Patinkin to Step Down as Columbia Chair

BY Carrie L. Kaufman

Patinkin

Sheldon Patinkin is beginning his 29^th year. Twenty-nine years chairing and teaching at the Columbia College Theatre Department. In that time, he transformed the department from a small college theatre program into Chicago’s theatre training program. Enrollment increased tenfold (from about 80 to over 800), but, more importantly, actors, directors, designers and tech people from all over the city have served as teachers—and Columbia students have infiltrated every facet of professional Chicago theatre.

In June, 2009, Patinkin will step down as chair, handing the vision—and increasingly onerous administrative duties—onto someone else. He will take a one-year sabbatical, then come back and teach.

“I’m really tired of the meetings, the forms—all the stuff that’s college-wide stuff,” Patinkin said. “I’m in no way tired of the department. I love my department, I’m very proud of it.”

As teacher, though, he won’t limit himself to his school. He currently teaches at the School at Steppenwolf and is open to teaching both via theatres and through other colleges and universities.

“I’ll find out who might be interested in having me on their faculty,” he said.

Those interested in being on Columbia’s faculty can find the job of theatre chair posted on their website (http://web2.colum.edu/hr/). The school is looking for someone with a Ph.D. or MFA, but will consider someone with considerable experience in lieu of those degrees.

Once Patinkin leaves, he will focus on writing a memoir of the early Second City days.

“I’ve been asked to do it so many times over the years, I felt I might as well give it a shot,” he said.