UVU professor, theater community figure Chris Clark remembered after death
Christopher Clark, Theatre Department chair at UVU, poses for a portrait on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, June 25, 2014. Behind him, from left are students Aubrey Wilde of Orem, Devin Neff of Provo, Josh Valdez of Lehi, and Jason Barker of Orem. (August Miller, UVU Marketing)
UVU students listen to instructions from Christopher Clark, UVU Theatre Department Chair, while working on a scene on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday, June 25, 2014. (August Miller, UVU Marketing)
Christopher Clark
Christopher Clark
Christopher Clark poses for a UVU Alumni Awards portrait on campus in Orem on Thursday, August 18, 2016. (August Miller, UVU Marketing)
Christopher Clark has been called a masterful storyteller in his writing, his directing, his acting and his teaching — he’s taught hundreds of students over his career.
For the past five years, Clark has been wrangling with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He passed away on June 5. He was born July 30, 1972.
Clark spent his final weeks doing what he loved most: planning two different theatrical productions, writing a script, leaving joke reviews on Yelp “as a handicapped person,” acting as his kids’ self-proclaimed seminary and theater teacher, and planning an elaborate surprise for his wife in time for their 25th wedding anniversary, according to his obituary.
Clark was a prominent figure in the academic community as a UVU professor, as well as in the local performing arts community.
Clark’s sister Courtney Kendrick said “Topher,” as his family called him, was unlike any other member in their family.
“He was the fourth of nine children. The males in our family were athletes and hunters, but Topher was an artist,” she said.
Community members may be familiar with his film “Stalking Santa” narrated by William Shatner.
“When he was still quite young, my mother could see he loved to perform and had a bright mind, so she put him in piano lessons,” Kendrick said. “But Topher’s natural talent quickly exceeded his teacher’s skills, so he was given professional classical training. Playing the piano became a large part of his identity.”
He was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a Leo, according to his obituary. All of these things were important to him. As a young man he served a mission in Finland for his church.
“Christopher would want it mentioned he was the Prom King and voted “Most Preferred” at Provo High Class of ’90. And that his performance at Provo High as the King in ‘The King and I’ earned him an acting scholarship to Brigham Young University,” Kendrick said.
Following his mission, Clark studied at Brigham Young University majoring in English (because it was more practical than theater) and auditioned for the English Society’s “The Mysteries: Creation,” a theatrical production where he was cast as Satan.
“There he met Lisa Valentine who was cast as a chicken on ‘Noah’s Ark.’ Tale as old as time. Chris wooed her with his storytelling, intelligence, talent, charm, faith, rugged good looks and laughing. So much laughing. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple June 3, 1995,” the obituary said.
The young couple took a risk and moved to England, where Clark earned a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Directing Shakespeare at the University of Exeter, Devonshire, England, graduating with distinction. He went on to earn a PhD in Education Leadership/Theater at BYU while teaching full-time at Utah Valley University, going on to earn tenure as an assistant professor, become chair of the Theater Department, and then achieve full professor.
“We lost our dear friend and colleague, Chris Clark, yesterday after his long and courageous battle with ALS,” said Stephen Pullen, Dean of the School of the Arts and Artistic Director for the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts.
“Chris was certainly a giant in the theater community in Utah, especially at Utah Valley University. His brilliant creativity and unbounded energy fueled countless productions – from Shakespeare to musicals to original works — that moved audiences to laughter, tears, profound thought and delightful whimsy,” Pullen said.
“It was Chris’ production of ‘Vincent in Brixton’ winning national KCACTF accolades that first brought my attention to UVU seven years ago,” Pullen added. “He was a remarkable director and actor. As a professor, Chris has had an indelible impact on the lives of thousands of students. He was a generous mentor, devoted teacher and an enduring example. Also in his role of professor and department chair, he led and shaped the Department of Theatrical Arts for Stage and Screen in astonishing ways. I know that my life has been truly blessed to have had him as a friend.”
Clark trained with The Steppenwolf School actor’s training in Chicago, Viewpoints movement training, Second City improvisational training, The Globe Theatre, London, The Royal Shakespeare Company, and many others.
To his credit, Clark wrote an original Shakespearean play, ‘A Marrying Man,’ about Shakespeare’s love life. The lines are adapted from Shakespearean works to form a totally new work. He also wrote or adapted ‘She Stoops to Conquer,’ ‘Nosferatu,’ ‘Hamlet,’ and ‘Richard III.’
Clark was awarded the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Distinguished Directing Award, 2009, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Play Choice (“She Stoops to Conquer,” 2011, and “Nosferatu,” 2009). He was Utah Valley University Faculty Scholar of the Year, 2009, and Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Scene Choice twice, among a list of many other distinctions.
“He was absolutely the most creative person I have ever known. He loved the creative process and trusted his actors and helped them discover their characters in a kind of a guided discovery method that built upon the actor’s own talent and insight to get to a place of brilliance,” said Linda Hale, Hale Center Theater Orem. “He was always happy, always smiling at rehearsal. You knew that he loved every actor and every bit of the process. He even made auditions fun.”
Hale added, “We asked him to direct the shows that needed that special care with words — like Shakespeare, ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Big Fish.’ But, he also shined directing the zany, ridiculous, creative scripts like ‘Xanadu’ and ’39 Steps.’ There are so many shows that we would say, ‘This looks like a Chris Clark show. We will do it if Chris will direct it.’ He had an infectious laugh and such a buoyant spirit that everyone wanted to be near. He has left a vacancy in our hearts and on our stage that can’t be filled.”
Chase Ramsey, a student of Clark’s, was performing on Broadway before COVID-19 shut it down. He reflected on his friend and mentor, saying, “I didn’t know Chris too well and somehow feel like I knew him deeply. I feel like his best friend and so I wonder how incredible it would have been to actually be his best friend. That seems to be his super power. He made everyone feel 10 feet tall,” Ramsey said.
“The truth is, I was afraid of Chris. I felt that we were cut from the same cloth and yet I could not relate with him in the room, so we went our separate ways and I admired him from a distance,” Ramsey noted. “It wasn’t until sometime later that I realized that Chris was incapable of being dishonest (that was so scary). He was exactly what he was, and not for any sake of accolades or money but because that was always his truth.”
“I have, for a long time hid behind my own imperfections and fears by cloaking them with shiny objects and untruths … So, my Kryptonite was Chris,” Ramsey said. “For that I feel I owe him everything. Whether in stories or in life … He told the truth. The world needs more of that. I’ll continue to be more like Chris.”
Due to COVID-19, Clark’s funeral in-person attendance will be immediate family only, but the event will be live streamed any others wishing to attend at 11 a.m. Thursday. The YouTube channel link to the viewing of Clark’s funeral is https://youtu.be/IB7JWYr_Zog.
