Playing Death Scene, Actress Suffers Fatal Heart Attack

An actress collapsed and died on stage during her character’s death scene in a production of “The Drunkard”--right after singing “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone.”

Edith Webster, 60, who had played the grandmother’s role in the play for eight years, collapsed after a heart attack during a performance Saturday at the Towson Moose Lodge.

“There was tremendous applause. Hearing that, she died,” said Richard Byrd, director of the comedy.

“Night after night, she died and she died, and last night she died and she really did,” Byrd said.

At first, the audience thought the calls for aid were part of the script, Byrd said. Afterward, the audience sat quietly for almost an hour after the performance was halted.