It is with great sadness that we share the tragic news of former Executive Director Brian Edward Leach’s unexpected and untimely death.
His sister, Diana Leach Stumpf, wrote movingly on Facebook about his passing on July 12. “He was at home with his rescue dog, Ace, by his side, who he loved more than anyone or anything in this life,” she wrote. Said Crandell President John Lillis, “I heard the news of Brian’s passing with disbelief. Brian was full of life, his love for theater and his love for the Crandell. In the short time he was with us in Columbia County, Brian established himself as a wonderful friend and neighbor. We are grateful for his contributions to the Crandell Theatre.”
At the Crandell, Brian was the lively host of many first-time Crandell LIVE! events; he championed the Crandell’s “Have a Seat” campaign, which continues to raise funds for the theater’s restoration; and he represented the theater on the board of the Chatham Area Business Alliance. He was also a strong supporter of the Berkshire Humane Society, where he first met and adopted Ace.
In addition to his love of film and arts administration, Brian adored live theater. A graduate from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Brian took on many roles in that city, including as a radio talk show host, as an emcee of a popular review of camp cinema, and as the co-adapter and star of the one-man play Quentin Crisp: The Last Word. Philip Ward, the executor of Crisp’s estate, said the play was a vehicle for Brian “to showcase his extraordinary skill as an actor. What an incredible force he was in his presentation of Quentin Crisp at the direction of friend Spencer Whale.”
This past winter, Brian appeared in the title role of Tito Morelli in the Ghent Playhouse’s sold out show, Lend Me a Tenor, a 1930s screwball musical comedy. “It was Brian’s first appearance at the Playhouse and we were looking forward to so many more,” said the Ghent Playhouse board of directors in a post on Facebook. “It is such a loss both professionally and personally. Brian formed a tight bond with the cast and crew of the show and they are devastated.”
He cherished the new friends he made in Chatham and reconnected with several friends from his high school years in the Berkshires. According to the family, there will be no formal service. His friends in Columbia County, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, however, are planning celebration of life ceremonies. He will be missed.
Contributions in memory of Brian can be made to the Berkshire Humane Society or the Ghent Playhouse, both institutions very dear to him.