The cause of death was cancer. Survivors include husband Jeff Flowers and a three-year-old son, Cameron.
"I had the pleasure of working with Cathy when I was the associate director of Frank Galati's 2000 national-tour production of Ragtime," Stafford Arima told Playbill On-Line. "Cathy was hired to play the role of Mother. She had understudied the role in Los Angeles and was incredibly eager to start from scratch when we began rehearsals for the tour. She wanted to start with a clean slate and create her Mother from the ground up. Cathy was a beautiful woman who brought an incredible amount of warmth, humor, grace and passion to the role. She was an absolute joy to work with, and will be sadly missed."
"This incredibly vibrant and truly talented young woman...was a true triple-threat talent," said Cara Jean McCarthy, who worked with Ms. Wydner in a European tour of 42nd Street in Vienna and Paris.
The singer-actress-dancer was comfortabe on stage, whether tap-dancing and belting a ballad.
Randy Skinner, who created and maintained the tap dancing as Gower Champion's choreographic associate on the oirginal 42nd Street, told Playbill On-Line: "Cathy was a very gifted tap dancer with a wonderful voice to match her dancing talents. She played the role of Peggy Sawyer in many different venues and the role became a staple for her over the years, due to fact that she was not only talented, but a true professional with her work. She will be missed by all who have crossed paths with her."
Ms. Wydner's Broadway debut was 42nd Street. She also appeared in the premiere production of Kander and Ebb's And the World Goes Round directed by Scott Ellis and Susan Stroman.
Among her regional credits was playing Polly in Theatre Under the Stars' Crazy for You (a role she had also played in Berlin and would play at other major resident music-theatres).
Ms. Wydner was a Dora Award nominee (for And the World Goes 'Round in Toronto) and her work was also recognized by the Drama-Logue Awards for her appearances in and around Los Angeles, co starring there in Stardust at the Wilshire Theatre with Toni Tenille, Hinton Battle and Sean Young. Other credits include Angel in Tommy Tune's The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Edie Adams, Josie Cohan in George M! with Joel Grey at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls at Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera and A Grand Night for Singing at the Arizona Theatre Company.
Ms. Wydner was born in Yonkers, NY, to parents Henry and Joan Weidner. She is also survived by brothers Brian Weidner and Billy Weidner. Her mother and brother Richie predeceased her. She died in Burbank, CA.
Her husband said she will be laid to rest under a large oak tree in a little cemetery on a wooded knoll in Springhill, Arkansas, along with several generations of the Flowers family.
A California service is planned for Nov. 10 at First Christian Church of North Hollywood.
A service on the East Coast will be held on Nov. 17 at 11 AM at North Yonkers Community Church, 95 Broadway, Hastings on Hudson, NY.
