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Philip G. Schermer ’65

Phillip Schermer ’65, March 16, 1997, in Kirkland, Washington, of lung cancer. He was the producing director of A Contemporary Theatre and a leader in the Seattle arts community for many years. He earned a master’s degree in drama from the University of Washington in 1968, and was hired to manage the school’s scene shop, a job he held for seven years. He married Shelley Henze, a set designer, in 1972. While at the University of Washington, he began creating lighting and scenic designs for the newly founded ACT, and in 1975 he became the company’s technical director. He also served as production manager before being named producing director in 1989. Under his leadership, ACT first remodeled and expanded the theatre’s existing space, and then made the decision to move to a new location in downtown Seattle. The reconstruction of the facility at Kreielsheimer Place was completed last fall, and the board of directors honored his contributions to the project by naming an eighth floor addition to the theatre the Phil Schermer Theatre Shops. He continued to oversee the work of the theatre and its opening shows until just weeks before his death. He was known for being a master of many trades within and beyond the world of theatre, and he worked in nearly every capacity at ACT, from helping to install the theatre’s plumbing to planting and tending the flower gardens. He is survived by his wife; his mother; two sisters; and a brother.

Appeared in Reed magazine: August 1997

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