Esther Sherman

By VARIETY STAFF

Esther Sherman, vice president of the William Morris Agency, died Feb. 13 in Manhattan of cancer. She was 56.

Sherman began her career in the Chicago office of William Morris and subsequently moved to the New York office, where she was an assistant in the personal appearance department before transferring to the theater department.

She first handled the foreign leasings for the plays and musicals repped by the agency, and became an agent in 1973. One of her first clients was Howard Ashman, who wrote "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Beauty and the Beast." Other clients included Athol Fugard, Edward Albee, John Patrick Shanley and Charles Fuller.

Survivors include a brother, two nieces and two nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, 165 W. 46th St., New York, N.Y. 10036.