The Los Angeles theatre community is mourning the passing of Bennett Bradley, a dear friend and devoted theatre director-producer. Bradley, 59, who has been with the Fountain Theatre since 1993, was found murdered early Saturday evening at his Mid-Wilshire apartment. Police have apprehended the suspect and will release more information later.

Bradley’s highlights as a director include his 2006 staging of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, which received Ovation Awards for best direction and best production. His death occurred tragically in the middle of directing the Fountain’s West Coast premiere of The Ballad of Emmett Till, a play he was incredibly passionate about and had been working on for the past year. His cast and crew will sorely miss him but the show, scheduled to open Feb. 6, will go on in his memory. Shirley Jo Finney, who worked closely with Bradley on past Fountain productions, will take over as director.

Bradley was noted for his passion, his kindness, his gentleness, his cooking and hospitality. He will be remembered at a memorial at the Fountain Theatre on Jan. 23.

For more information, visit the Fountain Theatre’s updated memorial page.