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After Tom Stoppard’s Death at 88, Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater Reflects on a Defining Bond

His long ties to the Wilma illustrate how his mentorship shaped the city’s theater community.

Overview

  • Stoppard died on Nov. 29 at his home in Dorset, England, at 88, prompting tributes from theater communities worldwide.
  • The Wilma Theater produced 12 of his plays, hosted him at rehearsals, and leaned on his help with donor outreach and fundraising.
  • He made Tony Award history with five best play wins between 1968 and 2023 and wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for Shakespeare in Love.
  • Artists recall his generosity to younger colleagues and to exiled companies such as Belarus Free Theater, as well as his easy warmth in everyday conversations.
  • Born Tomas Strausser in Czechoslovakia and later confronting his family’s Holocaust losses, he memorialized that heritage in the 2020 play Leopoldstadt.