Tyrone Burton Collins

Tyrone Burton Collins, 77, of Charleston, South Carolina, passed away on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. 

Born on May 18, 1948, in Philadelphia, PA, Ty was the son of the late Marjorie Collins Mangault.

Ty Collins was an arts-in-education administrator with numerous Broadway, off-Broadway and college/university theatre credits in administration, production management, producing, co-producing and directing. As a playwright, he has written several dozen plays and has participated in the development of as many new works for the stage.

Collins fondly referred to his 24 years in American professional theatre as, "The Crazy Eights" - 8 years at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts as theatre administrator; 8 years with the Actors Studio/NYC as a student of method acting with a teaching stint at Strasberg Theatre Institute/NYU; and 8 years between Philadelphia and New York City as a theatre manager for The Negro Ensemble Company, Joseph Papp's Public Theatre, and the NY Shakespeare Festival.

His theatrical work in Philadelphia was multi-faceted and primarily focused on art-based learning initiatives: Director of Education at Venture Theatre Company/Temple University; 1991 Artistic Director of Albert Benzwei's Black Theatre Festival/Philadelphia; Artistic Director for 23 years of ACTING STUDIO, a new play development lab from 1985 - 2003; and an Arts Management Lecturer at Philadelphia's University of the Arts. Additionally, he devoted numerous years to not-for-profit board development of LEJA/ELEONE Dance Theatre, Rennie Harris' Pure Movement, and served as Chair of the Scholarship Committee for Pro Art Society of Philadelphia. His last theatre endeavor in Philadelphia was in 2002 as artist-in-residence, librettist, and director for the Philadelphia Opera Company's collaboration "SURVIVOR", A HIP-HOPERA, with Wanamaker Middle School.

Academic venues include Penn State, New York University, and Harvard University where Collins earned post-graduate certifications at the Kennedy School of Government (then-known as Harvard's B School). A retired professor of English, he was, for 32 years, a faculty member of the Community College of Philadelphia in the English Department, the Theatre Department, Adult Literacy Programs, continuing and higher education, and served as a trainer in the Business and Industry Division. He also worked as Desk Anchor for the CCP-TV news channel. 

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Collins resided in Charleston, SC, with his wife, Katherine. Ty's hobbies were painting and sailing.

A memorial service will be held privately.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com/. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation, 2501 Bees Ferry Road, Charleston, SC 29414, (843) 722-8371.