Left: Sally Forment talks with James Dunn during intermission at the Sunday June 10, 2012 performance of "The Music Man" at the Mountain Play on Mt. Tamalpais. Sally was one of his drama students in the 1960's.
Left: The Mountain Play listed all 99 annual summer shows that have been hosted in the amphitheater on Mt. Tamalpais since 1913. James Dunn directed thirty of these shows (from 1983 to 2012), but he is stepping down after "The Music Man".
Here is a
brief James Dunn profile:
At the time of his first onstage performance in eighth grade, James Dunn had no idea that he would one day become the face of the Marin theater world.
...After teaching high school drama in the East Bay and Menlo Park, Dunn began applying for doctorate programs to further his studies in theater directing. After acceptance at one of his schools of choice, word spread that College of Marin was beginning a theater program and needed to hire a staff to launch it. Dunn was hired and laid the groundwork for the school's drama department. Though he retired from his full-time position in 1994, he remains there on a part-time basis to this day—nearly 48 years later—and continues adding his energy and creative magic to College of Marin productions every spring.
...Through his school-based theater work, Dunn estimates that he has taught around 5,000 students or more, including Oscar-winner—and former College of Marin student—Robin Williams. Williams was cast in a supporting role in Dunn's renowned Western interpretation of The Taming of the Shrew, which received numerous awards for its Edinburgh fringe-fest production in the early '70s.
In addition to his work with College of Marin, Dunn has worked for 30 years as the artistic director for Mill Valley's century-old Mountain Play. During this time, Dunn has worked with a behind-the-scenes crew of up to 100 people on a variety of performances from Shakespeare to Broadway musicals.
..."I will stay in theater until they carry me out," says Dunn. "I won't ever be sitting on a porch in a rocking chair. It's just not my style."
Left: Sally Forment talks with James Dunn during intermission at the Sunday June 10, 2012 performance of "The Music Man" at the Mountain Play on Mt. Tamalpais. Sally was one of his drama students in the 1960's.
Left: The Mountain Play listed all 99 annual summer shows that have been hosted in the amphitheater on Mt. Tamalpais since 1913. James Dunn directed thirty of these shows (from 1983 to 2012), but he is stepping down after "The Music Man".
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