Ivan Hugh Davidson

MOBILE Professor Ivan Hugh Davidson, long time professor of theatre at Knox College, died July 8 at his home in Mobile, Alabama. He was born in Cedar Mills, Texas on May 29, 1938, the son of Horace Hugh and Iva Bates Davidson. He is survived by a daughter, Tanya Barbara (Tim) Coughlin of Cleveland, Ohio, a son, Keirvan Hugh Davidson of Galesburg, Illinois, three grandchildren, Casey, Sean, and Kylie Coughlin of Cleveland, a half-brother Dennis (Georgia) Davidson, Winfield, Alabama, a half-sister, Linda (John) Nelson, Sherman, Texas, two nephews, an aunt and uncle, and several cousins. He attended schools in Gordonville and Whitesboro, Texas, graduating with honors. He received his B.A. in Speech and Drama from Hardin-Simmons University where he was a departmental and campus leader, receiving numerous awards including Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. His M.A. was from Indiana University in Theatre Production, where he was a graduate assistant, served as Department Stage Manager, and was Managing Director of the Showboat Majestic. He completed his Ph.D. at University of Iowa in Dramatic Theory and Criticism, where he was a graduate teaching fellow, associate instructor, Departmental Liaison for Graduate Assistants, Chairman of the Graduate Theatre Association, and a founder and officer of the University Graduate Senate. He taught at Midland College, Fremont, Nebraska from 1962-1966. After completing his doctorate he joined the faculty at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois, in the fall of 1969, serving for many years as theatre department chairman, as well as serving on numerous standing and appointed committees. He was the recipient of the Phillip Green Wright Lombard Prize for Teaching Excellence and the Caterpillar Faculty Achievement Award, as well as three National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellowship Awards. A noted acting and voice teacher, Professor Davidson presented workshops around the United States, as well as London, Stratford-on-Avon, Rome, Frankfort, Moscow, and St. Petersburg. He taught in London with the American Colleges of the Midwest program there, and at the famous Moscow Art Theatre. He both acted and directed at the professional, university, and community theatre levels. He was the mentor to numerous students who went on to highly successful professional careers in the theatre, movies, and television. Deliberately trained as a generalist, during his career he taught courses in all aspects of production design, acting, and directing, and the full range of dramatic literature and theatre history. In addition to his work in the theatre department, he was instrumental in Knox's Creative Writing Program, where he taught playwrighting. He also created and taught courses in the campus wide Freshman Seminar, Freshman Preceptorial, and Senior Perspective programs. Upon his retirement in 2004, grateful alumni collected funds to refurbish the classroom where he taught most of his classes and had it dedicated as the Ivan H. Davidson Classroom. Following his retirement, he moved to Mobile, Alabama, where he served as Adjunct Professor of Theatre at The University of South Alabama, directing and teaching classes in acting and in voice for the stage. He was also active in various community theaters in the area conducting acting workshops, and directing at Joe Jefferson Players, where he also served as Managing Director from 2006 -2010. He also served on the Board of Mobile’s Singing Children. He was of Anglican faith and while in Galesburg he was a member of Grace Episcopal Church, where heserved as a lector, sang in the choir, was a member of the Vestry, served a six year term as Senior Warden, was several times a parish delegate to the Diocesan Convention, and was elected to the Diocesan Council. Cremation was accorded. A memorial service will be held at a future time, with interment on the Knox College campus. Memorials may be made to the Knox College Merriweather Thompson Theatre Fund. ARRANGEMENTS BY WOLFE-BAYVIEW FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATORY, INC. 27409 U. S. HIGHWAY 98 DAPHNE, AL 36526