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Faculty Giving
"I've always been involved in theater and I love it. It's like another child for us, a member of the family," said Dr. Marlene R. Dorsey, dean of the College of Continuing Studies and associate professor of educational administration. She and her husband, Dr. Francis E. Dorsey, are long-time supporters of Kent State's African Community Theatre. Fran, who is an associate professor and director of the Center of Pan-African Culture, recently stepped down after directing the theater program for 20 years.
In November 1998, a $1 million renovation was completed to give the African Community Theatre a new home on the second floor of Oscar Ritchie Hall. The theater is a partnership that draws actors and stagehands from throughout the region. "It really is a good experience for students to interact with people in the community," said Marlene.
Fran and Marlene remember the early days of the theater, when they and other volunteers provided the elbow grease to transform an unused space in Franklin Hall into a showcase for the works of African and African-American playwrights. A lot of people doubted the theater would survive. "Because there wasn't a lot of money, the students, and community learned to be creative and resourceful," Fran said.
The Dorseys have made regular donations to support the African Community Theatre since 1981. They also have given to the library and a variety of scholarship funds. "It's difficult for me to tell students to support something if I'm not doing it," Fran said. "You have to set an example by giving back. I grew up in a community where that did happen." To encourage a thriving African-American arts culture, he said, "We give when we can. We give to the kinds of things that have meaning to us."
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