Robert Loper brought acclaim to local theater

Robert Bruce Loper, the easygoing, bearlike actor, director and University of Washington drama professor, helped bring international acclaim to Seattle theater.

Thanks to the influence of Mr. Loper and his colleagues, Seattle in the 1970s and 1980s by many accounts ranked among the top five theater towns in the United States. It regularly introduced plays and playwrights while giving the classics a right-now relevance.

Moreover, Mr. Loper, who insisted on simplicity and honesty, inspired generations of thespians.

He acted with authenticity in a range of shows and was a brilliant teacher at the UW.

"(My father) dedicated his life to the theater," said son Bill Loper of Los Angeles. "He was truly beloved in all the places he worked. Former students would come up to him all the time and say how he'd changed their lives."

Retired Seattle Times drama critic Wayne Johnson said he became "hooked on theater" when Mr. Loper cast him in plays at the University of Colorado.

Writing about Mr. Loper in Seattle in the 1970s, Johnson called him "one of the city's busiest and most versatile men of the theater," adding that he was unusually gentle, witty and intelligent.

Mr. Loper died last Friday (July 7) of heart failure. He was 75.

Born in Olathe, Colo., he earned bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Colorado. He earned a doctorate in Elizabethan literature as a Fulbright scholar at the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, England.

Mr. Loper first worked as a documentary film writer in New York City.

He joined the faculty of Stanford University in 1953 and served as head of the drama department from 1963 to 1968. While at Stanford he founded the Stanford Repertory Theatre and was active in San Francisco's Actors' Workshop.

He joined the University of Washington School of Drama faculty in 1968 and retired from the university as professor emeritus in 1990. While at the UW, he acted and directed at Seattle Repertory Theatre (SRT), Empty Space Theatre, Intiman Theatre and A Contemporary Theatre (ACT).

"He was an irreplaceable teacher, mentor and very close friend," said actress Marjorie Nelson, who worked with him in many plays.

A recognized Shakespeare scholar who acted and directed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Mr. Loper also was adept in works by modern playwrights.

He earned raves for "Caucasian Chalk Circle" (Vancouver International Arts Festival), "And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little," "Joe Egg," "Awake and Sing" (SRT), and "Of Mice and Men" and "Buried Child" (ACT).

He summed up his passion thus for the 1990-1991 edition of "Who's Who in America": "The theater has been my obsession and my religion.

"Directing a play is a kind of communion, the sharing of a fictional struggle which illuminates the more chaotic struggles and obsessions of our day-to-day lives. In making us more civilized, less lonely, the theater can be teaching at its best."

Also surviving are his wife of 51 years, Shirley Loper of Seattle; son Matthew Loper, Seattle; brother, William Loper, Vail, Colo.; and a grandchild.

A service will be held at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park.

Remembrances may go to the Seattle Art Museum Volunteers' Association, P.O. Box 22000, Seattle, WA 98122; or to the School of Drama, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.

Carole Beers' e-mail address is cbeers@seattletimes.com.