Stella Holt

[4] Holt graduated from Cornell University and initially found employment as a social worker before becoming frustrated by her inability to create meaningful change on behalf of her clients.

[3] Under Holt's leadership, the Greenwich Mews Theater produced plays by Padraic Colum, René Marqués, Sean O'Casey, and Jules Romains.

[9] Diana Sands made her New York stage debut at the Greenwich Mews; Vinie Burrows, Paulene Myers, and Gilbert Price also appeared there.

[10][11][12] Holt preferred to be closely involved with the casting process in her productions, and said that her vision impairment caused no difficulty: "I listen carefully," she told the Boston Globe, "I can 'feel' it if an actor is right for a role.

"[13] Holt produced the work of many leading Black writers, including Langston Hughes, Loften Mitchell, Alice Childress, Bill Gunn, and William Branch.

"[17] In 1955 Greenwich Mews presented Alice Childress's first full-length play, Trouble In Mind, about the experiences of Black artists in the white-dominated theater industry.

[21] Stella Holt produced Langston Hughes's musical Simply Heavenly in May 1957, with a budget of $4,200 and a cast that starred Mel Stewart and Claudia McNeil.

The show's union cast alleged that Stella Holt was making prohibited and underhanded budget maneuvers to update the building and meet inspection requirements.

In the wake of the deaths, it was decided that the name Greenwich Mews would be retained, and that instead of the planned renaming, the theater would be dedicated to the memory of both Langston Hughes and Stella Holt.

The fund committee was chaired by Diana Sands and Adrian Hall, and committee members included Miriam Colón, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Jack Gilford, Louis Gossett, Martyn Green, Lucille Lortel, Loften Mitchell, Joseph Papp, Lloyd Richards, Hilda Simms, Beatrice Straight, and Tennessee Williams.

[10] Clive Barnes, Whitney Bolton, Theophilus Lewis, and Frederick O'Neal made up the inaugural panel of judges, and the award was given to Lonne Elder III for his play Ceremonies in Dark Old Men.