Associate Professor Christopher Catt, who served as a member of our Theatre Department faculty and as a former chair of the department for six years, passed away on Tuesday, June 30.
Professor Catt, 59, was a professor at Wagner for 14 years, teaching Movement, Directing, as well other courses for performers. During this time he directed over 23 Main Stage productions, including some of the programs most acclaimed shows, such as "Jekyll and Hyde," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Sweeney Todd," and "Tommy," which he was reviving for this fall. He has worked professionally for 25 years in New York with notable Off-Broadway credits and served as producer and director for the St. Bart's Players for eight years. Having received an MFA from UCLA, he directed over 175 plays and musicals. For five years, Prof. Catt was artistic director of the Performing Arts program at Snug Harbor Cultural Center. His production of "Wait Until Dark" was voted Best Production in the Staten Island Advance's 2008 readers poll. The same poll voted Christopher Best Director for Snug Harbor's productions of "Wait Until Dark" and "My Fair Lady."
Students, alumni, colleagues, and members of his audiences can never hope to replace his enormous creativity, boundless energy as well as his tremendous humor.
Surviving are his wife Olivia and a son Charles Catt.
A campus memorial/observance will be held in the fall.
