Court Theatre Executive Director Stephen J. Albert Dies

According to the Chicago Tribune, Stephen J. Albert, the executive director of Court Theatre in Hyde Park has died on Friday night, December 29, at age 66, following a long battle with cancer. Charles Newell, artistic director of Court, said that Albert's death was due to complications from surgery.

Albert joined Court Theatre in 2010, and also co-founded Albert Hall and Associates, a national non-profit management recruitment consultancy. Prior to working at Court, Albert was the managing director at Hartford Stage in Connecticut.

Albert had planned to step down from his position in the fall of 2018 to allow for him to focus on his health and personal life.

Jessica Albert, Stephen's daughter, speaks highly of him. "To know my dad was to love my dad," she said. "He had a way with words that was poetic. His poetry guided me through my whole life, as it did so many other people. He always was so wise. He radiated so much light and positive energy."

"For many years, we at Court had an idea and a plan of where we might go," said Newell. "But Steve was the one who took us there. He believed in dreaming big and then figuring out how you could get even partially there. He also became a dear, close friend and I am the better man for that."

A memorial service is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 27 at Court Theatre.

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