By now you have heard that Ed Stern, former producing artistic director of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, has died. The Playhouse posted this statement:

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Ed Stern (1946-2019).

Ed served as the Playhouse’s Producing Artistic Director for 20 years from 1992 – 2012, fully one-third of the Playhouse’s history. During his tenure, the Playhouse won two Tony Awards, had three shows on Broadway and one off-Broadway, had productions on four continents, established a new play commissioning program, greatly expanded our education and outreach programs and completed a major renovation of the Playhouse’s public and production support spaces in 1997. Ed set the bar for theatrical artistic excellence within our community. Beyond that, he helped foster the growth of the other professional theatres in town and championed all of the arts. He will long be remembered as one of the Playhouse’s key leaders.

Ed will be deeply missed.

Here is my tribute, for the Cincinnati Business Courier. (The Arts Front may be read for free.)