Saul Elkin obit

Saul Elkin, founder of Shakespeare in Delaware Park, dies

 He was not on the list.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Saul Elkin, a giant in Buffalo's theatre world, has died. Elkin founded Shakespeare in Delaware Park in 1976.

His talents often dominated the Shakespeare stage through the years. He was active with the Alleyway Theatre and the Jewish Repertory Theatre of Buffalo.

Elkin was also a distinguished professor of theatre at the University at Buffalo.

Shakespeare in Delaware Park celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer.

Born in 1932, to Jewish immigrant parents from Russia and Romania, Elkin spoke both Yiddish and English growing up in New York City. He began his acting education in a small children's theater school for Jewish children. His first show was at the age of seven, cast as the lead in a play by the founder of the Yiddish Art Theatre, Maurice Schwartz.

Elkin continued to work as both an actor and director for the stage as well as television as he grew up in New York. His acting and directing credits include over 250 Broadway performances (off and on), film, “The Edge of Night” (a soap opera in which he played a doctor), and several regional and seasonal theater companies. He held a B.A. and an M.F.A from Columbia, and a Ph.D from Carnegie Mellon University.

Elkin came to Buffalo, New York in 1969 and began teaching theater at the University at Buffalo, where he soon became chairman of the Theater Department serving from 1967 until 1985. In 1976, Elkin founded Shakespeare in Delaware Park, finding the initial funding for electricity from the Mayor of the city, Stanley Makowski and further funding from the University at Buffalo’s Theater Department.

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