Alice Lewisohn

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Alice Lewisohn Crowley (1883–1972) was an American actress and the co-founder of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, with her sister Irene Lewisohn.

Early life and work
Alice, born in Manhattan to Leonard and Rosalie Lewisohn, came from a Jewish family. In 1905 she and Irene began teaching at the Henry Street Settlement House, producing performances that mixed dance and drama. In 1915 they opened the Neighborhood Playhouse at Grand and Pitt Streets, offering training for children and teenagers. Irene led the dance program; Blanche Talmud helped with productions, while Alice ran the dramatic arts.

Personal life
In 1924, Alice married artist Herbert E. Crowley. After World War I, she and her husband lived in Zurich, Switzerland, for many years. There she became part of the circle around psychiatrist Carl Jung, and Jung is said to have discussed ideas with her in his dream analysis seminars, including thoughts about a hermaphroditic God drawn from Kabbalah.

Later years and legacy
The Neighborhood Playhouse closed in 1927 after about a dozen years of activity, but it left a lasting impact on theatre education. Alice Lewisohn Crowley died in Zurich in 1972.

Publications and Broadway
- Publication: The Neighborhood Playhouse (1959)
- Broadway credits:
- The Queen’s Enemies (1916) — Alice appeared as The Queen
- Back to Methuselah (1922) — staged by Alice
- The Dybbuk (1925–1926) — staged in association with Alice
- Pinwheel (1927) — directed by Alice

Alice Lewisohn Crowley is remembered for founding a groundbreaking theater school and for her contributions to American theater and education.