The deaths of two rising stars leaves North Texas theater community reeling – Fort Worth Report

The deaths of two rising stars leaves North Texas theater community reeling  Fort Worth Report

Madi Duren, 22, and her partner, Julian Harris, 23, both recent graduates of SMU’s theater program, died this week after a car accident. The North Texas theater community is in shock after two rising actors who colleagues called “the future” died this week. Madi Duren, 22, and her partner, Julian Harris, 23 died after a car accident on Garland Road in Dallas. Both recently graduated from the theater program at Southern Methodist University. Actor Jenny Ledel knew both performers. She recently shared the stage with Harris in “The Absentee” at Kitchen Dog Theater, which ended its run Oct. 4. She said the young couple was bright and energetic. “When I was around them, I felt like the idea of keeping the theater alive was preposterous because what do you mean?

They were keeping it alive,” Ledel said. “I got excited about the future when I was around them. I was excited about all the work that they were gonna do. And I mourn that now, the loss of the work they were not just gonna do locally here, but what they were going to do to the American theater at large.” The loss came just days after the theater community lost a long-time presence. Matthew Posey, 68, founder of Ochre House Theater in Dallas, died Oct. 2. Brady Bagwell was