Syracuse Arts Critic Vadeboncoeur Dies at 78

According to Syracuse.com, arts and entertainment critic and much loved Syracuse native Joan E. Vadeboncoeur passed away yesterday, January 4  in her home in Cazenovia. She was 78 years old.

Actress Siobhan Fallon Hogan said of the deceased, "She was an old-style, class-act newspaperwoman who personified the theater critic. She was a great critic. She was fair. She was honest. She was hilarious."

Richard Jay-Alexander added, "I am heartbroken. I can honestly say she was like family... She was SO PROUD of all of us from the area and worked very hard for all of us to be in touch with each other. She also CARED. Cared not only about good work, but about people... 'Goodnight, Joan.' R.I.P."

Life-long friend Alfonso Annotto said that Vadeboncoeur "made an impression on everybody. Once, I took her backstage to meet Julie Andrews for a chat... Two years later, Julie would say, 'What's going on with your friend, the one who lives in Syracuse, the newspaper lady?' Somehow, she would bring her up. Joanie was like that."

Vadeboncoeur began her career working the 'MHA' beat, covering car crashes and robberies.  As a teenager she worked at the Fayetteville Country Playhouse, which was founded by her father, Murray Bernthal. In the fifties, She attended Sarah Lawrence University studying performig arts.

After graduating in 1954 she joined the Herald-Journal, and covered such events as the Miss Syracuse beauty contest and other local happenings. Eventually, Vadeboncoeur moved on to film, music and theater critiques, taking her to New York City and Hollywood regularly. 

Not until November, when she became ill, did Vadeboncoeur stop writing her weekly theatre colum.

Funeral arrangments for Vadeboncoeur have not yet been announced.

To read the full article, visit: http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2011/01/post_32.html 

Photo Credit: Nicholas Lisi