It is with sadness ATPAM announces the death on May 13 of Gold Card Manager Dorothy Olim Krone in New York City. Sister Krone was 85 years old and had been a member of ATPAM since 1967. She was inducted in 2017 into ATPAM’s Diamond Club, honoring members who’ve carried their cards for 50 years or more. Dorothy served as Secretary-Treasurer of ATPAM from 1987 to 1991.
Even after retirement, Dorothy remained interested and active in ATPAM affairs; she recently successfully lobbied the Board of Governors to increase the Union’s death benefit, which had remained static for many years.
ATPAM Member Albert Poland recalls: “Dorothy was one of the founders of the modern Off-Broadway theatre movement, having begun her career in 1960 as an associate producer on the original production of The Fantasticks.” Other notable Off-Broadway productions Sister Olim General Managed were: MacBird, American Hurrah, Fortune and Men’s Eyes, The River Niger and We Bombed in New Haven. She and partner Gerald Krone were co-founders and co-general managers of the Negro Ensemble Company. They also operated a theatrical advertising agency: Krone-Olim Advertising, Inc.
On Broadway, Dorothy was the General Manager of Bob and Ray – The Two and Only, The First Breeze of Summer, The Runner Stumbles, The November People, A History of the American Film, The Curse of an Aching Heart, Solomon’s Child and The News. One of the founding members of Broadway Cares – before the merger with Equity Fights AIDS – Dorothy was also a long term advocate for women’s health issues in the industry.
She was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the League of Professional Theatre Women.
Dorothy is survived by her brother David and wife and by several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Plans for a memorial service will be announced.
She will be missed.
