Mary C. Henderson

Henderson, Mary C.

Mary C. Henderson, an internationally known scholar on the American theater, died January 3rd, 2012 at her home in Congers, NY after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. She was 83 years old. Mrs. Henderson held a Ph.D. from New York University in Theater History, Dramatic Criticism and Literature. Mrs. Henderson had a long and distinguished career as a theater scholar and was a well-known member of the New York theater district community. She taught theater history and literature at New York University, Hunter College and Columbia University among other universities. She authored seven books on the theater in New York, most recently Stars on Stage. Her Theater in America is considered the definitive work on the subject. Beyond her career as a writer and university professor, Mrs. Henderson was Curator of the Theater Collection at the Museum of the City of New York for a decade. For many seasons, she was a member of the Tony Awards committee; in fact, she was the first woman to serve in that capacity. Mrs. Henderson was the recipient of several prestigious awards for her work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship.

She is survived by her sisters, Christine Wilson and Evelyn Zamula; sons, James, Douglas and Stuart; and four grandchildren.

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