At her Maysville, Kentucky, home, Virginia “Jinny” Browning once warmly welcomed actress Sara Clark – then playing Juliet on the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company mainstage – and her Romeo castmate for a private performance of the iconic “Romeo and Juliet” balcony scene.
That living room performance captured the magic of intimate theater – the kind of connection that can pass between performer and audience in the smallest of spaces.
For Browning, one of CSC’s most beloved patrons for more than a decade, it was a gift of love returned. That bond has endured even after Browning’s passing earlier this year, when she left CSC a $1 million gift, the largest in the company’s 32-year history, ensuring its stage will flourish for generations to come.
Browning was 93.
“Our dear friend Jinny was incredibly generous to CSC in so many ways,” recalled CSC Producing Artistic Director and CEO Brian Isaac Phillips. He first met Browning in 2012 during her first trip to see CSC at the company’s previous theater home on Race Street in downtown’s Central Business District. It was a production of “The Merchant of Venice” that featured Phillips in a starring role.
From that night forward, Browning rarely missed a chance to be part of CSC’s work. She became a loyal audience member and a generous donor, supporting annual operations, contributing to the campaign to build the company’s new home, the Otto M. Budig Theater in Over-the-Rhine, and offering constant encouragement to artists and staff alike.
That dedication now continues through her bequest, which will support all aspects of CSC’s operations – from programming to daily needs – while strengthening its endowment. As Phillips said, the gift will help ensure that the “power of live classical theatre will inspire and connect generations to come.”
A gift of love
In Browning’s honor, her name appears on the donor wall in the lobby of CSC’s theater alongside a list of other prominent individuals and organizations who’ve supported the company since its founding in 1993. There’s also a seat in the theater bearing a plaque in her loving memory.
For actress Clark, now CSC’s director of development, that intimate living room performance at Browning’s home remains unforgettable as it did for Browning.
After enjoying that balcony scene in her home, Browning made sure CSC’s free Shakespeare in the Park tour would always visit Maysville, so others could experience the same intimate theater she had cherished. Her gift ensures that tradition continues, as it did earlier this year.
Clark called Browning’s bequest “as much an act of love as it is of generosity.”
“She welcomed us into her home, celebrated the art we created, and made sure it would flourish long into the future,” Clark added.
To Clark, Browning’s legacy also underscores the power of CSC’s Planned Giving program, which invites supporters to create a lasting impact by including the theatre in their estate plans. Donors inspired by her example can learn more at cincyshakes.com/Legacy or reach out to Clark directly.
“We hope Jinny’s generosity inspires others to imagine the legacy they can leave,” Clark said. “Her gift ensures that CSC will continue bringing people together for Shakespeare and the classics for generations to come.”
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
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