THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 28, 1996 TAG: 9609280617
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 48 lines
Randall Stuart Short, 41, died Sept. 23, 1996, in his New York City residence of complications from diabetes.
Mr. Short was a staff writer for New York Magazine since 1994. Randall created the position of theatre reporter, writing features and small pieces, (``the boxs'' in the CUE section, succinct and delicious updates on what was ``next'' in theatre and vastly coveted by every production opening in New York City). Kurt Anderson made the decision to hire him based on his freelance feature of Barbra Streisand. Unable to get an interview, Randall traced every major New York landmark she had ever touched on, a hilarious tour de force. He also was a contributing editor for SPY Magazine from 1988-1993 and was ``Critical Consensus'' columnist for New York Observer, beginning in the fall of 1991. Major Brouhahaha: wrote a column at conflict of interest in the New York Times in reference to Frank Rich/Alex Witchel review/Broadway column that became a cause de celebre in the theatre community. He also contributed to The New York Times Book Review for both Becky Sinkler and Chip McGrath, Mirabella, Vanity Fair, Elle, Vogue and many other major magazines.
Randall, a great lover of theatre, wrote some of the most luminous, entertaining and intelligent profiles of major players that exist in today's canon. He was extremely well-read on any number of subjects, a huge booster of theatre without being a sap (a quote from Kurt Anderson). His intellectual curiosity showed to be great advantage in his writing. He did interviews with some of the most prominent directors and playwrights, and astounded them with the depth of his research, material that helped illuminate a different point of question. He was well-loved by all in the theatre community and will be missed. He also loved mint juleps, big cigars, sailing and the ocean in all its forms.
Randall was a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he was an Echols Scholar. He attended and taught at Cornell University where he completed two years toward his doctorate's degree. He was born and raised in Portsmouth, where he was member of Trinity Episcopal Church.
Survivors include his mother, Patsy Ruth Short of Portsmouth; maternal grandmother, Cora R. Leonard of Portsmouth; five aunts, Joyce Curling of Chesapeake, Sybil Smith of Fairfax Station, Va., Shirley Short of Virginia Beach, Jane Looney of Williamsburg, Va., and Charlotte Clapp of Portsmouth; an uncle, Harmon Leonard of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Kenneth Ballentine of Portsmouth.
A funeral service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Snellings Funeral Home, Churchland Chapel, by the Rev. Forrest J. Bergeron Jr. Burial will be in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today in the funeral home.
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB