MANCHESTER — The funeral service for Ellen D. Bindman-Hicks, a 17-year-old aspiring actress and singer who died in a head on collision last Thursday, was held earlier this week.
Bindman-Hicks — who had graduated as a junior from Long Trail School in Dorset just the week before — collided with a 2008 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck driven by 43-year-old Jon A. Grimes of Brandon after her 1994 Volvo 944 crossed into the northbound lane on Route 30 in Pawlet, according to Police.
Bindman-Hicks was pronounced dead at Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC). Grimes sustained lacerations to his head and non-life-threatening internal injuries, and was transported to RRMC for treatment.
Long Trail Head of School John H. Suitor III expressed sorrow last Friday over Bindman-Hicks' death. "Obviously, our wishes are with Ellen's family," he said. "She was an extremely bright and enthusiastic young woman who had great plans ahead of her. Unfortunately, it was a life that ended far too soon."
Suitor said Bindman-Hicks enjoyed acting and singing and had performed in numerous productions. "She was someone who loved the stage, loved to act, loved to sing, and just had a great future ahead of her," he said.
According to Melissa Chesnut-Tangerman, the Head of the Arts Department at Long Trail School, Bindman-Hicks had been in every theater production the school had held since she first began attending the
Chesnut-Tangerman described Bindman-Hicks as "highly energetic" and "very talented with a lot of drive." She recalled one performance in which Bindman-Hicks played the role of Golde, the main character's wife, in "The Fiddler on the Roof." Though often a one dimensional role, Chesnut-Tangerman said Bindman-Hicks took it to a new level.
"Ellen really filled out the role in a way that was beyond her 16 years. She played a very sympathetic character," she said.
Bindman-Hicks talent was not limited to acting. She was also part of Long Trail School's Choir and had a voice that stood out among the rest.
"Hers was a very strong, true voice and people would absolutely lean on her," said Chesnut-Tangerman. "In the spring we would do little music reviews where kids could choose songs that they wanted to present ... and I would put Ellen either at the beginning or at the very end because of her strength."
In addition to being a singer, Bindman-Hicks was also a songwriter. According to Chesnut-Tangerman, Bindman-Hicks had begun playing the guitar a year ago in February and had already written 40 songs by the spring of this year. She had planned to pursue a career as a singer and an actress.
Outside of her performances at Long Trail School, Bindman-Hicks had also been involved with several local theatre groups including Oldcastle Theatre Company and Main Street Stage in North Adams, Mass.
At the time of her death, Bindman-Hicks was collaborating on the music for the upcoming production of "Twelfth Night" at Main Street Stage
Director of the play, Melissa Quirk, recalled Bindman-Hicks as someone who showed up to the Main Street Stage's May casting call as "ready to rock'n roll.
Though Quirk said Bindman-Hicks was "too young looking" for a major role in the play, they wanted to ensure that she was part of the cast.
"She had great instinct," Quirk said. "We were just getting to know her, but she was one of those people whom we wanted to have a relationship with."
Prior to working with the Main Street Stage on the production of "Twelfth Night" — which Quirk said the theater company intends to dedicate in Bindman-Hicks memory when the play opens at the end of July — Bindman-Hicks had performed locally with other groups including the Oldcastle Theatre Company, according to Artistic Director Eric Peterson.
"She was a bright, talented, young girl with an extraordinary potential. It's just a terrible loss," Peterson said last Friday.
Peterson said Bindman-Hicks had a small role in a production of "Inherit the Wind" when she was about 12 years old. And a play she wrote when she was 11 was performed at the theater, according to Peterson.
"She was really, really a bright kid with a bright future," he said. "She was a very impressive young lady."
Some of the original music that she created was played at her funeral service and Quirk said that, with the permission of her family, the theater company would like to use some of it in the production of "Twelfth Night."
Also, according to Suitor, groups within the Long Trail School community are working to find a way to honor Bindman-Hicks that is consistent with the families wishes. Suitor said there are two groups currently working to donate theater seats in her name as well as her family's.
The Bennington Banner and the North Adams Transcript contributed to this report.
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