Dan Zittel, a stage manager who worked on myriad Off-Broadway productions and national tours, died August 19 at the age of 66.
Born August 15, 1951, Zittel received an MFA in Directing from Catholic University before joining Actors’ Equity Association in 1976. He was also a Board Member of the Stage Managers’ Association.
Zittel worked extensively with a number of Off-Broadway houses, including York Theatre (Musicals of Musicals, The Musical), Barrow Street (Orson’s Shadow), and Playwrights Horizons (Carson McCullers (Historically Inaccurate)). He also toured with productions of High School Musical, White Christmas, 42nd Street, The Sound of Music, and Man of La Mancha
His numerous credits also include over 50 productions with Cape Playhouse in Massachusetts—most recently 2015’s The Drowsy Chaperone.
Zittel also worked backstage at several annual Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS events. In a statement provided to Playbill, Executive Director Tom Viola said, “He was a beloved and stalwart champion, a part of our efforts going back to the earliest days. Dan will be greatly missed and always fondly remembered. Dan truly typified the kind of quietly dedicated support behind the scenes that has made BC/EFA’s work possible.”