Senate Reference No. 06-16

Memorial Resolution

Larry L. Life

Professor, Chair/Artistic Director – Department of Theatre

1943 – 2007

After 35 years of service to IPFW, Larry L. Life, Professor and longtime Chair of the Department of Theatre, passed away on February 10, 2007.

Larry was born in Muncie, Indiana on August 26, 1943.  He earned a BS and MA in Theatre from Ball State University in 1967 and 1969 respectively.  In the late 1960s he moved to New York City where he worked as an actor and choreographer at a variety of theatres including the National Theatre and the Round-A-Bout.  He appeared in two feature films, Me Natalie, with Patty Duke, and The Detective, with Frank Sinatra.

Larry began his teaching career at Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas, and then moved to IPFW in the fall of 1971, at the rank of Instructor.  Over the years Larry was promoted to the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and ultimately Professor of Theatre in 1994.  In that same year he became Chair and Artistic Director of the Department of Theatre, a position he held until his death.

Throughout Larry’s tenure at IPFW, he was invited to serve as Guest Lecturer, Artist in Residence, and Guest Director at a number of universities throughout the country, including Louisiana State University, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Miami University and Tulane University.  Beyond academic settings, Larry maintained an active performance career as an actor/dancer as well as a director/choreographer at a wide range of professional venues across the country.

At IPFW Larry directed over 150 productions and acted in approximately 50, representing the gamut of theatrical styles and genres.  In service to the Fort Wayne community, he directed, choreographed and/or acted in well over 50 productions at all city theatres and for numerous community associations.  His work had great impact on the community, whether it was forcing us to consider relevant social issues, encouraging us to embrace new ideas, or merely allowing us to delight in being entertained.

Over the years, Larry’s work garnered him multiple awards and considerable recognition.  In 1992 he was the recipient of the Indiana Theatre Association’s award as Outstanding Theatre Artist/Educator.  In 1991 he was listed in the annual Who’s Who in Entertainment.  Two of his productions, Hair and Dames at Sea, were awarded the AMOCO Award of Excellence for participation in the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival.  Other awards include The Ulmer Award for outstanding work with minorities and the disabled and the Purdue President’s Affirmative Action Award for his work in developing diversity in the Fort Wayne theatre community.

Beyond his personal achievements, Larry is best remembered for his unfailing devotion to the generations of students whose lives he enriched in the classroom, the rehearsal hall and on stages throughout Fort Wayne.  The true focus of Larry’s work, his art and his life was the development of young theatre artists.  He strove throughout his career to instill in his students the passion, discipline and joy he embodied through a life in the theatre.