ALUMNI
“…Jesus said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’” Mark 9:35
Cindy Lumpkin's
LEGACY Will Live On In The WCU Theatre
CYNTHIA JANE ‘CINDY’ LUMPKIN (1953 – 2020) EPITOMIZED THE MEANING OF HAVING A SERVANT’S HEART. FROM OBRA QUAVE, PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF THEATRE: We remember Cindy for her sweet spirit and as an excellent student, talented actress, and warm and caring friend. These memories began for us in Carey Theatre in the spring of 1971 when she enrolled as a freshman. Through four years as a theatre student, she played a number of roles in our productions, and each of her performances was memorable. Among many cherished memories for me as a director, one which stands out is working with Cindy in
The Man. She was what we in the theatre call a director’s actor--always pushing herself to be better, listening and carefully following a director’s suggestions, but also experimenting and trying new things on her own. Following her death, we learned that Cindy included Carey Theatre in her will. An endowment has been established, proceeds from which will be used to support the recently approved degree program in Theatre for Young Audiences. In a long career of Christian service, Cindy was a Southern Baptist Journeyman (Ethiopia), served on staff at several churches, and ended her career at Lifeway Christian Resources, where one of her jobs was early childhood consultant. Theatre for Young Audiences has long been important in Carey Theatre; we have presented
Cindy Lumpkin is pictured in a Theatre for Young Audiences production of Sacramento Fifty Miles (1973), along with Mark Wilkinson (left) and Jay Rogers.
annually a play especially for children since the 1960s. Cindy acted in several of those. I believe she would be very pleased to know that her legacy will support theatre for children. Tim Matheny, chair of the Department of Theatre and Communication said, “The unique bonds our students create while working on Carey Theatre productions is rarely reproduced anywhere else in life. Cindy Lumpkin’s contributions to the Carey Theatre family has once again taken center stage. The generous endowment established through her estate will be a powerful resource for our forthcoming degree in Theatre for Young Audiences which will be felt for generations of students and audiences to come. The Carey Theatre family honors her legacy of artistry, passion, and generosity.” FALL 2021
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