Arthur Paul Gaffin, better known as Artie Gaffin, (November 26, 1948 – September 13, 2019) was an American stage manager known for his charismatic, generous, and kind work ethic.

Early life and career

Artie Gaffin was born November 26, 1948, in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. His father Seth Gaffin was a shoe importer, and his mother Helen Barish was a housewife. Artie Gaffin began his Broadway career in 1986 as an assistant stage manager on ''Wild Honey'' starring

Kim Cattrall Kim Victoria Cattrall (; born 21 August 1956) is a British, Canadian, and American actress. She is known for her portrayal of Samantha Jones on HBO's ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), for which she received five Primetime Emmy Award nominati ...

. He quickly transitioned to become the stage manager of ''Three Penny Opera'' starring

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in 1989. Other notable Broadway credits include '' Oh, Hello! on Broadway'', the 2014 revival of ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

Pacific Overtures ''Pacific Overtures'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by John Weidman, with "additional material by" Hugh Wheeler. Set in nineteenth-century Japan, it tells the story of the country's westernization starting ...

, Nine,

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (254–184 BC), specif ...

, George Gershwin Alone'', and ''Betrayal''. He worked often with Stephen Sondheim, and was considered a top choice to stage manage new musicals. During his career as a stage manager, Artie taught at the

Yale School of Drama The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University is a graduate professional school of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts, the school provides training in ...

. Artie was known to be a kind and generous stage manager. He often supplied copious amounts of snacks and beverages for company members and gave many gifts to his casts and coworkers. Perhaps his greatest legacy is as a mentor to dozens of younger stage managers.

Death and legacy

Artie Gaffin died September 13, 2019, of an apparent heart attack. After his death on September 18, 2019, The Marquis,

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, St. James and Broadhurst Theatres dimmed their lights in honor of Artie Gaffin and his contributions to Broadway. After his death, outpourings of grief and support for Artie were shared.

Broadway League The Broadway League, formerly the League of American Theatres and Producers and League of New York Theatres and Producers, is the national trade association for the Broadway theatre industry based in New York City. Its members include theatre ow ...

president Charlotte St. Martin said the following about Artie: "As the backbone of any production, a good stage manager must be a reliable leader, a creative problem solver, and a wise counselor. A great stage manager also has a generous spirit, a big heart, and an unshakeable commitment to the theatre. The outpouring of tributes makes it unanimous: Artie Gaffin was one of the greats. His influence and mentorship touched so many in the industry. He will be missed."

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is an American nonprofit organization that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States, headquartered in New York City. It is the theatre community's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ...

made a contribution in honor of Artie Gaffin to the Stage Managers' Project of the Actors' Fund. Gaffin was survived by his long time partner Danny Baron since 1980. Baron made a $100,000 contribution to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS in Gaffin's honor on the first anniversary of his death.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaffin Artie 1948 births 2019 deaths Stage managers American theatre managers and producers Broadway theatre people People from Brooklyn