Reflections

BY HUGH O'GORMAN, HEAD OF ACTING, CALREP, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH, CA
To say Tony will be missed is both true and somehow unfulfilling. As I sit at my desk in Los Angeles I feel a pain in my heart at his loss; yet I also feel at a loss to adequately articulate Tony’s immense and immeasurable influence on my life.

I first met Anthony in 1987 as a senior at Cornell. Suffice it to say I had never quite met anyone like him before: his sense of panache, his walk, his vernacular assault, his wardrobe, the way he held court in class and rehearsals, the crystal regard of his piercing eyes and, of course, his unquenchable love of the theatre. He cast me in a production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona when there was unequivocally no reason that he should do so! I was not a theatre major, had very little acting experience and had never spoken any blank verse (at least intentionally!) in my life. Upon sheepishly asking Tony one day why I got the oh-so-coveted part of Sir. Elgamore, Tony, in inimitable fashion replied, “Because you’re lovely to look at; now all we have to do is teach you to act!” Well, teach me to act Tony did, in rehearsals, in coaching sessions and over more than a few glasses of wine, dinner and conversation throughout an 18 year friendship. This artistic friendship began because Tony saw something in me as a young man that I couldn’t - potential. Tony nurtured me in my nascent steps as an actor. He helped me get into a top graduate acting program; then upon graduating he gave me my Equity card when he hired me to play Young Belair in his production of Ethridge’s “The Man of Mode” at the Asolo Theatre in Florida. From there I went on to a career in regional theatre, started the Mint Theatre Company in New York City, appeared on Broadway and spent four years as a series lead on a television show. None of this would have happened without Tony’s faith, guidance, wisdom and encouragement. Because of Tony I was given the gift of my life’s work. Currently, in my position as Head of Acting at California State University Long Beach I find myself unintentionally channeling Tony’s spirit as I teach. Occasionally a lofty mid-Atlantic lilt will find its way into my mouth as I bound down the center aisle and say to one of my students “Well, that was lovely for what it was, but don’t you think it wants a little bit more of…?”

As we all know, everything about Tony and his life was theatrical. Everything. Could there be a greater lesson for those of us who have chosen a life in the theatre? Tony’s gift to my life, as to countless others, is priceless. But he lives on in our collective spirits, minds, teaching, acting, writing, directing and designing. I have yet to meet someone who loves the theatre, or lives the theatre, more than Anthony Cornish. I believe I could pay him no greater compliment than that. “Good night sweet Prince…” and thank you.