Losing Molly


Yesterday, I lost a woman very special to me — my college theatre colleague, Molly Glynn. Molly, a very well-loved part of the Chicago theatre scene, was killed in a truly freak accident in which a tree fell on her while she was riding her bike. She leaves behind a grief-struck husband, two fiercely-beloved sons, and a whole community of friends and admirers. Molly was truly an amazing force, and her loss leaves a big black hole in the world.

Molly was by no means an integral part of my daily life, though I enjoyed connecting up with her and was hoping to get to Chicago soon to see her in a show (she was a truly compelling actor, the kind who lights up the stage herself while simultaneously being part of a great ensemble cast). I had the same relationship with her that I have today with so many my Tufts Arena Theater friends —I loved the ability to connect up with her, to get a glimpse of what she was doing and what her life was like, and to feel so proud that we have all come so far and are doing great things. Seriously, my feed is so full of people creating incredible work that it makes me feel hopeful, every single day.

The loss of Molly is, though, almost more of a reminder that that time is really over. It's like when John Lennon was shot and we all realized that now there was no chance the Beatles would ever re-unite. That little world that we created, over 25 years ago in the dim spaces of a now long-demolished oval-shaped theatre space, will never be back — and it was so, so important to us.

I would not be the person I am today without those people and that experience. I honestly don't think any of us would. So maybe — just maybe — if that the door to that world is firmly and truly closed, what we we need to do is make the door to the future even more promising, and to let a little bit of Molly live on in the work that we do.

(but what I wouldn't give to be together with all of you right now, drinking contraband bad wine in the green room…)

 PS - Another way to ensure Molly lives on is to give to her trust.

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