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San
Diego Repertory Theatre Would Like Express Its Deepest
Sympathies over the Loss of Priscilla
Allen
Priscilla Allen,
Grand Dame of San Diego
Theatre, passed away
after a long illness on August 14, 2008 in
her La Jolla home, surrounded by her daughters,
grandchildren and beloved pets. She was 70 years
old.
Priscilla delighted audiences
over the past 40 years in her larger-than-life role as a
fixture on the San
Diego stage. With a long career at the
San Diego Repertory
Theatre and
over two dozen roles with Starlight Musical Theatre,
Lamb's Players
Theatre, and
the North Coast Repertory
Theatre, Priscilla
always left an impression on her audiences with her
talent and on her colleagues with her
professionalism.
Mrs. Allen, a member of the Actor's Alliance of
San Diego, also performed at Lawrence Welk, Moonlight, The Old Globe, Regional
Theatre, Summer Stock, and in television and film. She
was a USC guest artist in her featured role as Big Mama
in Cat on a Hot Tin
Roof at
Fringe
Festival in
Edinburgh, Scotland.
Priscilla entered the canon of
American pop culture with her memorable role in the
Arnold Schwarzenegger
film,
Total Recall.
Born in Buffalo New York on July
19, 1938, Priscilla moved to La Jolla California with her
parents, Lawrence and Mildred Lawson when she was a child. She
was a graduate of La Jolla High School and had since resided in La Jolla
for over sixty years. She began her acting career as a
student at San
Diego State University where she earned her bachelor’s
and masters
degrees. She also
received numerous education and acting awards throughout
her 40 years of acting and teaching.
In addition to her commitment to
family and education, Priscilla was fiercely devoted to issues
related to animal welfare. She was a member of Greenpeace and
Project Wildlife as well as the English Springer Spaniel Rescue
Association.
Priscilla Allen is survived by
her three daughters, Jennifer Allen of New York City,
Hillary Allen of
San Diego and Meredith Christiansen
of San Antonio, Texas as well as three
grandchildren.
Services were held on August 21st
at the San Diego Repertory Theatre. In lieu of flowers, please
make donations on Priscilla’s behalf to Project Wildlife or the
English Springer Spaniel Rescue Association online
at www.springerrescue.org
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