Bob Borod Was Honored Broadway Stage Manager

Longtime Broadway production stage manager Bob Borod died suddenly after a long illness on August 25, at his home on Martha's Vineyard, according to his friend, Merle Frimark.

Mr. Borod was 70 years old and leaves behind credits from four decades, during which he played the vital role of stage manager - the often unsung hero of many productions. He served as production stage manager or stage manager on countless productions on Broadway, in Los Angeles, on national and international tours on stage and on television.

Mr. Borod's last Broadway production was Taking Sides, produced by Alexander H. Cohen in 1996. His long association with Mr. Cohen included 12 productions.

Mr. Cohen enlisted Mr. Borod for his productions of The Tony Awards and Night of 100 Stars at Radio City Music Hall. Mr. Borod had said that he tried to retire over the years, but Alex Cohen kept calling him back to projects.

Christopher Cohen, son of famed presenter Alexander Cohen, was a stage manager with Mr. Borod over several years, on projects including the Tonys and Night of 100 Stars. Their friendship forged in the theatre was so strong that Mr. Borod served as Mr. Cohen's best man at his wedding last year.

Throughout his career, Mr. Borod worked with the top producers, directors, choreographers, composers and creative teams in the theatre including Harold Prince, Peter Brook, Peter Hall, Michael Bennett, Milos Forman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Strouse, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Herman, David Geffen, John Kander and John Dexter.

Mr. Borod was trusted in the industry as a watchdog stage manager who would maintain the vision and intentions of the director long into the run of a hit show, Mr. Cohen said.

Directors Dexter and Hall trusted Mr. Borod enough to stage the national touring productions of Equus, Amadeus and M. Butterfly. In more recent years, Mr. Borod directed a production of M. Butterfly and other shows at the Vineyard Playhouse.

His credits as stage manager also include Cyrano-The Musical, Three Men on a Horse, La Bête, 3 Penny Opera, Safe Sex, Wild Honey, Your Arms Too Short To Box With God, Clothes for a Summer Hotel, The Crucifer of Blood, Seesaw, The Little Black Book, And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Applause and Coco.

He was born in Providence, R.I., and was graduated from Brown University in 1954. While at Brown, he performed in the school productions and enrolled in the Air Force ROTC. Upon graduation, he entered the air force, trained as a fighter pilot and was stationed in France in the late 1950s. Following his military service, he returned to Providence and began to work at the Warwick Summer Theatre in production and then came to New York.

Mr. Borod is survived by his nieces Susan Jones of Wakefield, R.I., Patti Gibbons of Warwick, R.I., Debbi Rose of Seekonk; a grand niece and nephew and several cousins.

Funeral services were held Sept. 1 in Providence. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.