Dr. William R Donald Jr. was a high school theater teacher, an arts administrator, a summer theater coordinator, a director, an advocate, a man of deep faith, a colleague, a husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He founded The Highland Stage in 1997. He had an enormous impact on the lives of many but especially students. Bill Donald knew how very beneficial the arts are to developing minds. His lucky students knew too, because his curriculum shaped them, strengthened them, disciplined them and enriched them.
A scholarship has been set up in his name so that his legacy lives on and he will continue to shape the lives of the artists of tomorrow.
Below is a link to donate to a scholarship in his name.
There is also a place for people to share their stories of how Bill Donald impacted their lives.
Please feel free to write your own memorials in the Comments section below.
Heather Burns (Sunday, March 19 17 03:54 pm EDT)
As my teacher, William Donald threw chairs when we screwed up, made what seemed at the time impossible demands and often tied us in emotional knots. Yet we knew that he would be the first one to show up for us and the last one to leave. We knew he would fight for us and the program with every ounce of energy he had. No one worked harder for us. Even as he became my colleague he never gave up the teacher. 18 years and he would still write notes in his playbill for me when he came to see the shows I directed.
He founded The Highland Stage in 1997. In 2007, I was honored when he turned it over to me. There is something pretty monumental about having your mentor hand you his baby.
I spent the last hour reading every tribute on his page along with the others that have completely taken over my news feed today. Tributes from coast to coast. He directly touched so many lives. But more importantly I looked at my own students at strike today and realized that for the thousands of students he personally influenced there are thousands more who are indirectly being influenced to this day and so many more still to come. The ripples of his legacy are far reaching.
Bill- I was fortunate to call you teacher, honored to call you colleague and blessed to call you friend.
The Highland Stage is a
501(c)3 non-profit organization.
All donations, tickets,
and fees are 100%
tax deductable.