Irv Clark, a bright light in local theater, dies at 74

SPRING HILL -- Irv Clark, a pillar of Tampa Bay community theater, died in his sleep Friday (May 3, 2002).

"We lost a giant," said Charles Skelton, president of the Richey Suncoast Theatre board of directors.

Mr. Clark, 74, a classically trained operatic tenor, had performed several times at Richey Suncoast and at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Stage West Community Playhouse, Francis Wilson Playhouse and many other area theaters. He was often a guest performer with the Hernando Symphony Orchestra and the Richey Community Orchestra.

Mr. Clark often said that his favorite role was that of the middle-aged vintner, Tony, in The Most Happy Fella, a role that won him a HAMI award at Stage West in 1993 as Best Actor in a Musical.

"He was wonderful," said Betsy Glasson, a Stage West actor who performed with Mr. Clark in the musical Carousel, a show for which he won another HAMI award as Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. "He was a joy to work with," she said.

In 2001, Mr. Clark was given two of area theaters' highest awards, the Marcelle Oldershaw Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Lary Awards for Tampa Bay Theaters and the 2001 American Association of Community Theatre award for his contributions to area theaters.

Mr. Clark had been in declining health for many years, a result of complications from a childhood disease that cropped up late in life. He had a heart attack in December, but continued to perform as recently as April 20, when he was guest star with the Richey Community Orchestra.

"You knew he was always in pain, but he never complained," Glasson said. "He was really special. Stage West is going to miss him."

Mr. Clark had just held auditions for a musical revue he was set to direct at Stage West later this summer. The Stage West board is meeting today to decide whether to go ahead with that production or to do another at a later date.

"He was not at all ill," his widow, Alyce, said on Friday. "We went to the cardiologist on Thursday, and he said, 'See you in six months.' This was just such a shock. He seemed all right," she said.

Mr. Clark was born March 31, 1928, in Newark, N.J., and moved to Spring Hill in 1989. He is survived by his wife, two sons, two grandsons and three granddaughters. Viewing is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at Brewer Memorial Funeral Home on Mariner Boulevard, Spring Hill. Services are at 1 p.m. at Temple Beth David, with interment at Florida Hills in Spring Hill.

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