ON THEATER:

Following the recent death of actress Natasha Richardson, Broadway theaters darkened their marquee lights for a minute in tribute. The Huntington Beach Playhouse should do likewise in memory of Phil de Barros for his more than four decades of service.

A regular fixture at the playhouse’s opening nights, de Barros had been in failing health recently. He died March 18 at Memorial Care Hospital in Fountain Valley. He was 89.

Phil arrived on the Huntington Beach scene in 1966 and auditioned for the leading role in the playhouse’s production of “The Rainmaker.� He nailed the part of Starbuck and once he got his foot in the theater door, he never left.

Though he acted and directed for other theaters, the Huntington Beach Playhouse was de Barros’ home base. He served on its board for many years and was given the title of president emeritus as he shifted into semi-retirement.

Paul Sullivan, a past president of the playhouse, recalls that it was de Barros who introduced him to theater back in 1968.

“A friend was cast in the production of ‘Dracula,’ which Phil directed, and he needed someone to work backstage with special effects and to run the light board and sound system — I was ‘volunteered,’ � Sullivan says. “I got hooked and became a playhouse regular after that.�

Sullivan and de Barros both worked at what then was known as McDonnell Douglas and, he admits, “often conducted playhouse business on company time until his retirement.�

I knew Phil and admired his talent both on stage and in the director’s chair. As artistic director of the Irvine Community Theater, I frequently invited him to be a guest director at Irvine Community Theater, and his 1983 production of “The Glass Menagerie� was superb.

We worked together on two occasions, both times with me acting in one of his directorial projects. As a testament to his power of persuasion, he talked me, a lifelong nonsmoker, into playing the role of the chain-smoking Bernie Dodd in “The Country Girl� back in 1981. No, I still haven’t taken a puff, but hopefully we managed to fool Irvine audiences.

“He contributed a lot for local theater in his time,� Sullivan said. “I think of his Shakespeare in the Park productions, which were always very difficult to mount. I always thought he was a good coach of young and/or inexperienced actors, and he came through with some fine performances of his own.�

De Barros and his wife, La Donna, one of Orange County’s premier actresses of the 1970s and ’80s, were the parents of three daughters — Wendi, Robin and Vanessa. Wendi followed in Dad’s footsteps and directed the playhouse’s summer Shakespeare shows until they were discontinued.

“My father introduced me to a life of community, theater, culture and adventure,� Wendi said. “I was in my first play at 6 years old. He directed me for the first time in ‘Toby Tyler’ for the Fountain Valley Community Theater at age 8.

“I learned all about acting and directing from him over the years,� she said. “But the thing I will remember most about my dad was how he related to people and the community.�

A final note from Sullivan: “I regarded Phil as the heart and soul of the playhouse, along with Bobbi Murphy who helped found the group originally. He will be missed by many current and former members.�

This column seconds that sentiment. Bon voyage, Phil.

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.