty was a member of Equity, SAG, AFTRA, ASCAP,
The Dramatists Guild and the Ensemble Studio Theatre.
Rusty
performed stand-up comedy from the piano at colleges, comedy
clubs, and corporate events across the country, and will be
especially remembered for the “ Midnight Free Show” at the West
Bank Café and his signature finales to comedy nights
at Moonwork.
Rusty also contributed
songs to "Pop Up Video" Tad Lowe's spinthebottle.com.
In 2000,
Rusty was awarded the "Coming Up Taller" Humanitarian Award
from First Lady Hillary Clinton at the White House for his
work at the 52nd St. Project, a theatre Company in Hell's Kitchen
in Manhattan where professionals do theatre outreach with local
children.
Rusty's
family is especially grateful to all of those who supported
Rusty during his illness. A memorial service and
celebration of Rusty's life, music and humor is planned
in New York City later this spring. A memorial service
was held in Ann Arbor on July 26, 2003, where Rusty is buried
at Forest Hills cemetary.
Friends
are encouraged to leave messages in the Guestbook.
Click
here to see other tributes to Rusty
(New York Times, Boston Globe, Playbill, Irish Echo)
Click
here to read the eloquent speeches that were given
at his memorial service.
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