Milt Commons

On November 6, 2023, legendary stage manager and actor Milt Commons made his final exit at the age of 96 in his longtime home of San Francisco, California, after an exceptionally long, useful, and colorful life.

The son of Milton and Katherine Commons and brother of Carol, Milt was born and raised in tiny Macksville, Kansas (current population: 471) on June 17, 1927. Possessing a bright and curious mind, he set out to see the world beyond Kansas, attending University of Santa Barbara, then graduating from Kansas University with a B.S. in English Education and an M.A. in Drama.

His professional career in theatre began in 1950 with the Imperial Players, a melodrama company in Cripple Creek, Colorado. From there he traveled to Phoenix, working in shows with stars such as Kirk Douglas, Roddy McDowell, Mel Ferrer, and Cesar Romero. He worked his way around the country, from Hollywood to Maine, as both a stage manager and an actor, in summer stock, small regional theatres, off-Broadway and finally Broadway, where he worked with the likes of Charlton Heston, Gene Hackman, Jean Stapleton, and countless others.

While in New York, he also acted as a supernumerary for the old Metropolitan Opera, and was featured reading the poems of iconic Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. His skill and professionalism led him to other major stages, including the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, the Magic Theatre in San Francisco, and the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

Milt moved to San Francisco in 1974, but it was at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles that he began his longest professional association, working with Luis Valdez on his ground-breaking play (and subsequent film), Zoot Suit. Milt continued to stage manage for Valdez's theatre company, El Teatro Campesino, for their annual bilingual Christmas plays in San Juan Bautista. He led these immersive performances inside Mission San Juan Bautista for 25 years, finally calling his last show there in 2018.
Throughout those years Milt also stage managed at many other professional theatres.

When he was in his 80s and found stage management jobs increasingly hard to come by, he pivoted to a new career, studying for and passing the test to become a member of the theatrical wardrobe union. Milt dressed local and touring productions until he was 92, his final show being "A Christmas Carol" at A.C.T. He officially retired in 2020 when the COVID pandemic closed theatres and there was no more work for him.

Never one to sit idle, Milt loved to travel, collecting thousands of art postcards from museums around the world. In his late 80s he took a pile of books and hopped a tramp steamer to the South Seas, and was planning another voyage right before he was sidelined by a stroke at the age of 95.

As a serious and voracious reader, Milt was a valued participant in several reading groups, and also performed key liturgical and practical duties as a lay member at Old St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, including acting as stage director for the Old Cathedral Players.

Milt was the consummate theatre professional whose devotion to his craft commanded respect and admiration from all who were lucky enough to work with him. He was also an artist and intellectual, a rigorous scholar, a witty raconteur and charming bon vivant, and the most faithful and devoted of friends. He mentored generations of theatre artists for over seven decades, and was a proud Union man, being a 70+-year member of Actors' Equity, as well as SAG-AFTRA and the Theatrical Wardrobe Union.

Milt leaves behind a loving family, including his sister Carol (Ray) Ladbury, nephews Ray Ladbury Jr. (Michelle Chesnut), John (Ranelle) Ladbury, and Laurie (Scott) Biethan; grand-nieces and -nephews Sarah (Andy) Robinson, Michael Biethan (Marie Kapelke-Biethan,) Peter Biethan, Colton (Ashlee) Ladbury, Tony Ladbury, and Janelle (Beau) Kelley; and great-grandniece and -nephew Kira Biethan and Leonardo Robinson. 

In addition to his biological family, Milt was blessed with the love and respect of his extensive chosen family of friends and colleagues, including legions of theatre artists he mentored throughout his legendary career.

Details of services are pending. If you have stories to share of Milt, his family would love to hear them. And to honor Milt's life and legacy, go see a live theatre performance, and raise a glass to him!

In lieu of flowers, please support human services for the theater community by donating to the Entertainment Community Fund, EntertainmentCommunity.org.