A tribute to R.T. Williams, award-winning set designer

Robert "R.T." Williams died peacefully at his home in Salem, N.Y. on Jan. 22, 2015. The professional theatrical scenery designer for most of his life  created many unforgettable sets for Stageworks Theatre. He was born in 1931 in Scranton, Pa. He most recently designed Stageworks Theatre's 8,000-square-foot space in the Channel District and over 30 years created dozens of unforgettable sets for Stageworks.

Williams discovered his talent for drawing during industrial arts classes in high school. In 1950, in order to earn some money to go to college, Williams was hired by Tepper’s Department Store to work in the Men's Department. He recognized he really wanted to work in the display department and soon he was. This exposure to "prop heaven" was to serve him well in his future career.

In 1950 he entered Kent State University with the intent of studying architecture. A hometown friend who had started there a year earlier enticed him to spend some time in the theater where his drawing talents, window dressing experience, and knowledge of props proved quite valuable. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and graduated in 1954. Williams then proceeded to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he received his Master of Fine Arts in 1956.

Williams' nomadic life in the theater began with three seasons designing one-show-a-week for summer stock in Ivoryton, CT, working for Milton & Irving Steifel. Winters were spent in New York City collecting unemployment, looking for theater design work and picking up an occasional job doing windows at Stearns.

Numerous off- and off-off Broadway productions in the ensuing years led to the largest of his off-Broadway shows, The Plot To Assassinate The Chase Manhattan Bank. Unfortunately it was scheduled to open the week after President Kennedy was killed and the show never had a chance.

The pinnacle of his Broadway career was reached in 1965 when he designed the first revival of Tennessee Williams Glass Menagerie starring Maureen Stapleton, George Grizzard, Piper Laurie and Pat Hingle. 

Leaving Broadway behind, Williams went on to spend 10 years as the resident designer at Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey designing over one hundred plays and musical productions. He designed for three seasons at Williamstown Theater Festival, multiple seasons at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, worked with Joe Stockdale at Purdue University, designed at Center Stage in Baltimore and the Westport Country Playhouse, and he consulted during the construction of and became Production Designer for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (now the Straz Center). He taught design at the University of Rhode Island and Niagara University as well as at East Carolina University, Williams College, the University of Massachusetts and Marymount Manhattan College. For 25 years, Williams was the Production Designer at ARTPARK in Lewiston, N.Y. designing scenery, props and lighting for multiple shows every summer season.

Throughout his life, Williams was attracted to houses and furnishings from the 18th and early 19th centuries of America. His final years were spent buying and selling antiques, and enjoying in his 1820s-built house in Salem.

Williams is survived by a brother, Donald, and numerous friends and former students. No formal services are planned at this time. Anyone wishing to donate in his honor can send a contribution to the Niagara University Theater Department, Lewiston.

Information reprinted from ArtsFusion, a nonprofit umbrella organization which serves as a catalyst for individual Performing and Visual Artists and nascent Arts Groups to collaborate, showcase and celebrate their work in a non-profit public forum. Founded by Anna Brennen in 1983.

This article appears in Feb 12-18, 2015.