Eshleman honored at EMU with naming of new theater

Story by Andrea Schrock Wenger

A new studio theater at Eastern Mennonite University will be named in honor of artist and actor Lee E. Eshleman, a 1986 EMU graduate of EMU.

Funding of $250,000 is needed to establish the Lee E. Eshleman Studio Theater as part of the University Commons Phase II project. Eventually, a small gallery at the theater entrance will showcase some of Lee’s art work and photographs of his life on stage.

EMU is raising $2.4 million to complete the second phase of the University Commons building; $1.9 million has already been committed. The project plans include renovation of the former gymnasium to created upgraded state-of-the-art facilities for EMU’s popular visual and communication arts program as well as theater department.

More than $100,000 has already been committed by family and friends to the project. EMU now invites the support of the broader community of many individuals who have been enriched by Lee’s life and work.

Lee was the last student to graduate with a degree from EMU’s art program in 1986 when the program was temporarily suspended. After graduating, he worked in the school print shop and as a graphic designer for EMU.

Former EMU professor Jerry Lapp, MFA, recalls discussing the “knowing line” concept with Lee.

“A knowing line was what Lee was good at,” Lapp stated. “He captured particulars and peculiarities in animals, humans or objects rendered that caused one to stop and gaze, ponder, chuckle. The knowing line Lee rendered created a two-dimensional reality which we, as viewer, could so easily imagine into our own realities, outer or inner.”

Lee began his stage career at EMU as well.

“Lee had the kind of creative genius that takes your breath away,” said Barbra Graber, MFA, former EMU theater faculty member.

“Lee wasn’t afraid to take his fear and pain on stage with him,” continued Graber, who worked with Lee as a student, as a designer and as an actor in Theater AKIMBO from 1991-1998. “But he also wasn’t afraid to let that Divine Comedian morph it into something else,” she reflected, “something magnificent, poignant, deeply truthful, and so very funny.”

Eshleman died at age 45 in the spring of 2007 after a lengthy struggle with bipolar disorder. Thousands mourned his passing, having been touched by his wit, humor and creativity onstage through performances as half of the comedy duo Ted & Lee Theaterworks.

Lee joined with Ted Swartz, Eastern Mennonite Seminary graduate, to form the theater company in 1987. They performed across the country and around the world in church, school, camp and community theater settings, bringing fresh light and humor to the Gospel message.

“It’s hard to say how much Lee meant to me,” said Swartz recently. “He was my comedic and theatrical soul mate as well as a great friend. We grew as artists together and Lee taught me much about humor, about word choice, about clarity of objective. But he also made me laugh more than anyone before or since. It was a great gift, not a flippant or incidental thing, the ability to make another laugh, but rather an ultimate gift. He was also not shy about tackling and wrestling to the ground his own pain and struggle, giving his work depth and color.”

“Lee understood that great art is also embracing the simple. A simple line in drawing, a simple line in acting, a simple line in writing,” Swartz added. “Despite a great intellect, he relished in the small seemingly silly exchange, which of course communicated great meaning.”

Contributions of any amount are welcome as EMU establishes the new studio theater in Lee’s memory. The names of donors who contribute $500 or more will appear on a plaque in the theater gallery.

Checks should be made payable to Eastern Mennonite University, designating the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater on the memo line and mailed to EMU Development Office, 1200 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22802; or give online at www.emu.edu/studiotheater. Phone contact: (540) 432-4200.