Jerry Rojo, Professor Emeritus of Dramatic Arts, former department head, award-winning set designer and a pioneer in developing Environmental Theater, passed away on February 27th.
His ongoing creativity lead to award-winning theatrical designs for contemporary American plays at the Wilma Theatre of Philadelphia and other national locations. As a respected practitioner and scholar, he addressed international conferences and published his theories in An Acting Method Using the Psychophysical Experience of Workshop-Game Exercises and Theaters, Spaces, Environments. Professor Rojo stayed involved in theatre in all its forms until his recent passing. He continued to mentor students and to be involved in current productions, considering the work of the next generation of Theatre Practitioners to be most important.
As professor of design and performance at UConn from 1961 to 1990, Professor Rojo’s creative life helped to draw American Theatre away from "kitchen table reality" through his work with Richard Schechner and the Performance Group. Their divergent production of DIONYSUS in 1969 caused the audience and performers to share the same physical space. His ongoing work in New York won an Obie and a Drama Desk Award for his production of ENDGAME and a Barrymore Award for Outstanding Set Design for BIG LOVE at the Wilma Theatre of Philadelphia. He developed Environmental Theatre performance methods, which included creating the Mobius Theatre at the University of Connecticut, considered to be important American theatrical architecture.
A memorial is being planned and will be announced at a future date.
Those wishing to honor Jerry’s life and legacy may make gifts to the Jerry Rojo and Joanne Pattavina Mobius Theater Fund at the UConn Foundation. Please make checks payable to: The UConn Foundation, Inc. and forward to the following address: 2390 Alumni Drive Unit 3206, Storrs, Connecticut 06269.”
A Memoriam written by Richard Schechner:
https://www.americantheatre.org/2018/03/06/jerry-rojo-environmental-theatre-pioneer/
For more information, contact: Bart. P. Roccoberton, Jr. at 860-486-4568