William Thierfelder
Who are you?
I'm a retired professor of Arts and Humanities who lives in Portland, Oregon with my husband, Michael. I am currently a lecturer at libraries in Oregon and the East Coast (live and via Zoom) and since 2012 have been a docent and special events lecturer at the American Museum of Natural History. Since moving to Portland, I work remotely for the Museum but also fly back to New York for a month-long visit to continue my work in person.
What significant contributions have you made to the Chappell Players?
From the Fall of 1972 until the Spring semester of 1975, I wrote the incidental piano music for all the play productions and in 1974, I conducted the orchestra for the Players' wonderful production of Funny Girl.
I'm a retired professor of Arts and Humanities who lives in Portland, Oregon with my husband, Michael. I am currently a lecturer at libraries in Oregon and the East Coast (live and via Zoom) and since 2012 have been a docent and special events lecturer at the American Museum of Natural History. Since moving to Portland, I work remotely for the Museum but also fly back to New York for a month-long visit to continue my work in person.
What significant contributions have you made to the Chappell Players?
From the Fall of 1972 until the Spring semester of 1975, I wrote the incidental piano music for all the play productions and in 1974, I conducted the orchestra for the Players' wonderful production of Funny Girl.
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How did you get involved with the Chappell Players? I became involved with the Players through a friend in one of my English classes. Rather than act, I used my musical talents to create original piano music to open each show and to provide bridges between scenes and acts. How is your journey with CPTG different from others? My journey is a little different in that I was a Master's Degree candidate at Saint John's for the 2 1/2 years I was with the Players. The executive board of the group checked the constitution and by-laws, and there was nothing preventing a non-undergraduate from participating, so I became a member. |
How did you continue participating in Chappell Players throughout your graduate program?
Although I did perform as an actor in small bits in The Real Inspector Hound and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, my primary function was as a composer for the shows. I'm particularly proud of the music I wrote for Cuckoo's Nest and The Lion in Winter. I recently listened to the tapes of those scores and thought "Not bad."
How was the transition from college to the real world? How was life after graduation?
Realizing that my love for composing, creating art, and acting were not going to work out for me in the long run (I really didn't want to live life as a "struggling" artist), I repurposed my performance abilities into my natural abilities as a teacher. I always had a knack for teaching, so I didn't feel like I was settling for something "second best." While I was in the doctoral program at Saint John's, I taught second grade, which I loved. After I received my PhD in 1979, I taught on the college level for the next 32 years: St. John's University, NYU, Hofstra University, and Dowling College. It was a full and satisfying career.
Did being involved in the Chappell Players prepare you for life after college? How so?
The Chappell Players really taught me how to become a team player. I was an only child and sometimes working with others was a strain. The Players taught me (sometimes through some tough love) how to become part of a group and work for the greater good even when I didn't necessarily agree with people. It was a valuable life lesson, one that certainly prepared me for the political and academic challenges of my three-decade-long academic career.
What is your favorite CPTG memory or performance?
It's hard to narrow down favorite memories, but working on The Lion in Winter and Cuckoo's Nest, as well as conducting Funny Girl were wonderful times. But then again, shows like Plaza Suite, Fun City, Angel Street, Lovers and Other Strangers, and Hello Out There were also terrific experiences. It's really hard to narrow it down.
Although I did perform as an actor in small bits in The Real Inspector Hound and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, my primary function was as a composer for the shows. I'm particularly proud of the music I wrote for Cuckoo's Nest and The Lion in Winter. I recently listened to the tapes of those scores and thought "Not bad."
How was the transition from college to the real world? How was life after graduation?
Realizing that my love for composing, creating art, and acting were not going to work out for me in the long run (I really didn't want to live life as a "struggling" artist), I repurposed my performance abilities into my natural abilities as a teacher. I always had a knack for teaching, so I didn't feel like I was settling for something "second best." While I was in the doctoral program at Saint John's, I taught second grade, which I loved. After I received my PhD in 1979, I taught on the college level for the next 32 years: St. John's University, NYU, Hofstra University, and Dowling College. It was a full and satisfying career.
Did being involved in the Chappell Players prepare you for life after college? How so?
The Chappell Players really taught me how to become a team player. I was an only child and sometimes working with others was a strain. The Players taught me (sometimes through some tough love) how to become part of a group and work for the greater good even when I didn't necessarily agree with people. It was a valuable life lesson, one that certainly prepared me for the political and academic challenges of my three-decade-long academic career.
What is your favorite CPTG memory or performance?
It's hard to narrow down favorite memories, but working on The Lion in Winter and Cuckoo's Nest, as well as conducting Funny Girl were wonderful times. But then again, shows like Plaza Suite, Fun City, Angel Street, Lovers and Other Strangers, and Hello Out There were also terrific experiences. It's really hard to narrow it down.
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Have you been able to remain involved with theatre as much as you hoped/wanted?
Once I began teaching, it was tough to become involved in formal theater activities. But I always considered getting in front of a classroom a kind of performance art. Good teaching really is a form of theater. I also began giving poetry readings during the 1990s and became involved with a couple of play productions at Dowling College in the early 2000s. (I was told my Cassio in Othello was pretty good. That was fun.) Today, I see my work as a docent and my library lecturing as very "theatrical," bringing people and ideas to life in front of an audience. On a more literal level, I attend theater productions whenever I can, including performances at Portland's wonderful Center Stage and, of course, Broadway whenever I'm in New York. Do you have any advice for Chappell Players going through college or those who have recently graduated? Going through College, it's important to keep a balance between your love for theater and your academic work. It's easy to make the Players your entire life; but don't forget your other responsibilities. Balance is the key. And for those who've recently graduated: Use the skills you learned in the Players--whether it be acting or making costumes or painting a set--as part of the groundwork for whatever path you choose to take. As Joseph Campbell says: "Follow your bliss." Use what you've learned in the world of theater to expand your life and career. I have, and I don't regret a moment of it. |
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