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Peter von Hemert ’77 and Katherine Amato ’79, who were active Garrick Players, are launching this initiative to offer alumni, students and friends the opportunity to recall and refresh Russ Tutterow’s contribution to the liveliness of Theatre at Lake Forest College. “Russ arrived on campus when we feared the Theatre Program was dying out. Through his energetic work, support from several faculty and administrators, and long hours by students, we revived enthusiasm for this part of campus culture” said von Hemert. “It’s thrilling to see how the Program has grown and a pleasure to support current faculty, staff and students so that Tutterow's tradition can continue developing” Amato added.

Russ Tutterow graduated from Ball State University with a B.S. degree in Theatre and Speech, and followed that up with a Master’s degree in Directing and Acting from Northwestern University. Prior to teaching at Lake Forest College, he was active in management and directing theatre at the Equity Library Theatre, the Goodman Theatre and the Light Theatre. Tutterow was nominated for a Jeff Award in 1978 for his direction of “P.S. Your Cat Is Dead” and accumulated accolades and honors as his career flourished. To wit, in 2005 he received the League of Chicago Theatre’s Artistic Leadership Award and in 2007 the Achievement in Theatre Award from the Illinois Theatre Association. In 2010, Russ Tutterow was honored with the Actors Equity, Spirit Award for his commitment to non-traditional casting and diversity. Before succumbing to cancer in 2015, his guidance of the Chicago Dramatists Center For New Play Development and it’s more than 40 year contribution to the growth of writers and directors was the final act of his career.

In addition to teaching Drama, Russ Tutterow also served as the College’s Director of Theatre and oversaw production of the following shows: Tartuffe, Celebration, Look Back in Anger, La Ronde, Suddenly Last Summer, Six Characters in Search of an Author, The Lady From Maxim's, As You Like It, Night Must Fall, Glass Menagerie, A Dream Play, Skin of Our Teeth, The Real Inspector Hound, Railroad Women, The Dumb Waiter, The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year, Waiting For Godot, An Evening With Howard and Abby, Dear Newton, Followed,  The Waiting Room: A One Act, Santa Claus: A One Act, and The Nativity Dilemma: A One Act.

Students who benefited from Tutterow’s direction as either actors, techies, stage managers, costume or prop masters undoubtedly remember the joy it was to learn from his generous spirit. With these memories in mind, please consider joining fellow alumni in making a donation to the Russ Tutterow Internship Program, in Russ’ honor, on Forester Day—February 24. Support of this initiative will help ensure that current Lake Forest College students draw inspiration from Russ Tutterow’s values and experience the kind of boost to their creativity that Russ offered his students.