Joanne Ruderfer

Admin History/Bio: Born in the United States, Joanne Ruderfer is a writer and playwright, and most notably, an investor in musical theatre productions. She has invested in and produced a number of cabarets and musical theatre productions, beginning in the mid-1970s. In 1974, she helped found Toronto's Phoenix Theatre, and stayed with the company for close to two years, before being bought out by her co-owners. In the mid-seventies, she formed a company called Lank Investments, a partnership with actor Tony Miller that supplied financial backing to cabaret revues.; Ruderfer has written one musical play, "The Magi's Gift", and has written lyrics for original musicals and reviews, as well as classical literary productions. She was the former host of the television program "Marquee", an entertainment interview program on Toronto public access television. Her late husband, George Ruderfer, was the owner of a chain of Canadian beauty salons and a beauty supply company called Coventry Beauty Products. Together they had two daughters, Laura and Leila and a son, Bruce.; Ruderfer was also actively involved with Hadassah Wizo and wrote for the Orah magazine.

Subjects: Authors; Television personalities; Theatrical producers and directors

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