Rusty Clauss, who mastered comedy and drama during a lengthy career on Washington stages and who performed in movies and on television, died on June 4th after suffering a stroke following a brief hospitalization. She was 81.
Clauss was noted for an approach to acting that was at once subtle and hard-edged. In one of her more recent DC area performances, in the Source Festival two years ago, DCTS’ Ted Ying noted her “exceptional performance,” but that was only one of many accolades.
She appeared in productions all over the area, including at Studio, Washington Shakespeare, Solas Nua, The Shakespeare Theatre and Olney. She worked in Capital Fringe shows as well as the Source Festival, where her work in The Hummingbird’s Nest won her an outstanding lead actress award from the Source Festival in 1996.
She also did substantial work on television and in films. She was the recurring character of Madame Buchard in NBC’s Baltimore-based series, “Homicide: Life on the Streets” and appeared in “America’s Most Wanted” as well. On the big screen, she appeared in “Head of State,” “Soulmates”, “Out of Season” and several industrial films.
Rusty, the former Rosemarie J. Armock, was born in Chicago in 1929, was adopted and raised in Fruitport, Michigan. She was a theater major at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. After graduation, she toured the country doing summer stock, and in Western Massachusetts, she met and married playwright Harry Clauss. They lived in southern Spain for a few years before returning to Massachusetts. Harry Clauss eventually gave up playwrighting and they moved to Washington, where he entered the civil service as a writer. They later divorced.
Rusty Clauss became a teacher in the Fairfax County (Va.) school system, specializing in English as a Second Language and eventually became head of the drama department at Edison High School.
It was a heady, arts-drenched time in the Clauss household, her youngest son, folksinger Brian Clauss, aka Brian the Folksinger recalls. “Young filmmakers, actors, artists and the creative crowd used to hang out at the house,” he remembers. “Phil Wiggins, one of the great harmonica players, rehearsed in her living room.”
They gravitated to Rusty “because she was so inspiring and they had such a good time here. I’m getting calls from many of them now that they’ve heard the news”, he continued. “They started out with my mom and now they are professionals in New York, Los Angeles and here in DC.”
“Theatre was her life,” Brian continued, jumping between our conversation and incoming phone calls. She started three theatre companies: one in western Massachusetts when she was young; in the mid-60’s, she opened The Loft Theatre, a children’s theatre that operated from the Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church; and later, hearing that Edison’s funds for the arts would be cut, she founded Tapestry Theatre, a community theater company which cast adults and children in Shakespeare plays, much as Lumina Studio does today.
“She was worried that with schools dropping drama classes, kids wouldn’t be exposed to Shakespeare,” explains her friend, Peggy Jones, who went on to help manage Tapestry. On Shakespeare’s birthday, Clauss took large groups of students to the Lansburgh for the celebration.
She also was well known for cutting Shakespeare’s plays down to one hour scripts, making them do-able for young casts. Her scripts are still in use around the country.
“She was just an exceptional person to everybody,” says Lee McKenna, another friend. “She always had an answer. I remember all of the lessons she taught me. We’ve been best friends since 1988. ”
“She was my mentor,” says Jones. “She got me into acting and directing and always had a job in mind for me. On day, she walked in and said ‘You’re very talented. Shakespeare Theatre is offering classes now,’ handed me an audition piece, and told me to go.I thought of her as my second mom. But everybody felt the same way, and that they were the only ones to feel like that.” ”
Brian Clauss’ memory of his mother’s approach to life and art is strikingly similar. “She always told me that I had talent. We had long talks about what that means,” he remembers. He recalls her advice to him as a young man. One day she said “Take your guitar and see the world.” He did and at the age of 15 took off on his own, travelling westward. “I always found a place to play,” he told us.
“My relationship with her was artist to artist. That was a great gift she gave me” he added. Brian Clauss will be blogging about his mother at www.brianthefolksinger.com.
About being an artist, Rusty advised: ‘Do what you have to do.’” But she warned him to “do it only if you can’t live with yourself otherwise. You’ll probably always need a second job. And you might not get a girl.’”
At the time of her death, Clauss had been cast in “Swampoodle” and was working on “A Touch of Lavender,” a screenplay about actors in a retirement home who start a brothel in order to raise funds to repair the building.
She was also actively auditioning and had other jobs booked. When Brian explained her illness to one of the producers, he assured him that she could do her part while seated.
In addition to Brian, Rusty Clauss is survived by daughters Rebecca, an emergency room nurse in Reston, and Erica, a former classical dancer who is now an executive, and son David, a former musician who is now a regional director for Americorp in Austin, Texas.
“She went as she’d want to go”, Brian said. “Still in the business.” Then he thought about it. “Actually, except for the inconvenience to the other actors, she’d have liked to die backstage during the show.” And with a laugh, he went on to take more calls.
Memorial services are yet to be announced.
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We hope you will share your memories of Rusty Clauss with our readers.
Hi all. Thaks for all the lovely comments about my mom. If she was here, I’d ask her for help on my quest but instead I’m reaching out to the community my mother knew best.
Does anyone know anyone who has connections in the world of tv production? My niece-in-law just graduated from college and wants to work behind the camera. She prefers sports stuff but will take anything in any capacity to get her foot in the door. She’d like to work in LA or London but again, will take anything.
Thank you everyone for all the smiles and good times my mom had with you. You’ll never know how many times she just lit up talking about you.
Rusty was the BOMB for a kid with no confidence, like I was. She tolerated no meanness and taught all sorts enthusiastic things to combat unkindness. I always felt like I was a brilliant artist when she was around and it has a powerful effect on me all these years later. Student–1982-84.
She was my drama teacher in High School (1982-1986), but became more than “just a teacher” she became a mentor and friend to me. I am so sad to hear of her passing. She will live on forever in my heart and the hearts of so many who, like me, were privileged to know her. Here is my video tribute to her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRoaqba3LHM
I had the privilege of directing Rusty in Vagina Monologues and others – she was always a true pro dedicated to discovering and working for her fellow actors. As a drama teacher, I valued discovering and frequently using her famous hour-long versions of Shakespeare – perfect for middle-schoolers! She was the “go-to” gal for her age range. She will be missed; her memory embraced.
I’m sorry to hear that Rusty has passed on. She was my drama teacher at Edison High School from 1991 to 1993 when she retired from the school. I was in two of the shows that she directed, Oklahoma! and Fiddler on the Roof. As a college student I took an acting class with her, and I was priveleged to see her act in two productions, The Moustrap and The Foreigner. Rusty was a superb actress and director with profound ideas, and not just on acting. In fact, I think she may have been the wisest person I’ve ever met. Vaya con dios, Rusty (she was a Spanish-speaker as well)!
Mount Vernon Unitarian Church will be having its memorial service for Rusty, a long-time member of the fellowship, on September 25, at 3 pm. It will be a simple hour with a few speakers, music, and an open mike for anyone who wishes to speak, with a reception to follow. RSVP to me through my website, I intend to have a party somewhere following the reception, not sure where. I encourage people who knew her to have their own parties to remember and celebrate her life, and invite me, or just raise a toast at the next cast party!
I have almost finished the pages on my webjournal for Rusty, where you can read the many responses I have received from around the world
Oh, my, it was with such a sad heart I heard the news from Jim Epstein about Rusty’s death. Jim and Rusty brought to life my short play Night Song at the Source two summers ago. What a thrill it was for me to see them on stage putting some real life into my story. Peddling my play, I know that there were plenty of doubters who thought that an elderly woman with dementia, who can hardly get a word out, could hardly carry the key role in a love story, but Rusty proved them wrong. All my four children and their spouses were in the audience, and the best moment I ever had in the theater is when many in the audience stood and applauded them at the finish. That play has become part of a trilogy that will be premier in Pittsburgh this September, and had a successful staged reading in Cape Town, SA, last November. But none of this may not have happened if this little play had not come alive in DC with Rusty capturing the hearts of a packed house. That Christmas after the production, I received a surprise package in the mail. It was a Christmas ornament, hand made, with symbolic props from the play and a sweet note from Rusty. It will hang on our tree every Christmas. God and His graces reward you, Rusty.
I worked with Rusty a number of years ago. She was a classy lady and loved by all. She will be missed.
Rusty was my cousin, named for my mom. I adored her as a child, marveled at her accomplishments at the U of Wisconsin. We became fast friends in our late adult years – & I grew to admire her spunk, genuine goodness, & wit. Such good times we had!
I will miss her greatly – already do. I she was an inspiration. I hope to become half the woman Rusty was.
It has been a wonderful experience, another gift really, so witness the beautiful response to ma’s passing rippling through the social fabric, in social networks, websites, emails, phone calls, from all around the world, and visitors from hundreds of miles away or down the street showing at the house. But I am not surprised. She was a great soul, and a great Thespian. She was an inspiration to us all, especially in her field, where she kept her determination and stayed in theatre, even to starting her own, and was an actor, teacher, mentor, playwrite, producer, director, and everything needed, at least, till she taught someone else to do it for her. She was a Thespian to the bone, heart and soul. She taught me more than I can remember about performing, that it was art, and craft, and professionalism, always. That it took a community to produce a show, and every role played an integral part, from playwrite to final cleaning crew, including the audience, and that all the world is a stage, actors are simple aware they are acting. She has left a great legacy, in memories, and in the lives of many actors, performers, and artists she encouraged, inspired, and taught. I could tell so many stories. We all can. She was part of so many lives, I can only be envious, and hope I can do so much.
peace
Brian
Folksinger
Thank you, Rusty.
Rusty was in The Mai, my first, albeit co-, directing gig. She was hilarious, gifted, smart, fun, and one-of-a-kind. I don’t think I ever heard her complain about a thing. She also had a mouth like a sailor and no inhibitions. I would say rest in peace, Rusty, but I’m sure you’d rather be raisin’ hell. 🙂
It takes a big person to put a hand on the shoulder of someone you don’t know to let them know they’ll be fine. Thank you Rusty, for putting a very nervous young man at ease before his very first League audition.
I had the honor of working with Rusty during the Source Festival 2 years ago…it was a wonderful experience to share with her! With very few words and that elastic face, she expressed all the frustrations of dementia while still being in love with her man, touching our hearts. It was a joy to see her smiling face each rehearsal, a gift i cherish. Thanx Rusty for being you. Love and miss you.
I had the great privilege of enjoying a friendship with Ms. Rusty for a number of years. We met, if memory serves, in early or mid-2004, but we didn’t actually work together until the 2007 Capital Fringe Festival, in Callie Kimball’s play NUTSHELL. I played a lion, she a zebra. One of my many favorite moments from that show (but the one that will always stand out for me) was her entrance following a chaotic stampede onstage. All in one, simple, stride across the stage with a cane, she was endearing, hilarious, heartbreaking, and she never uttered a word. In this one action. She only mildly coughed (as the zebra) a few times. I’ll never forget it.
She reminded me a lot of my own grandmothers: sweet, funny, and feisty. When I was performing in Round House’s 2009 production of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, it was such a lovely surprise to see her in the lobby after the matinee performance. We were standing outside in front of the theatre on a sunny, spring Saturday afternoon–laughing, joking, reminiscing, talking about the business, and I shared a few more funny anecdotal stories about my grandmother, which is what I did during NUTSHELL a few years earlier.
She was joy. She was a wonderful actor. She was a wonderful woman. RIP, Ms. Rusty.