Stagers collection

The Stagers were a University co-educational dramatic organization formerly known as the University Players. The Stagers often opened their auditions to the University community at large and sometimes to the broader Rochester community. The cast of Peer Gynt, for example, consisted of over a hundred students, alumni, and faculty from all over the University. Traditionally, two plays were produced per year, one in the fall semester and another in the spring.

Stagers productions were also educational tools for the University. For instance, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was recorded by the University Language Lab. The Language Lab, overseen by the Foreign Language Department, was intended to help students practice their conversation skills in other languages. The recordings the lab produced were also given to the library for loan requests; professors were able to check them out for their classes, and they were available upon request for other colleges to use.

Lisa Rauschenbusch, a professor of English and drama from 1946 to 1969, directed all of the plays featured in this collection. Just before Rauschenbusch retired, she directed her 30th and last play at the University, the Stagers’ Henry IV, Part 1. At the time of her death in 1989, obituaries included reflections by actors who had worked with Rauschenbusch. These actors recalled her love for the classics, especially Shakespeare, and her constructive criticism, which helped them improve their stage skills. They also admired her legacy in UR theater, strong devotion to her craft, and impact on the Stagers’ success.