Post date: Mar 23, 2009 2:45:05 AM
Dale Edward McGilliard, 57, professor of theater at Middle Tennessee State University, passed away Dec. 28, 2008, in Murfreesboro following a hard-fought battle with cancer.
A lifelong educator, McGilliard taught a variety of acting classes at MTSU while also serving as coordinator of theater, head of performance studies and associate chair of speech and theater during his tenure. An accomplished theatrician whose passion was musical theater, he directed over 25 plays while on the faculty, including "Oklahoma," "Cabaret" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." In his capacity as teacher and director, McGilliard has had a positive and lasting impact on hundreds of students throughout Tennessee, the nation and the world.
A history and trivia buff with particular interest in U.S. presidents and the British monarchy, McGilliard was born Jan. 31, 1951, in Indianapolis, Ind. As a child, he earned the nickname "Hambone" from his uncle for directing and performing at family gatherings, perhaps the most memorable being his leading role in "The Wizard of Oz" — as Dorothy. He played saxophone in the Brownsburg High School band and was a member of Brownsburg Christian Church. Before embarking on what may have seemed to his father an interminable sequence of college degrees — two BA's (Lincoln Christian College, 1973 and Arkansas State, 1979), an MA (Arkansas State, 1980) and an MFA (University of Oklahoma, 1988) – McGilliard took his first job at Dairy Queen in 1968, where his compensation included minimum wage plus all the burgers and ice cream he could eat.
McGilliard joined the MTSU faculty in 1990, after having taught theater at Arkansas State University, Jarvis Christian College and Dyersburg State Community College. Besides his University leadership roles, he also served as president of the Tennessee Theatre Association, commissioner for the Murfreesboro Center for the Arts and president of the Murfreesboro Little Theatre. His influence and guidance has been perhaps most evident since 2002 as director of the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts, a summer program for talented high school students in theatre, music and dance from across the state.
Predeceased by parents Orville and Edith, McGilliard is survived by partner Chad Linder of Murfreesboro; sister Christina and husband Steven Warren, of Indianapolis; nephew Jeffrey Warren, of Franklin, Tenn.; and niece Kimberly and husband Todd Garza, of Austin, Texas; as well as the scores of students past and present who will surely miss his sense of humor, his insight and his lifelong dedication to their education and their lives.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Dale E. McGilliard Scholarship Fund at MTSU.