Phillips, 59, stage manager for the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera, died Dec. 17 of anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Her career spanned over 35 years on Broadway, at resident theatres and in tours, as well as television. Her early training took place at Philadelphia's Playhouse in the Park and at Repertory of Lincoln Center under the direction of Jules Irving, Her Broadway career includes over 20 shows.

According to the Phantom company, Phillips was a unique stage manager. While always protecting the artistic integrity of the production, she was able to create an environment that made all involved look forward to coming to work. She became close friends and remained close friends with most everyone she worked with.

Her many shows include A Broadway Musical; Sherlock Holmes; Peter Pan with Sandy Duncan; Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound; Long Day's Journey Into Night with Jack Lemmon; and close to 16 years with the Los Angeles and New York companies of The Phantom of the Opera. In addition to work on Broadway and in Los Angeles, she also toured shows throughout the U.S. as well as Canada, London and Israel.

Stars she worked with include Elizabeth Franz, Eileen Heckert, Anne Bancroft, Ellis Raab, Jack Lemmon, Peter Gallagher, Bethel Leslie, Kevin Spacey, Matthew Broderick, Zeljko Ivanek, Joyce Van Patten, Sandy Duncan, George Rose, Bernard Hughes, Polly Holliday, John Wood, Phillip Bosco, Rosemary Harris, Rosetta LeNoir, Nancy Marchand, Christopher Walken, Rene Auberjonois, Blythe Danner, Colleen Dewhurst, Frances Sternhagen, Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, Herbert Bergoff, Lee J. Cobb, Anthony Quayle, Joan Rivers, Dick Latessa, Anita Gillette, and Phantom actors Michael Crawford, Davis Gaines, Robert Guillaume, Howard McGillin and Hugh Panaro. Phillips was a strong supporter of the efforts of the Actors' Fund of America and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

She was an avid reader and collector of toys, Depression glass, figurines, artwork, theatre memorabilia, snow globes, Fiesta Ware, books, and antiques.

Prized in her life was a 64-foot square terrace in that was planted with an aspen tree and hundreds of plants.

She is survived by her mother Natalie, her brothers Larry and Stewart, two nieces, and her extended family in the theatre.