This year marks the 100th season of the Linfield Theatre Program.
In 1920, as students in the Linfield Dramatic Club performed Safety First, “a snappy three-act farce-comedy,” tickets were free and actors no doubt had little idea they were setting in motion a tradition that would thrive for a century and beyond.
The production launched in the Pioneer Hall Chapel, with a trapdoor “to the commons (area) below for an exit and entrance to the stage itself,” but no backstage area, according to notes from Tom Gressler, professor emeritus of theatre, part of the faculty for 20 years.
Fast forward 100 seasons and 554 shows to a flourishing program that engages students from all majors in the performance, design, technical, scholarly and public relations facets of theatre production.
Through the years, the program has brought stories to life for audiences in seven locations – the McMinnville Lark Theatre, the Imperial Opera House, Gallery Theater, Frerichs Fine Arts Building, Pioneer Hall, Melrose Hall and now Marshall Theatre.
“In this centennial season, students continue to explore pressing social issues such as the intersections of gender, ethnicity, global economics and class among others,” says Brenda DeVore Marshall, professor of theatre and communication arts, who is in her 33rd year at Linfield and chairs the department.
Marshall and Gressler are among passionate faculty with long tenures who have been key to the program’s longevity (see sidebar below).
– Laura Davis
Linfield Theatre faculty and staff through the years
Margaret Ramsey*
Irl S. McSherry
George Varney, 1922*
May Chalfant, 1923-36*
Roy Mahaffey ’28, 1929-70*
Minna Ratley, 1938
Robert Boyd, 1941
Virgil Bomemeier, 1942
Nelda (Kurtz) Balch, 1946-54*
Lester Schilling, 1948-67*
Paul Little ’53, 1958-70*
Ted Desel ’61,1970-87*
Sharron Hansen, 1970-87, 2003
Dennis Lamberson, 1978-80*
Thomas Gressler, 1980-00*
Tyrone Marshall, 1987-18*
Brenda DeVore Marshall, 1987-present*
Janine Smith, 1987-89
Kate Hawkes, 1989-07
Nancy Carl, 1989-92
Joy Day, 1992-94
MaryKate Lindbeck, 1995-98
Janet Gupton, 2000-present*
Robert Miller, 2000-07
Vicky Ragsdale, 2003-present
Annelie Thurin, 2004-09
Robert Vaughn ’97, 2008-present
Alethia Moore, 2009-12
Laurel (Shultz) Peterson ’07 2013-present
Stephanie Mulligan ’13, 2015-present
Doug Soderberg ’79, 2016-present
Lindsey Mantoan, 2017-present*
Derek Lane, 2018-present*
*Faculty
