Memorial for theatre professor set for Nov. 3

October 8, 2012 | News, UToday
By Staff



Smith

Faculty, staff, alumni and students are invited to remember William R. Smith, professor emeritus of theatre, Saturday, Nov. 3, in the Center for Performing Arts.

The man known for detailed set and costume designs died Sept. 14 at age 74 in his Toledo home.

Join family and friends at 4 p.m. in the lobby for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The memorial will begin at 4:45 p.m.; cake and coffee will be served in the lobby after the service.

Smith joined the UT Department of Theatre in 1972, and his creativity always was in the spotlight. He conceptualized and supervised construction of costumes for more than 50 University productions, including “Evita,” “The House of Blue Leaves,” “Our Town,” “The Glass Menagerie,” “Ring Around the Moon,” “Orchard” and “Travesties.”

His set designs graced the stage for “The Visit,” “The Measures Taken,” “The Way of the World,” “The Miser,” “Dangerous Liaisons” and “Monkey Music.”

Smith’s baritone voice echoed throughout the theater during rehearsals for UT plays that he directed: “Candide,” “Agnes of God,” “Medea,” “The Scarf,” “Equus,” “Chicago” and “Bent.”

In 1992, he was named professor emeritus.

Tributes are suggested to the William R. Smith Alumni Fund, which will be used for student professional development to cover the cost of travel and registration for conferences, as well as to bring in visiting artists to conduct workshops. Contributions through the UT Foundation can be made online at https://give2ut.utoledo.edu.

William R. Smith designed the costumes for the 2000 UT production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

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