He was born and raised a musically inclined child in western New York, who took an early interest in singing, and cooking with his great-grandmother, and later left home to pursue a vocal music degree from Ithaca College. Armed with a sweet, strong tenor, he moved to Boston and carved out a lengthy, highlight-filled career in the regional performing arts, flavored with a warm, welcoming personality that turned everyone he met into a friend.
Sturdy passed away February 5 at 65, after a brief hospitalization.
Sturdy was an assistant managing director at Cambridge’s American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) where he arranged operations for local productions and international tours. He worked at ArtsBoston, first as Deputy Director then rising to Executive Director. Sturdy was responsible for a significant expansion of the non-profit arts marketing organization, including the planning and construction of a second BosTix half-price-ticket booth that still stands in Copley Square.
Don served the arts-going public again at the Wang Theater, first as its treasurer and then its House Manager, leading the team that ensured visitors a great experience in the historic theater. Later, as Boston Ballet’s Director of Artistic Operations, he oversaw the producing side of performances, from wardrobe to production, and handled daily operations for the company.
Throughout his 40-plus years in Greater Boston, Don sang in the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Festival Chorus. He never sought the spotlight but it often found him -- performing at Tanglewood and the Boston Pops Fourth of July and Holiday concerts, singing backup in a James Taylor video, or being featured in a New York Times story alongside longtime friend David B. Waters, with whom he purchased a mirror-image, two-family Cambridge duplex that boasted decidedly different decor on either side. With its extensive garden, their welcoming home became a decades-long hub of theater parties, fundraisers, and other celebrations. Don was charitably minded, too, having produced fundraising events for Community Servings and the AIDS Walk in Boston.
Don enjoyed a second career in hospitality as the ever-friendly face at the host stand of Cambridge’s beloved Oleana restaurant. He made celebrities, dignitaries, and everyday diners alike feel like they always got the best table in the place. Don also enjoyed part-time work at Siena Farms’ open-air market and its two retail locations.
Don leaves behind hundreds of friends from throughout his life, and family members including a sister Leonora Sturdy Bularzik, her husband Joe, and their children Nicholas and Kirstin. He will be interred in Skaneateles, New York. Donations can be made to Community Servings: https://www.servings.org/donate/ or to Thomas L. Derrah Fund for Emerging Artists at the Speakeasy Stage Company: http://www.speakeasystage.com/derrah-fund/
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