Actress and Activist Vinie Burrows Dies At Age 99

Actress Vinie Burrows, once proclaimed “the queen of Black theater” by Clive Barnes of The New York Times, passed away peacefully on Christmas Day 2023 surrounded by family, at the age of 99. 

Ms. Burrows, the world-renowned actress and activist, was a native New Yorker and NYU graduate, including a BA, a Masters, and in recent years was bestowed an honorary PhD from the New School.

Ms. Burrows started her career as a child actress in radio, and then made her Broadway debut in the production of The Wisteria Trees starring Helen Hayes, followed by a number of appearances in other notable Broadway productions, including The Skin of our Teeth alongside Helen Hayes, Mary Martin, and George Abbott. 

Always ahead of her time, Ms. Burrows realized “as a Black actress whose talents have never been fully used in our theater, I have turned to solo performances not merely to find employment but also to gain a greater measure of artistic fulfillment and personal satisfaction. In creating the six different programs in my solo repertoire, I have tapped a rich vein from my own Black culture and heritage.” This was exemplified by the success of her 1968 Off Broadway production of Walk Together Children, which broke all records for the longest running off Broadway one woman show.  Some of her other highly acclaimed multimedia one woman shows, include Dark Fire and Sister Sister.

Throughout her life, Ms. Burrows was also extremely active in political and social causes including the civil rights movement, her role as a United Nations NGO, and later with Grannies Peace Brigade. All the while, she continued her acting career into her 90s in such productions as Having Her Say, Shakespeare in the Park's A Midsummer's Night Dream, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire at NYTW, and at the time of her death was in development for the upcoming production of Reconstructing with The TEAM.

Ms. Burrows is survived by her son and daughter; 6 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.

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