Lenore M. Cupp

Lenore M. Cupp, 84, a well-known teacher of acting, stagecraft and speech, died Tuesday, August 10, 2004, at Alterra Sterling House.

Miss Cupp began teaching at Bosse High School in 1946. She taught college preparatory classes in speech and drama, and she began the Evansville tradition of all-school plays and musicals, rather than the class plays in earlier years. The first all-school musical, "Brigadoon", produced by Miss Cupp and the late Richard Hyatt, was presented at Bosse High School.

During the next 38 years, first at Bosse High School and later at Harrison High School, Miss Cupp directed nearly every well-known Broadway musical of her lifetime, including, "Carousel," "The Sound of Music," "The King and I," "Hello Dolly," "Mame," "Camelot," "Kiss Me Kate," "Oliver," "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and "West Side Story."

The plays she directed included "The Diary of Anne Frank," "Arsenic and Old Lace," "Elizabeth the Queen," "Anastasia," "The Heiress," "You Can't Take it With You," "Plaza Suite" and "Wait Until Dark."

While at Bosse, Miss Cupp led the drama group that performed at the National Thespian Conference. In 1962, she transferred to Harrison High School, where she continued teaching college preparatory speech and drama courses, as well as directing the annual fall plays and spring musicals. During her career, Miss Cupp directed more than 100 productions.

At Harrison, Miss Cupp's student players were twice invited to perform at The State Drama Conference held at Indiana University. She served on the Indiana State Theater Executive Committee for two years, representing the high schools in Indiana.In 1983, Miss Cupp was the chairman of the Indiana State Drama Conference, which included fourteen workshops and six performances.

Miss Cupp shared her talents with the community as director of the Community Players and as lighting director for the Cincinnati Light Opera Company when it was in residence at Mesker Amphitheater.

With her esteemed colleague, Jerry Hoover, she directed summer stock musicals at Mesker Amphitheater. The casts of these summer musicals were made up of both high school and college students from the Tri-State area. Among the summer productions were, "My Fair Lady," "Camelot," Westside Story" and "Gypsy."

She served as a makeup consultant for the University of Evansville Savoyard's production of "Ruddigore." Miss Cupp served for five years as the chairman of the Evansville Press Youth Awards Steering Committee. For 50 years, she directed "The Last Supper," which was presented at Bethel United Church of Christ during the Lenten Season each year. The play, based on the picture of DaVinci's "Last Supper," was an original production created by Miss Cupp.

She was a member of Alpha Phi Gamma, the National Honorary Journalism Fraternity, the Connersville, Ind., chapter of the Eastern Star, and Bethel United Church of Christ.

Miss Cupp was honored before the Indiana Legislature by former student, Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard, on the occasion of his inauguration.

The following is a quote from Randall T. Shepard, Chief Justice of Indiana and former student of Miss Cupp: "Lenore Cupp taught at least 15,000 of us kids how to get up and speak in front of other people. I learned more from her about communicating, and about listening, than I can possibly describe. Like so many other former students, I'll always remember her insistence that we 'reach for the stars.'"

Lenore Cupp is survived by hundreds of students, whom she taught to "reach for the stars." She encouraged her students to strive for excellence in all that they did. She taught her students lifetime communication skills, and she helped to nurture their character by her faithful example of integrity and perseverance.

Family survivors include a sister, Jean Craddock; a nephew, Brad Craddock; and a niece, Michelle Jessup.

Services 10 a.m. Thursday, August 12, 2004, at Alexander East Chapel, officiated by Reverend Daniel Kincaid and Reverend Donald Bernhardt. Burial will be on Friday, August 13, at Dale Cemetery in Connersville, Ind., at 11 a.m. Friends may call today, August 11, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., at Alexander East Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Reuben Bierbaum Scholarship Fund at Bethel United Church of Christ or the Southern Care Hospice.

Condolences may be made online at www.mem.com.

Arrangements by Alexander East Chapel, 2115 Lincoln Avenue, Evansville, Ind. 47714, (812) 476-1351.