It is with sadness ATPAM announces the death on April 11 of Gold Card Press Agent Ellen Levene in New York City. Sister Levene was 77 years old and had been a member of ATPAM since 1969. She had recently been inducted into ATPAM’s Diamond Club for having been a member of the union for 50 years.
Ellen was born in Sunnyside, Queens. Cutting her theatrical teeth on the downtown scene in New York City – The Living Theatre, Judson Poets’ Theatre, Caffe Cino, Café LaMama – she began her career as an ATPAM Press Agent on Broadway with a big fat hit: Cabaret – produced and directed by Hal Prince and starring Joel Grey as the Master of Ceremonies.
Other Broadway productions represented by Sister Levene were: the original production of Zorba, Vivat! Vivat, Regina!, Captain Brassbound’s Conversion (starring Ingrid Bergman), The Desert Song, Rainbow Jones, My Fat Friend, Sherlock Holmes (RSC – starring John Wood), The Ritz, The Rocky Horror Show, Steel Pier, The Grapes of Wrath, Angels in America, Twilight: Los Angeles and God Said Ha!
She was publicist for numerous dance companies including the American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Twyla Tharp Dancers, and also for the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2000 and 2001.
Donations in her memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders.
She will be missed.
photo courtesy of Playbill