PROVIDENCE HOLLANDER (9 May 1926 – 10 September 2010) was an actress and singer best known for her emotional solo performances of “Marieke” and “Old Folks.”
Hollander was an original cast member of Ray Shepardson’s production of “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.” The show, which opened in 1973 in the lobby of the State Theatre, was intended to run for just two weeks but continued through 1975. Its 522-performance run was the longest theatrical run in Cleveland’s history to that point. Its production is credited as a major factor in the revitalization of PLAYHOUSE SQUARE. She was known during the production of “Jacques Brel” for her “huge voice,” her lively cast parties, and her ability to ad-lib her way through missed lines.
As a member of the Kenley Players, Hollander performed on stages throughout Ohio. Her memorable productions included playing Meg Boyd in “Damn Yankees,” alongside Vincent Price (Mr. Applegate), “Cabaret” with Billy Crystal, “The Man Who Came to Dinner” opposite Tony Randall, and two performances of “Fiddler on the Roof,” one with William Conrad, the other with Ed Ames.
In 1980, Hollander appeared as Soubrette in the romance film “Those Lips, Those Eyes,” which starred Frank Langella, Tom Hulce, and Jerry Stiller.
Hollander was married to I. Bernard Hollander, with whom she had two daughters and two grandchildren.