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W&M Theatre History
William & Mary boasts one of the oldest and most reputable theatre programs in the United States. In 1702, a group of William a& Mary students presented a "pastoral colloquy" in Latin for the Royal Governor, the first recorded instance of a theatrical performance in America. The first theatre in America was constructed in Williamsburg in 1716, and in 1736 William & Mary students presented America's first known college production of a play, Addison's Cato.
In 1926, Miss Althea Hunt founded the William & Mary Theatre and its academic classes. She was also the first director of Paul Green’s outdoor historical drama, The Common Glory presented at the Matoaka Amphitheatre from 1947-1975. Althea Hunt was a remarkable director-teacher who led the theatre from 1926 to 1957 and established a tradition of excellence. Theatre productions were first presented by the Dramatic Club and Theta Alpha Phi from 1926 to 1929 and then through the William & Mary Players from 1930 to 1937. Theatre classes were offered through the English Department until 1935 when Theatre became part of the newly formed Department of Fine Arts. Designer Leslie Cheek, Jr. was a driving force in making theatre visible on campus as chair of Fine Arts from 1937 to 1939.
In 1948, Howard Scammon '34 joined the theatre faculty where he taught and directed until 1976. He was Assistant Director, and later Director, of The Common Glory, which provided a way for students and faculty to present theatre in the summer as well as during the school year. Mr. Scammon also directed shows for Colonial Williamsburg and the Williamsburg Players. Two other important members of theatre in this period were Al Haak '52 (Technical Director from 1947 to 1977) and Roger Sherman '55 (Lighting Designer from 1946 to 1958 and 1966 to 1977; Executive Vice-President of the Jamestown Corporation, producer of The Common Glory from 1958 to 1970).
In 1963 Theatre transitioned from Fine Art when the Department of Theatre and Speech was formed. The next generation of professors in Theatre and Speech included Louis Catron who taught playwriting and direction from 1966 to 2002 and founded Premiere Theatre and Jerry Bledsoe (designer from 1971 to 2004) who founded the Virginia Shakespeare Festival with other members of the faulty in 1978 following the closure of The Common Glory. Richard Palmer (director, scenic/lighting/mask designer, 1980-2016) joined the faculty and served as department chair from 1981-1987. He championed (and achieved) fulltime faculty positions in Acting, African American theatre, and Feminist Theory. Tric Wesp ‘76 (costume designer from 1983-2022) designed for William & Mary Theatre, William & Mary Dance and the Virginia Shakespeare Festival.
In 1999, long-time student and faculty collaborators in the William & Mary Dance Program, under the direction of Shirley Roby and Carol Wallace Sherman, moved to the department to create Theatre, Speech, & Dance.
The Virginia Shakespeare Festival produced 38 seasons of live professional theatre in Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall and launched the theatrical careers of many William & Mary students. During that time, it presented all but five of Shakespeare’s canon of plays as well as two original musical versions of “Pericles” and “Twelfth Night.” Productions were suspended in 2016 and the highly popular Young Shakespeare Camps continued until 2017. Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall was closed for renovation from 2018-2023, reopening as part of an expanded Arts Quarter in the Fall of 2023.
Under the leadership of current faculty and staff, the department has continued to expand its course offerings in dance and theatre, including Asian theatre, Latin American theatre, and delving with an emphasis on collaboration and interdisciplinary work. Many alumni have gone on to professional careers including Linda Lavin '59, Scott Glenn '63, Glenn Close '74. Mark Stanley '78, and Bill Lawrence '90.