EMU celebrates the life and work of Lee E. Eshleman, 1963-2007, by naming the new University Commons studio theater in his honor.
A small gallery at the theater entrance will showcase some of Lee鈥檚 art work and photos of him on stage.
Lee was the last student to graduate with a degree from EMU鈥檚 art program in 1986. After graduating, he worked in the school print shop and as a graphic designer for EMU.
Former EMU art professor Jerry Lapp, MFA, recalls discussing the 鈥渒nowing line鈥� concept with Lee.
鈥淎 鈥榢nowing line鈥� was what Lee was good at,鈥� Jerry recalls. 鈥淗e captured particulars and peculiarities in animals, humans or objects rendered, that caused one to stop and gaze, ponder, chuckle. The 鈥榢nowing line鈥� Lee rendered created a two-dimensional reality which we, as viewer, could so easily imagine into our own realities, outer or inner.鈥�
鈥淟ee got at the invisible realities which are a part of our existence and brought them forth. Suddenly, we would be sitting as part of the audience, exposed to our self-thinking, having to admit to our silliness, smallness or, largess.鈥�
Lee also began his stage career at EMU.
鈥淟ee wasn鈥檛 afraid to take his fear and pain on stage with him,鈥� says Barbra Graber, MFA, former EMU theater professor and department chair. 鈥淏ut he also wasn鈥檛 afraid to let that Divine Comedian morph the pain into something else, something magnificent, poignant, deeply truthful, and so very funny.鈥�
Graber worked with Lee as a theater student, later as an EMU graphic designer (he produced all the theater posters and programs) and as an actor in Theater AKIMBO from 1991-1998. Theater AKIMBO was founded by Graber and Ted Swartz as a community-based professional theater company under the auspices of EMU鈥檚 theater program.
Ted & Lee TheaterWorks
In the fall of 1987, after graduating from EMU and working on campus as a designer and printer, Lee teamed up with Ted Swartz, Eastern Mennonite Seminary graduate, for a humorous sketch at a church camp. That chance teaming became the springboard for a 20-year partnership 鈥� Ted & Lee TheaterWorks .
Lee鈥檚 humor, wit and passionate faith were shared with thousands through the work of Ted and Lee, while he continued his journey as an artist, sharing creative inspirational drawings with friends, the church and for the business. Lee captivated audiences with his hilarious renditions of everyone from the Archangel Gabriel to Julia Child.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to say how much Lee meant to me,鈥� reflected Swartz in November 2009. “He was my comedic and theatrical soul mate as well as a great friend. We grew as artists together and Lee taught me much about humor, about word choice, about clarity of objective. But he also made me laugh more than anyone before or since. It was a great gift, not a flippant or incidental thing, the ability to make another laugh, but rather an ultimate gift. He was also not shy about tackling and wrestling to the ground his own pain and struggle giving his work depth and color.鈥�
鈥淭he on- and off-stage chemistry between Ted and Lee was remarkable,鈥� remembers friend and long-time colleague Jim Bishop , EMU public information officer. 鈥淓ven more, their material was fresh, imaginative, often slightly askew. They pushed the envelope, but never resorted to denigrating people or employing off-color humor.”
EMU , and other major renovations to the University Commons, during a March 26, 2011 event.