24/06/2020
Hi all, Jordan here. We at CWF were fortunate to join Bill’s friends, family, and all the people whose lives he’s touched over the years for his memorial service yesterday. On behalf of CWF, I wanted to share a few words about what William Dennis Hunt meant to us as a theatre, and a few words from Bill himself. Many of these come from an email sent to our Cherry Orchard team last week, but I wanted to make them available for our entire community.
It is with deep sadness in our hearts that we at CWF mourn the loss of our dear friend and director, William Dennis Hunt. We feel fortunate to have been able to come together, despite myriad adversities, for what would have been Bill’s curtain call.
Bill loved the theatre. And he loved supporting those far younger and newer to its ranks. Often, he helped us flourish.
Working with Bill often came with came with the exchanging of ideas, knowledge, and plenty of discussion. These are some of my fondest memories of him. For all of his talent, wisdom, and experience, Bill was always open to learn more. He was not one to have a conversation as a pedant amongst pupils, but as an equal, a contemporary, and a friend.
Sometimes we disagreed. I never worried, though: together we would look for common understanding betwixt generational divides. I always left my time spent with Bill with a heart full of love, knowing in his light, I had a mentor and a friend.
Sometimes we basked in success and hope. He was our Cymbeline in Cymbeline, anchoring our ensemble and guiding through the dreaded 5th act with wit and levity. In Richard II, Bill moved us to tears as John of Gaunt, an ailing but passionate patriarch deeply perturbed by his country’s despotic leadership. And of course, he was the fearless captain of our vessel for The Cherry Orchard, whose journey has yet to conclude.
He viewed The Cherry Orchard as a microcosm of our society: one of rapid social change, inequality and privilege, generational rifts, unified by a hope for something better. I remember the talks we had: about how Cherry Orchard was such a joy, not just because of the work and the story, but because the team in the room constantly surprised him, and taught him new things even as an old hat of the stage. Bill spent most of his life as an activist, and it filled my heart that even at 76, he spent each day ready to learn, to speak out, to discuss, to listen, and to grow right alongside those flowers he tended to with such care.
Over a week has passed since we lost our friend. I miss him. His words of comfort. His kindness. The twinkle in his eye when you shared the stage with him. The way a Bill laugh resonated off the walls of our tiny annex when something surprised him or filled him with joy.
We will continue to work as a team so that somehow, somewhere, we can perform this beautiful piece of theatre he put so much love into beginning.
This video from Feb 23, 2020, is a snippet of a wider interview done with Bill for a simple fundraising message. True to form, he answered our straightforward questions with profundity and wisdom. We hope fellow friends of Bill enjoy watching him speak about theater, Chekhov, and social change.
Rest In Peace, Bill. Life has gone by, as Fiers says. But you, my friend, certainly touched us all while living it.
