The Little renames theater for Jane and Larry Glazer 

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The Little Theatre on Thursday renamed one of its theaters after the late Jane and Larry Glazer, the Rochester couple whose philanthropy and businesses reshaped the city.

The Glazers were trustees of The Little and its parent, WXXI Public Media, and together co-chaired the organizations’ popular “Go Public” fundraising campaign.

That initiative raised $18 million, according to the organizations, and a portion of the revenue went toward improvements at The Little that included new seats, lighting, a screen, and a digital projector, among other enhancements.

What was known as “Theatre 2” at The Little now bears the name “The Jane and Larry Glazer Theatre.”

The distinction marks the second time The Little named one of its theaters for icons of the community. Last year, “Theatre 5” was dedicated the Jack Garner Theatre in memory of the longtime film critic who died in 2020 at the age of 75.

Larry Glazer was the chief executive of Buckingham Properties, one of Rochester’s leading property management and development firms, whose portfolio includes Tower280 at Midtown and Buckingham Commons. Jane Glazer was the founder and chief executive of QCI Direct, which sold home and personal care products.

Buckingham Properties is today headed by the Glazers’ son, Ken Glazer. Another son, Richard Glazer, is a partner in the firm. The Glazers also were parents to a daughter, Mindy Glazer MacLaren.

“My parents were movie lovers,” MacLaren said at the dediction, where she was joined by family friends who regularly attended movies with her parents. “I think that anything they could do to support culture in the city and the life of the city, they were going to get behind that.”

Ken Glazer said the theater dedication will help preserve the memory of his parents’ love for the city and for The Little.

“Today it feels especially nice because it’s been over seven years (since they died) and it’s nice to know they’re not forgotten and they’re still getting dedications and people are still remembering what they were to this community," Glazer said. "And it’s always nice to hear their name and see that they’re not being forgotten for all the work they did, even though it’s been quite a long time now."

The Glazers were both 68 when the private plane they were piloting crashed off the coast of Jamaica in September 2014 — a tragedy that was closely followed by local and national media in real time.

The couple had been flying to their vacation home in Naples, Florida, when they were rendered unconscious after their French-built turbo-prop apparently lost cabin pressure, lowering oxygen levels. Their unattended plane continued on a southern course on autopilot and was accompanied by two Air National Guard fighter jets for some time before it ran out of fuel and went down.