Peg Murray, who won a Tony Award in 1967 for her portrayal of Fraulein Kost in the original Broadway production of Cabaret, died November 29, 2020. She was 96 years old.
The performer made her Broadway debut in 1956 as Vlasta Habova in The Great Sebastians before going on to appear in Gypsy opposite Ethel Merman, as well as productions of She Loves Me, Anyone Can Whistle, The Subject Was Roses, and Something More!.
After winning the Tony, Ms. Murray played Golde as a replacement in Fiddler on the Roof for a number of stints in the original Broadway production. She also returned to Cabaret in the 1987 revival to play a replacement Fraulein Schneider, her final performance on the Main Stem.
In addition to her work in theatre, Ms. Murray was well-known for playing Olga Swenson on All My Children for 13 years in the ‘80s and ‘90s. She also served as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Ms. Murray was born February 14, 1924, in Denver, Colorado, and spent most of her adolescence growing up in New York. The performer was a tried-and-true artist, having started work in the entertainment industry at the age of three when she booked a gig in a local radio station, according to The Suffolk Times.
Attending Mamaroneck High School, Ms. Murray honed her talent in school productions. She attended Case Western Reserve University on a theatre scholarship, and upon graduating, performed in a number of international USO shows after the end of World War II. Upon returning to the States, Ms. Murray joined The Touring Players, bringing performance to communities across the country.
Throughout her life, Ms. Murray devoted herself to creating equitable theatre workspaces. She formed Greenport Summer Players with Amie Sponza in the 1980s, which went on to become Northeast Stage. She also worked with NYC Mayor John Lindsay to create Broadway in the Streets, bringing performance to underprivileged neighborhoods.
Sponza also produced a 2019 documentary Peg Murray: Inspiration, immortalizing the stage and screen star for future generations to discover her work.
