Born: October 14, 1934
Died: May 13, 2019
Dorothy Olim became one of the founders of the modern Off-Broadway theatre movement, having begun her career in 1960 as an associate producer on the original production of The Fantasticks.” But in the late-1950s, she was one of a number of New York City-based actors who came to Saranac Lake to do summer theatre at the Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 14, 1957
WANTED: A PLACE TO LIVE
It's good news that the Saranac Lake Summer Theatre will be back. We had frankly worried about it a bit because no one had heard from “the gang” for a long time.
We are, of course, sorry to hear that neither Ken nor Libby Packer can make it this year because of Philadelphia commitments. But Sheldon Baron, an old-timer by now, is to be the company manager, which means he is in charge of the complaint department, and two newcomers complete the managerial trio.
Even though we have not met them as yet, we welcome Miss Dorothy Olim and Mr. Richard T. Edelman. Miss Olim, who will be the business manager, has done off-Broadmay productions and somewhere along the line someone has called her “the younger generation's Cheryl Crawford.” Mr. Edelman, the artistic director, has also been an off-Broadway director-producer.
One problem remains for the Summer Theatre group. Well, probably many more than one, but the immediate problem is living quarters. For the past several years the theater group has lived up on Franklin Avenue in a big, oldish place which they have not found to their liking. That is probably the understatement of the year. In fact, this is what this weekend's trio had to say about the problem:
“It would be a disgrace to us as managers, and Saranac Lake as hosts to ask healthy young; ambitious people who bring us the gift of their talents to live in the same crowded squalor which has shamed the theater and the town for the past five years We know there must be a more satisfactory solution in the Village's generosity and in our own ingenuity.”
These are blunt words. We cannot have an opinion about the extent to which they are justifed, but if that is the way the players feel, then that is the problem.
It should need no underscoring here to emphasize the value of good theater to this community as a summer asset. We feel confident that someone will think of a solution. In fact, that's the main point of. these paragraphs.
If a solution comes to anyone's mind, telephone the Chamber of Commerce, and the information will be sent to Miss Olim in New York.
--J.L.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, June 17, 1957
S.L. Summer Theatre:
Cast Arrives And Work Starts
The first rehearsal of “Bus Stop,” William Inge's Broadway hit, was held today at the Saranac Lake Summer Theater.
This morning's rehearsal and opening was preceded by the arrival of ten actors, directors and technicians during the weekend, headed by Richard T. Edelman and Ida Redding, the artistic and technical directors, respectively.
Work at the theater in the round, which opens its sixth season at the Odd Fellows Temple on Main Street, entered its final stage after two weeks of intensive preparation by producers Sheldon Baron and Dorothy Olim, assisted by Chris Soule, the stage manager.
On Sunday Sol Drutz was on hand at the bus depot to welcome Elinor Fuchs and Robert Zangwill to Saranac Lake. Mr. Drutz has been associated with the theater frequently, both as an associate producer and actor. Of this year's group, the co-producer of Noel Coward's “Private Lives” last year remarked “The company is an extremely varied and handsome group of young people.”
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