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July 29, 2009
MMC Loses Beloved Mentor, Professor and Friend
J. William Bordeau
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CONTACT:
Mary Fleischer, Ph.D., Chair of the Division of Fine and Performing Arts,
(212) 774-0761, mfleischer@mmm.edu
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(L-R) J. William Bordeau, Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts, in attendance at the 2008 Dance Gala with close friends Charles Fries and Mary Fleischer, Ph.D., Chair of the Division of Fine and Performing Arts.
| (New York, NY) Marymount Manhattan College recently lost a beloved member of its community. Professor Emeritus J. William (Bill) Bordeau passed away on Saturday, July 25.
Professor Bordeau’s dedication, artistic vision and vibrant personality built a strong foundation for the success of Marymount Manhattan’s Theatre Arts and Dance programs. In his 30 years of teaching, Professor Bordeau was a much loved mentor and educator, who went to great lengths to nurture and challenge his students.
Mary Fleischer, Ph.D., Chair of the Division of Fine and Performing Arts said he had a unique gift for building the confidence of students through trust and accomplishment.
“I have had the honor to work with Bill for over 30 years, and I am profoundly grateful for his steadfast friendship, his wise mentorship, and his deep belief in the necessity of MMC to grow and flourish,” Fleischer said.
Professor Bordeau received his B.A. in Theatre and English at Northern Michigan University and his M.A. in Theatre from the University of Michigan; additional graduate work in theatre and dance was completed at Columbia University. Bill began college teaching in 1961 at Suffolk Community College where he created the first Telecommunications program of its kind in New York State, and served as the design consultant for the construction of its theatre and arts complex.
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A visionary and dedicated supporter of MMC's performing arts programs, Professor Emeritus J. William Bordeau (pictured here in 1972), rehearsing two members of the class of 1976. | | When Bill arrived at MMC in 1968, he focused on teaching acting, directing and communication arts. As Chairperson of Communication Arts in the 1970s, he was central to establishing the BFA programs in Acting and in Dance. He served as the design consultant for the Theresa Lang Theatre, which was originally dedicated in 1975 as the Marymount Manhattan Theatre. For that occasion Bill directed the Theatre’s inaugural production of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.
"As a theatre artist, Bill felt a strong affinity to the works of Beckett, Pinter, Ionesco, Shepard and Albee for the opportunities these writers gave students to grapple with a richness of subtext and theatricality," Fleischer said.
The Theatre then served both as classroom and Off-Broadway venue for professional music, dance and theatre; Professor Bordeau was especially proud of the five-year residency of the Phoenix Theatre Company at the College, when students could observe the premieres of the early works of Marsha Norman, Christopher Durang and Wendy Wasserstein.
Professor Bordeau was a guest director for Fordham, SUNY Stony Brook and Columbia University and worked professionally in opera, television and film. A board member for several institutions including the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Circum-Arts Foundation and the Neurological Research Foundation of NYC, Bill also served as the U.S. consultant to the Drama Studio (London) where he directed and taught master classes. From the mid-1980s until his retirement, Bill served as our first Director of Recruitment for Theatre Arts, taking particular care in mentoring students through the admissions process and, in collaboration with colleagues, substantially increasing the program in size and quality.
In recognition of Bill’s many accomplishments, MMC’s Board of Trustees named him Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts upon his retirement in 1999. Since then Bill had regularly attended events at the College and generously lent his expertise and energy to fund raising projects, such as the 30th Anniversary Benefit for the Theresa Lang Theatre, and the annual Dance Gala. To honor his commitment to the mission of Marymount Manhattan, a group of alumni, colleagues and friends established the J. William Bordeau Scholarship in 1999 and several Theatre Arts majors have benefited from the Bordeau Scholarship in their studies.
Bill is survived by his partner of 24 years, Randal Tupper; by his brother Robert, his sister Jeanne, his sister-in-law Sharon, his niece, nephews, and grandnieces, and many friends. We will hold a memorial service for Bill at the College this Fall. Donations to the J. William Bordeau Scholarship can be sent to the Office of Institutional Advancement at Marymount Manhattan College, 221 E. 71st Street, New York, NY 10021.
Marymount Manhattan College is an urban, independent, liberal arts college. The mission of the College is to educate a socially and economically diverse population by fostering intellectual achievement and personal growth and by providing opportunities for career development.
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