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Marsh who leaves behind many family members, friends and theater colleagues is being remembered as "a credit to his chosen profession, a star in his universe, a defender of the rights of his peers."
Most recently in semi-retirement Marsh taught and directed, first at 966 in Brooklyn, then at the African American Museum of Nassau County, he founded the Living History Theater Group.
At the museum, he conducted six-week workshops preparing members of the local community for their performance in staged readings.
In his career, Marsh was part of productions on- and off-Broadway, in venues across the United States and abroad.
His credits include: Kong’s Harvest, The Liberation of Mother Goose, Hot Mikado, Bubblin’ Brown Sugar, Sophisticated Ladies, One Mo’ Time, The Rabbit’s Foot (later renamed Ground People), The Wiz, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Eubie, The Great LaSalles, Chitlin’ Circuit, Struttin’ and Baby, That’s Rock and Roll (later renamed Smokey Joe’s Café).
He was born Bernard Joseph Marsh on May 26, 1942, in Bedford-Stuyvesant to comedian/emcee, Theodore Albert (Snookey) Marsh and dancer/songstress, Dorothy Theresa (Dottie) Mooney Marsh.
The family moved from to Brownsville when he was five and his elementary education took place there.
He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and later earned a bachelor in theater and labor relations degree at SUNY Empire State College, in 1997.
Both parents were native Brooklynites. His great-great-grandfather, Theodore Marsh, came to New York from North Carolina in the early 1800s and is listed in New York, with his family, on the 1840 census.
Marsh was drawn to the stage at an early age. He performed throughout his school years and in his early 20s joined the Negro Ensemble Company.
He made his debut in the 1968 NEC production “Kongi’s Harvest”. He honed his acting, dancing and singing skills as a student of the master artists in each field (i.e.) Henry LeTang, Bernice Johnson, Louise Delcina, Maurice Hines, Eleanor Harris, Trudy Gasparinetti and Louis Johnson (for dance); Lee Chamberlin and Michael Schultz (acting); Graham Bernard (voice).
His passion for theater was equaled only by his desire to pursue justice and diversity in the business called show.
As the Principal Deputy representing the actors in the show, Eubie, it became clear to him that racism kept black actors from being auditioned, much less hired, for plays like Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Attending meetings of Equity’s Council for Racial Equality he learned of the issue and sought to challenge the status quo.
Failing to effect change in his capacity as Principal Deputy, he started a new organization, Performers Against Racism on the Theatrical Stage, on Broadway (P.A.R.T.S.).
His organization was also a major force in preventing the producers of Miss Saigon from hiring a Caucasian to play the role of the Asian principal character. An Asian actor got the part.
There will be a celebration of life and repast Sunday, June 16 at 5 p.m. at the African American Museum of Nassau County, 110 N. Franklin St., Hempstead.
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