Florence Birdwell, Singing Teacher to Broadway Stars, Dies at 96 by Richard Sandomir

She was a tough yet empathetic voice professor at Oklahoma City University for 67 years. Two of her students, Kelli O'Hara and Kristin Chenoweth, won Tony Awards.

Billy Goldenberg, TV, Movie and Stage Composer, Dies at 84 by Richard Sandomir

He worked with Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand and Elvis Presley, wrote the theme music to many familiar series and accompanied Nichols and May and Bea Arthur on Broadway.

Richard Herd, actor best known for baffled boss on 'Seinfeld,' dies at 87 by Richard Sandomir / The New York Times

Zev Buffman, 89, Prolific Producer From Broadway to Florida, Dies by Richard Sandomir

In his long career, he persuaded Elizabeth Taylor to make her Broadway debut in "The Little Foxes" and produced a memorable flop starring Muhammad Ali.

William Luce, Playwright, Dies at 88; Wrote 'Belle of Amherst' by Richard Sandomir

He specialized in one-character dramas, portraying luminaries like Emily Dickinson, John Barrymore, Lillian Hellman, Zelda Fitzgerald and Isak Dinesen.

Martin Charnin, Who Helped Create 'Annie,' Dies at 84 by Richard Sandomir

He turned the comic strip "Little Orphan Annie" into a long-running Broadway musical and wrote the memorable lyrics to a score that included "Tomorrow."

Roger Hirson, Who Wrote the Book for 'Pippin,' Dies at 93 by Richard Sandomir

For more than a decade, Mr. Hirson was known for writing for television, but meeting the composer Stephen Schwartz led to the hit musical "Pippin."

David Winters, Energetic Dancer Turned Choreographer, Dies at 80 by Richard Sandomir

Inspired by Jerome Robbins, who cast him in the stage and film versions of "West Side Story," he went on to create dances for Ann-Margret and others.

Maya Turovskaya, Russian Critic and Documentarian, Dies at 94 by Richard Sandomir

Called "the Susan Sontag of Soviet aesthetic thought," she wrote about film and theater and helped make a film that drew parallels between Nazism and Stalin.

Verna Bloom, 80, Amorous Dean's Wife in 'Animal House,' Dies by Richard Sandomir

She was best known for wildly different roles, in a frat house comedy and in the 1960s drama "Medium Cool." She was also in films by Clint Eastwood and Martin Scorsese.

Peter Masterson, 84, a 'Best Little Whorehouse' Creator, Is Dead by Richard Sandomir

Mr. Masterson helped turn a magazine article about a bordello into a hit Broadway musical. He later directed the movie "The Trip to Bountiful."

David Shepherd, 94, Dies; Nurtured Improvisational Theater by Richard Sandomir

As a founder of the Compass Players in Chicago, he helped create the world of improvisational comedy that is best known in the work of Second City

Jerry Frankel, Prolific Broadway Producer, Is Dead at 88 by Richard Sandomir

Mr. Frankel, a former dress manufacturer, produced more than 50 plays and musicals with various partners and won nine Tony Awards.

Cicely Berry, Who Taught Actors Shakespeare's Sound, Is Dead at 92 by Richard Sandomir

Using unorthodox methods (walk around a room, speak it together), she helped actors find their voices by feeling the weight and rhythms of the words.

Peter Donat, Actor Who Played a Panoply of Roles, Dead at 90 by Richard Sandomir

Mr. Donat acted often on the screen and had a recurring role on "The X Files." But he said he was most gratified by theatrical work.

Craig Zadan, 69, Dies; Produced Musicals for Stage, Screen and TV by Richard Sandomir

A showman who helped put "The Sound of Music" on television, "Chicago" on movie screens and "How to Succeed in Business" back on Broadway.

Barbara Harris, Stage, Screen and Improv Actress, Dies at 83 by Richard Sandomir

Ms. Harris got her start with the Second City and went on to win a Tony Award and to appear in films like "A Thousand Clowns" and "Nashville."

Winston Ntshona, Tony-Winning South African Actor, Dies at 76 by Richard Sandomir

After a Broadway run, Mr. Ntshona was jailed in his home country for performing in a play he had written with Athol Fugard and the actor John Kani.

Alan Johnson, 81, 'Springtime for Hitler' Choreographer, Dies by Richard Sandomir

A former dancer, Mr. Johnson collaborated with Mel Brooks on several movies and once asked him, "'Oh my God, are we allowed to show this?"

Gillian Lynne, Choreographer of 'Cats,' Is Dead at 92 by Richard Sandomir

After a long and successful career as a ballerina, Ms. Lynne found greater fame creating dances for Andrew Lloyd Webber and others.

Joseph Campanella, 93, Ubiquitous Character Actor, Dies by Richard Sandomir

Mr. Campanella found his stride on television as a frequent guest star, playing doctors, lawyers, criminals, cops and judges.

Harold Guskin, Acting Coach Who Nurtured Stars, Dies at 76 by Richard Sandomir

Find the character in the words on the page, he instructed Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, James Gandolfini, Rachel Weisz and others.

Mel Gordon, 71, Drama Scholar of the Fringe, Is Dead at 71 by Richard Sandomir

An insatiable curiosity led him to contemplate Jewish superheroes, bad acting, the sexualized worlds of Weimer Berlin and Risqué Paris, and more.

Harvey Schmidt, Co-Creator of 'The Fantasticks,' Is Dead at 88 by Richard Sandomir

He wrote the music. A former college friend, Tom Jones, wrote the words. What resulted was the world's longest-running musical (and a lasting partnership).

Novella Nelson, 78, Dies; Brought Authority to Myriad Roles by Richard Sandomir

An actress whose face was more familiar than her name, Ms. Nelson was seen onstage, in movies and on television for a half-century.