Actress Irene Worth AKA Harriet Elizabeth Abrams was born in 1916 in NE and passed away in 2002 in NYC. Many of her performances were in London’s West End, frequently playing Shakespearean roles at the Old Vic theatre. On Broadway, she was the winner of 3 Tony Awards during her long career for her roles in: Tiny Alice (1965), Sweet Bird of Youth (1976), and Lost in Yonkers (1991).

In the following letter, Irene Worth answers a question from young acting students about being in theatre.

11 May 1992

To Mr. Barch and students,

Thank you for your letter. I wish I could answer your question but I haven’t the skill. There is a lifetime of witnesses on either side.

I can only say that the Theatre is a very hard taskmaster and demands EVERYTHING from its actors: dedication, talent, discipline, diction, manners, endurance, resilience, observation, alertness, bravery and voice.

Above all these is Passion. Without it there is no theatre. What happens before creates the present.

Technique takes a lifetime to learn. Sincerity takes only a moment. The power of simplicity takes a lifetime to learn. Respect for the Word takes only a moment.

If we ‘show off’ we can impress people with our ‘acting.’ Deep actors do not ‘show off’. They do not ACT, they reveal that character through the text. They breathe the soul into the play on paper.

John Gielgud once said ‘Acting is half shame and half glory: Shame when you are aware of yourself, glory when you can forget yourself’.

I send my best good wishes to you all and for your fulfillment and happiness in your chosen career. I have said that the theatre is a dreadful task-master and it is. But we inside it have a secret and that is this: WE ARE LIONS! NO ONE CAN TAME US!

Good Luck,

Irene Worth

