Danny Friedland was only 17 years old, but those who knew him say he had already developed into a mature actor who seemed to have wisdom beyond his years.

Friedland, an active participant in Ann Arbor’s Blackbird Theatre, and a former resident of Saline, died last week in a car crash.

He had been on his way to the home he shared with his mother, Susan Friedland, in Napoleon, said Barton Bund, artistic director of the Blackbird Theatre.

“He was a wonderful friend and great guy and a very wise young guy and just had relentless positive effects on everyone around him,” Bund said this week.

Bund first met Friedland back in 2008 when he and a few friends auditioned for the Blackbird’s youth academy production of “Much Ado About Nothing.” Friedland landed a part and quickly became a leader among the other youth working on the production.

“He would show up to my office every day before rehearsal,” Bund said. “We got to know each other very well. As time went on he was no longer my student. He was my friend and colleague.”

Friedland continued to work on Blackbird productions and had a role in the theater’s production of “Twelfth Night” at the time of his death. The final weekend of performances was canceled.

Michigan State Police, who investigated the crash late Aug. 24 or early Aug. 25 in Sharon Township, have not been able to provide details about what happened.

Bund organized a memorial service for Friedland that was held last week at the West Park band shell in Ann Arbor. Many people who knew Friedland attended, Bund said.

“We really filled that place up.”

The service went on for about 3 hours as people shared their memories of Friedland, Bund said. “We had about three hours of speeches and anecdotes and stories. It was really lovely.”

Lynch Travis, who also worked with Friedland at the Blackbird, said the young actor was someone he just loved being around.

“I thought Danny was one of the smartest people I’ve ever met,” Travis said. “He was just kind of this amazing young, well-read, well-spoken young man. He had great, great theatrical ability. We’re going to miss him.”