(Host) Bill Schenk, a former chairman of the Theater Department at the University of Vermont, died this week.
Schenk came to UVM in 1965 and was instrumental in the growth of theater arts at the school. In the 1970’s he oversaw the renovation and move into the Royall Tyler Theatre, where the department still resides today.
Patrick Orr is a former student of Schenk’s who went on to become Technical Director in the department. He says Bill Schenk was a mentor to him and to many students over his 37 year tenure at UVM.
(Orr) His mark is really the students that he affected in his long career, and they’re all over the world-the country and the world-working in technical theater, and Broadway … And that’s really his legacy – that, you know, he was so proud of his students."
(Host) Bill Schenk was 67.
A celebration of his life is planned for next Saturday, February 2nd, at the Royall Tyler Theatre.