It was Washington’s Birthday, and, Ms. Swope told friends, her parents, John Swope and the former Nellie Clark, named her for Martha Washington. Ms. Swope was able to catch them animated and sweaty and laboring onstage or in rehearsal. With her gentle temperament and Southern manners, Ms. Swope managed to get cranky, tired actors to do what she wanted without seeming bossy. Ms. Swope and her assistants regularly worked through the night preparing them for distribution the next morning. Ms. Swope’s legacy was important to her, and she was determined not to separate her dance and theater images.

Source: New York Times January 12, 2017 21:36 UTC