The National Partners of the American Theatre
April 19, 2014
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Robert Reid Buseick has enjoyed a fabulous academic and professional
theatre career for over 60 years; and
WHEREAS, Bob was one of the most influential leaders in bringing diverse, cuttingedged, socially conscious and perspective-widening issues to the people of North
Louisiana, an accomplishment which was recognized by the Louisiana Civil
Liberties Union by naming him Defender of the Bill of Rights; and
WHEREAS, he trained many of the leading theatre practitioners of the Southwest
region in his 36 years as Chair of the Theatre and Dance Department at Centenary
College of Louisiana through his meticulous and artful approach to teaching,
directing and designing; and
WHEREAS, he served the KC/ACTF as participant, committee member, Chair of
Region VI, and member of the National Selection Team in 2000 serving as a model
for excellence in theatre (and putting his life on the line to do it—Bob had a bad fall
during his selection team duties that put him on the bench for the last weeks of the
national tour); and
WHEREAS, his creative direction earned him several invitations to the region VI
festival and in 1983 to the Kennedy Center’s National Festival with his production
of My Sister in this House; and
WHEREAS, his life since academe has not lost its theatre focus as he has served as
Chairman of the Board of the River City Repertory Theatre, Shreveport’s
professional theatre, since its beginning in 2005; and
WHEREAS, he has served as costumer supreme for most of his productions, and on
the side has designed and built many exquisite cotillion gowns for the young women
of Shreveport; and
WHEREAS, his first word spoken on stage at the age of 6, “Scrumptious” , serves
as his depiction of theatre and also describes him, his directing, producing, and
designing absolutely perfectly; and
WHEREAS, with his wife Jan, his children and grandchildren, he has enjoyed the
fulfilling and gracious life of a southern gentleman; and
WHEREAS, the NAPAT membership does recognize Bob as an esteemed colleague
for his generous spirit that is motivated by a true camaraderie as evidenced in his
making the very first donation in support of NAPAT’s Classical Acting Award.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Partners of the
American Theatre bestow upon Robert Reid Buseick the honorary title Emeritus
Partner of the American Theatre; and extend to his family an expression of
friendship and appreciation for the significant contributions Bob has bestowed on his
community and the American theatre at large.
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Jere Wade, National Chair
Kathryn Robinson, Distinguished Partner