Edwin Wilson

Author, theatre critic and teacher, Ed Wilson, died peacefully at home on December 2, 2023 at the age of 96. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, where he grew up with his parents, EE "Bitsy"  and Catherine Wilson, and his younger sister Susanne. He attended Episcopal High School, where he was first introduced to his lifelong passion, theater.

Ed graduated from Vanderbilt University and then studied at Edinburgh and Yale, where he received the first Doctor of Fine Arts awarded by Yale.

Ed moved to New York and from 1972-1994 he was the theater critic for the Wall Street Journal. He taught at Hunter College and the CUNY Graduate Center for thirty years. He co-authored with Alan Goldfarb several college theater textbooks that are still widely in use.

Ed met and married Catherine  "Chic" Stuart in 1967. Their 49-year marriage was one of extraordinary devotion. They lived in Manhattan and spent time in Quogue and Linville, North Carolina with many friends and family. 

Ed was president of the New York Drama Critics Circle and the Theater Development fund, Chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Drama Jury, and board member of the Tony Nominating Committee and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the John Golden Fund.

He hosted 90 half hour television interviews with many theater artists which appeared on CUNY-TV and PBS stations around the country.

Ed is survived by Matt Cambron (Cathy), Catherine Eberle (Reed), Charlie Robinson (Elizabeth), Wilson Robinson (Allison), Joanie and Bonnie Cambron, John Stuart (Bobbi) and Bob Stuart.

Private burial will be held in Quogue. Donations may be made to the Linville Foundation, Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or the charity of your choice.

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