Retirement reception for John C. Stark

The campus community is invited to an open house reception celebrating the retirement of John C. Stark, from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, at Ewing Manor. Remarks will begin at 7 p.m. Please join us in honoring Stark’s many achievements and over 32 years of dedicated service to Illinois State University.

Stark is a professor of design in Illinois State University’s School of Theatre and Dance. In 2017, he was named the artistic director of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. He joined Illinois State University in 1991 after teaching at Illinois Wesleyan University and Arizona State University.

He has designed 42 productions for the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. He is a member of the United Scenic Artists Local 829 and has designed professionally for Chicago Theatre companies including Red Orchid Theatre, Victory Gardens, Seanachai Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, The Next Theatre, Noble Fool Theatricals, and Famous Door Theatre where his design of The Living was awarded the Joseph Jefferson Award for Scenic Design in 1997. He has also worked professionally in St. Louis, and his regional credits include, Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Garden Theatre (Winter Garden, FL), The Sacramento Theatre Co., Nebraska Repertory Theatre, Pennsylvania Center Stage, Diablo Light Opera (Walnut Creek, CA), Actors Theatre of Phoenix, Childsplay (Tempe, AZ), and Actors Lab of Scottsdale. His design of Way to Heaven for the New Jewish Theatre was nominated for a St. Louis Theatre Circle Award in 2013. In 2011, he designed the world premiere of Falling at Mustard Seed Theatre. In 2012 Falling (also designed by Stark) opened Off-Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre, receiving three Drama Desk nominations.

Stark is married to Illinois State University Professor of Acting Lori Adams. They have two artist children, Anna, a Brooklyn-based dance artist and arts administrator, and Nathan, a professional actor who recently earned his M.F.A. in acting from the Old Vic Bristol Theatre School and now resides in London.

While he will retire as a School of Theatre and Dance faculty member, Illinois Shakespeare Festival patrons will still see him “at the gate” for the upcoming 2023 Illinois Shakespeare Festival.