Larry Leon Hamlin, founder of the National Black Theatre Festival, passed away Wednesday, June 6th. The cause of Hamlin's death was not immediately available. He was 58.

Hamlin was a colorful character, who wore big sunglasses and favored purple in the clothes he wore. He often said things were "marvatastic." Marvtastic is Hamlin's trademark personal expression, a mix of marvelous and fantastic.

The National Black Theatre Festival, which began in 1989, has become a showcase for black theater that attracts thousands of patrons every other summer to Winston-Salem. Such national publications as The New York Times and Time magazine have written about it.

The 2007 festival will begin July 30.

Our sympathies are extended to his family. He was a man of vision and passion and will be sorely missed.

To see the entire article from the Winston-Salem Journal, please click here.