Antay Suleyman Bilgutay

Antay Suleyman Bilgutay passed away on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at the age of 59 after a long, hard-fought battle with gastric cancer. He was born to immigrant parents in Edina, Minnesota on December 5, 1966. His father was from Istanbul, Turkey and his mother is from Hamburg, Germany. He was a loving brother to his younger sister, Anya. Antay graduated from Edina High School in 1985 and graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a double major in Theater and English in 1989.

Antay was a highly distinguished non-profit development professional, playwright, and artist. He was a pillar of support for the creative industries, dedicating his career to ensuring that theater and community organizations had the resources necessary to thrive. Most recently, he served as a Major Gifts Officer at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, Connecticut, where his expertise and passion for mission-driven work left a lasting impact. Prior to The Bushnell, he was the Director of Development at the Hartford Stage. In between his positions at Hartford Stage and the Bushnell, he had a brief stint working for Everyday Democracy, where he worked to advance civic dialogue and build bridges of understanding in communities. His professional journey took him across the country, including significant tenures at the Dallas Theater Center and much of his foundational work in the Twin Cities. In Minnesota, Antay was a vital force in the vibrant cultural landscape. His professional development work supported esteemed institutions such as the Loft Literary Center, the Guthrie Theater, the Theatre de la Jeune Lune, the Walker Art Center, and the MN AIDS Project. He understood deeply that the strength of an arts organization lies in its ability to connect with its community, a skill he wielded with grace and efficacy throughout his career. Beyond his administrative and fundraising prowess, Antay was a deeply creative soul. He was an active presence in Twin Cities theater, contributing his talents as both an actor and a director at venues including Park Square Theatre and Theatre in the Round. He was a two-time winner of the Dallas TeCo New Play Competition literary prize in 2011 and 2013, and the grand prize winner in 2014. His multifaceted relationship with the stage—as a playwright, performer, and advocate—demonstrated a lifelong devotion to the transformative power of storytelling.

Antay was passionate about the theater, thrifting, mid-century modern designs (specifically Russell Wright), and collecting Blenko glass. He was also passionate about being fur-daddy to his two loving dogs Jasper and Atticus. One of his favorite things was hiking through the forest after a fresh snowfall with the dogs.

He is preceded in death by his father, Aydin Bilgutay and his grandmother, Leni Lange as well as his beloved dogs Angus, Murphy, Lucy, and Charlie.

He is survived by his husband, Paul Ditolla, his mother, Antje Bilgutay, his sister, Anya (Bilgutay) Meizlik, his brother in-law, Ken Meizlik, his precious fur-babies Atticus and Jasper and many loving extended family members.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, CT on Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 10am.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts (www.thebushnell.org/support-membership.donate)