Obituaries

Malvern Actress Ceal Phelan Dies at 63

Phelan, a fixture in local theater, died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday the death of Ceal Phelan, a longtime member of People's Light and Theatre Company:

Ceal Phelan, whose expressive, angular face has graced regional theater here and around the country for more than four decades, died Tuesday in Malvern, after a decade-long battle with cancer. She was 63.

She first came to PLTC in 1981, and over the years she acted, taught and directed plays there.

Phelan's husband, director and actor Peter DeLaurier, is in the current production of A Winter's Tale at PLTC. He was at his wife's side when she died:

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He performed in the morning performance Tuesday, then returned to his wife's bedside. They had agreed that he would play the cello for her in her last hours, and he knew this was the time.

As Ms. Phelan listened and briefly hummed with the somber tones, a tear ran down her cheek and she quietly stopped breathing, he said.

Read the full obituary at the Philadelphia Inquirer, which also has a photo of Phelan.

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