Sidney Joseph Friedman

Sidney Joseph Friedman, April 3, 2025. Sidney was born into the loving family of Eleanor and William Friedman, sister Miriam Schwab, and brother William Friedman, Jr. He attended Greenwood Grade school, and Roosevelt Junior and Senior High School. In high school he enjoyed basketball and creating the Senior Frolics. He attended Princeton where he majored in English and graduated summa cum laude in both English and the humanities. Sidney did graduate work at the University of Iowa in the department of speech and dramatic art. He completed a MA degree in directing and PH D in dramatic theory. In his second year he married his childhood neighbor, Margo. Their daughter Lisa was born, and the family moved to Saint Louis where Sidney became a Professor at Washington University. There he collaborated with Princeton classmate, Richard Palmer, in creating a new performing arts program. In St. Louis, his son Mark was born.
Seeing the opportunity to work in a pre-professional program, he moved to Boston in 1981, taking a position in the School of Theatre at Boston University where he first taught acting and directing. He then collaborated in the creation of a new program called Theatre Arts for students whose interests were in theatre but spanned beyond that. He also completed over 100 plays directed, some invited to be remounted at the Kennedy Center. Occasionally, to keep himself honest, he acted under other directors. Retiring in 2018, he wrote a one man show about encountering his family's Holocaust survivors.
Sidney is survived by his wife Margo, daughter and son-in-law Lisa and Philip Miller, grandchildren Isaiah, Leah, and Lila Miller. Son, Mark and daughter in law Alex Friedman and grandchildren Jacob and Theo Friedman, sister-in-law Johnnie Friedman. Brother and sister-in-law Richard and Linda Friedman and the late Brian Friedman. Also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He is remembered by a relative as "possessing wisdom that comes from an authentic life well-lived. He had quiet strength and a stoic demeanor." He was loving, brilliant, patient, witty, inclusive, creative, strong, motivated and compassionate. He was revered by family, students, colleagues and friends alike. A true renaissance man.
Funeral service will be held at 10:30 am Monday, April 7, 2025 at Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Rd., Wellesley, MA. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, 148 Brook St., Wellesley, MA. Donations in his memory may be made to Dana Farber (c/o Dr. Ann LaCasce), The Sidney Friedman Prize – Boston University School of Theatre or Temple Beth Elohim.