David Mark Cohen, Professor of
Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin, died
December 23, 1997. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October
2, 1952, to Jacob and Betty Beden Cohen. He is survived by his
parents, two brothers (Stuart and Richard), and his partner Steven
Tomlinson.
Cohen received a B.A. degree in Theatre with honors
from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst in 1974 and a master's
of fine arts in Theatre Arts (Playwriting) from Brandeis University
in 1976. He was a Visiting Assistant Professor and Playwright-in-Residence
at the University of Montana in 1976-77; Assistant Professor and Playwright-in-Residence
at the University of South Carolina in 1977-78; Visiting Assistant
Professor and Playwright-in-Residence at George Mason University in
1978-79; Assistant Professor, then Associate Professor and Co-Dean
of Arts, at Hampshire College, 1979-85; and Associate Professor and
Director of Theatre at the College of Charleston, 1987-90. He came
to the University of Texas in 1990 as Associate Professor and head
of the Playwriting Program in the Department of Theatre and Dance;
he was promoted to Professor in 1997. Cohen was also on the faculty
of the Texas Center for Writers, served on its Executive Committee
from the Center's formation in 1990 until his death, was Chair of the
Center's Graduate Studies Committee from 1992 until his death, and
was its Graduate Adviser from 1992 to 1994.
In addition to being an excellent teacher and mentor,
Cohen was a playwright of note. His plays Tanglewood and Indeed! were
produced in New York by the Cubiculo Company, and his Piaf—A
Remembrance was presented on Broadway. Subsequently, others of
his plays—among them Joshua's Miracle, Where Credit
is Due, Slice and Dice, Baby Grand, and Nantasket—were
staged by theatres scattered throughout the United States. He also
wrote scripts for television and for film.
Cohen also wrote extensively about plays and playwriting.
He was theatre reviewer for the Post Courierin Charleston, South
Carolina, from 1987 to 1991, and theatre critic for The Texas Triangle (Austin)
from 1992 to 1997. His reviews covered not only local events but also
productions in New York, London, Houston, Dallas, Toronto, Boston,
and Washington. At the time of his death, he was Associate Secretary
of the American Theatre Critics Association.
Cohen demonstrated many skills beyond writing. He
frequently directed plays. In Austin, he directed productions at the
Hyde Park Theatre, Capitol City Playhouse, and the University of Texas.
He also directed at the University of Idaho, the Shenandoah Playwrights
Retreat, the College of Charleston, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Hampshire
College and elsewhere. He demonstrated considerable administrative
skill as Co-Dean of the Arts and Co-Director of Theatre at Hampshire
College, Director of Theatre at Charleston College, and Associate Chair
of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas from
1995 to 1997.
His service to the Department of Theatre and Dance,
the College of Fine Arts, and to the University was noteworthy and
extensive. In Theatre and Dance, in addition to serving as Associate
Chair and as head of the Playwriting Program, Cohen was a member of
the Deparment's Executive Committee, Director of the Laboratory Theatre
Season, a member of the Scholarship and Recruitment Committee, a member
of the Area Heads Council, and of several other committees. He also
arranged visits to the Department of several prominent playwrights,
theatre practitioners, and scholars. For the College, he was a member
of several committees relating to the Performing Arts Center as well
as of the College's Summer Fellowship Selection Committee. For the
University, in addition to his extensive involvement with the Texas
Center for Writers, he served for three years as judge for the Dobie-Paisano
Creative Writing Fellowship Competition, was a member of the Planning
Committee for the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center's Flair 96
Symposium, and was a participant in the Honors Colloquium and a supervisor
of several Plan II Honors theses.
On the national level, in addition to his extensive
work with the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival, his
frequent participation as leader or panelist for playwriting workshops
throughout the United States, and his work with the American Theatre
Critics Association, he was a member of the National Training Committee
of the International Theatre Institute, and was for a time coordinator
of the Piccolo Spoleto Theatre Fringe in Charleston, South Carolina.
Cohen was the recipient of many honors. He
was awarded fellowships at several writers colonies, among
them the Ragdale Writers
Colony (twice), the Mt. Sequoyah New Play Retreat, the Wurlitzer
Wurlitzer Foundation, the Virginia Center for the Creative
Arts (twice), and
the Millay Colony for the Arts. For his work with the Kennedy Center/American
College Theatre Festival, he was awarded the ACTF Gold Medallion
and the Texas ACTF Award for Excellence in Promotion of Playwriting.
The
Austin City Council gave Cohen a special citation "For Distinguished
Service with the Texas Young Playwrights Festival." The Texas
Center for Writers awarded him several fellowships, among them the
Helen Strauss Regents Professorship in Creative Writing (twice),
the Bennett Cerf Professorship in Creative Writing, and the Susan
Taylor
McDaniel Regents Professorship in Creative Writing. The College of
Fine Arts also gave Cohen several fellowships to honor or support
his work. These included the Foxworth Centennial Fellowship (three
times),
the Walter and Gina Ducloux Summer Fellowship (twice), and the Ruth
Head Centennial Professorship. In 1994-95, Cohen was awarded a Faculty
Research Assignment by the University Research Institute. He also
was the recipient of a National Endowment of the Humanities Summer
Seminar
Fellowship.
To Cohen's professional accomplishments, one must
add his personal attributes. He was characterized above all by his
integrity. He was always straightforward in his dealings with others,
never deceptive; he was an ethical and moral person of the highest
order. He could always be depended on. He said what he believed and
stood by what he said. He was steadfast in his determination to help
students and devoted much of his life to that goal. He was always accessible.
He was trusted by students and faculty, and he repaid that trust. His
death is a tremendous loss to students, faculty, and friends, as well
as to the Department of Theatre and Dance, to the University of Texas,
and to his profession.
Students, faculty, and friends have expressed their
appreciation for Cohen in contributing to an endowed fund established
at the University of Texas to assist young playwrights toward achieving
their goals.
<signed>
Larry R. Faulkner, President
The University of Texas at Austin
<signed>
John Durbin, Secretary
The General Faculty
This Memorial Resolution was prepared by a special committee consisting of
Professors Oscar G. Brockett (Chair), Suzan Zeder, and Fritz Schwentker .
