A statement on Paul Edwards’ passing from Dean E. Patrick Johnson

I am saddened to share the news that Paul Edwards, associate professor emeritus and longtime fixture in the Department of Performance Studies, has passed away. He was 75 years old.

Paul was a scholar of performance history, the interpretation and performance of narrative fiction, Shakespeare in performance, and postwar American popular culture. Among the many signature courses he taught, “Performing the 1950s” was perhaps his most famous. He was a director, too, and an award-winning one at that, with dozens of plays at Northwestern and Chicago theaters under his belt.

Paul was also as close to an SoC lifer as you can get; he received his bachelor’s degree from the then-School of Speech in 1972, his master’s in 1973, and then departed Evanston for Austin where he earned his doctoral degree at the University of Texas. He returned to Northwestern in 1979 as faculty in what was then known as the interpretation department (now performance studies), taking the spot vacated by the famed Wallace Bacon. The department remained his scholarly home until his retirement in 2019.

He was also, plainly put, a character. Acutely intelligent and droll, he never shied away from a chance to debate an idea, spin a yarn, or build something with his own hands, including a lighting booth for the Alvina Krause Studio. He loved nothing more than to talk to his students—to make them think and, even better, make them laugh. One could easily recognize him by his trademark glasses, photographer’s vest, and shock of white hair. He has scores of alumni fans spanning the globe. He has scores of fans right here on campus.

We honored Paul and other recent faculty retirees last spring at an event at Guild Lounge. His performance studies colleagues and friends Joshua Chambers-Letson and Mary Zimmerman shared with us that evening their thoughts and memories of Paul. I was particularly struck by the veracity of something said by Mary, once a student of his:

“Paul Edwards is and was to me and hundreds of others, the absolute paragon of what a teacher should be… He was constantly connected to his students, who he took very seriously and loved very deeply.”

Please keep Paul and his family, friends, and close colleagues in your thoughts.