Fairmont State Launches Campaign to Honor JoAnn Lough

The Fairmont State community lost a valued friend with the passing of JoAnn Lough on Jan. 2, 2024. She was 93. Lough taught theater at Fairmont State University where she introduced countless students to the diverse and colorful world of the performing arts. By insisting on the highest standards, Lough earned respect and admiration from students, many of whom returned to visit long after their graduation.  

For more than 40 years, Lough challenged students to grasp the significance of the arts in our culture. She encouraged students to see the value of visual and performing arts, on and off stage. Students often left her classes with boosted self-confidence, improved communication skills, and an appreciation for true collaboration.  

Now, today’s students and community are working together on a campaign to rename the Wallman Hall theatre in honor of Lough.  

“Fairmont has an active theatrical community only because JoAnn Lough spent decades of her life developing both performers and audiences. Renaming the theatre in her honor acknowledges her hard work and dedication, “said Dr. James Matthews, Fairmont State’s Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. 

A Commitment to Excellence 

Christian Cox, who heads up children’s programming for Marion County Public Library, often worked with Lough on summer productions. But his first encounter with her was during his freshman year at Fairmont State when he enrolled in Lough’s theater class.  

“I was petrified of her,” Cox said. “She was demanding, but I realized that the best lessons are often learned through tough teaching. I still utilize all that she taught me. I learned to appreciate her and value every lesson I learned.” 

Lough helped students bring stories to life with her enthusiasm and commitment to excellence. She taught with a steady hand and an open mind, and she saved drama for the stage.  

Lough was a long-time advisor for Fairmont State’s acting club, Masquers. But her involvement was not limited to advising. “One summer I worked as one of her assistants,” Cox said. “We learned everything about putting on a show.” Under Lough’s tutelage, Cox learned how to run a box office, develop costuming and handle scheduling, as well as the myriad other details required to oversee a production. “Ms. Lough taught us all of the technical aspects of a show,” Cox said. “She taught more outside of the classroom than in it.”  

Lough was also a hands-on participant, often acting out parts of scenes during rehearsals for students to see and understand the nuances of their performances. Cox recalled one instance when young children were rehearsing for a summer production of “Tom Sawyer.” 

“I was in the audience with a friend watching the dress rehearsal,” Cox said. “Ms. Lough was trying and trying to get a little girl to say with energy, ‘A picnic, a picnic, we’re going on a picnic.’ But the girl just wasn’t getting it. My friend leaned in and said, ‘Want to bet Ms. Lough is going to come skipping across the stage?’ And that’s exactly what happened. Ms. Lough burst through the curtain with great enthusiasm, a huge smile and the picnic basket, skipping across the stage, saying, ‘A picnic, a picnic, we’re going on a picnic.’ Then she went to the little girl, tapped her on the shoulder in a friendly way, and said, ‘Now, let’s try it again.’ That was Ms. Lough.” 

Setting the Stage for Future Thespians 

Although Lough retired in 1997, her influence continues with students.  

“Ms. Lough was a treasure,” Theater Professor Troy Snyder said. “Even today our students are aware of her—and her importance to the department. Without her years of dedication, Masquers and Town and Gown wouldn’t be what they are today.”

Lough also oversaw the local chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, the national theater honor society. She was instrumental in the development of Town and Gown Theatre, a live theater collaboration between the Fairmont community and the university.  

Lough’s rich life was a testament to her passion for the arts, but also a commitment to the community. “Ms. Lough is a tough act to follow,” Snyder said. “I’m glad to carry on her tradition.” 

A Community Advocate 

While many people knew Lough through her work as a venerated theater professor, just as many knew and admired her outside the classroom.  

Her dedication to the Fairmont community continued long after her retirement. She remained active in the local theater community, and she served as the curator for the theater department’s archives, and worked with the community to preserve the Masquers’ historical costume collection. 

As an active member of the Marion County Historical Society, Lough worked to establish several historic preservation sites.  

A Passion for Preservation 

“JoAnn Lough’s legacy—and that of Fairmont State’s theater department—will not be forgotten,” said Charley Hively, Fairmont State University’s Coordinator of Reference and Instructional Services. “When I started my job at Fairmont State in 2007, Ms. Lough had already established herself as a campus legend and repository of institutional history,” Hively continued.  

In keeping with her commitment to the preservation of all things “theater,” Lough collected and conserved decades’ worth of material from Fairmont State’s productions.  

“She saved everything,” Hively said. “Photographs, slides, negatives, newspaper articles, production reviews, receipts for lumber to build sets, and video recordings of productions in every format—even Beta.”

Lough learned much about historical preservation from her father, Glenn Lough, who spent a lifetime researching local history. His 1969 book, “Now and Long Ago,” is still considered a benchmark publication for local history enthusiasts.  

“When Ms. Lough retired, the library received her lifelong—and extensive—collection of theater memorabilia,” Hively said. “Our library is in the process of creating the JoAnn Lough Theatre Archive. It’s not only an inventory of her physical donations, but also a digital archive of personal remembrances from those who knew and appreciated Ms. Lough and her stellar ‘performance’ at Fairmont State.” 

Hively and his colleagues have begun to create the framework for the archives, and they expect to begin posting digital images within the next few months.  

Two Legacy Projects 

There was no stopping JoAnn Lough when she was on a mission. Dr. Fred Fidura, who had recently been appointed as Fairmont State’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, found himself in Lough’s sights.  

“It was the first week in my new position at Fairmont State when a somewhat distraught JoAnn Lough came to my office,” Fidura said. “She had just recently retired and was concerned about two major projects that were left unfinished. When I asked what they were, I was treated to the compelling narrative of the significant history of theater at Fairmont State.” 

“It was clear that the two most important things in her life were theater and history,” Fidura continued. “She spoke with such passion and energy that we could simply not deny her request. We found a way to hire her on a part-time basis for two years so she could continue her work on these projects.”  

Lough’s first project was to catalogue Fairmont State’s historical theater costume collection. The project was completed with such precision that the Smithsonian was called upon to evaluate it. “The [Smithsonian] report suggested that the collection was of significant historical value and should be developed and maintained,” Fidura said.  

The second project was the organization of the archives of the theater program at Fairmont State. Lough donated her own collection of theater memorabilia from her years with the university, which the library is using to create the JoAnn Lough Theater Archive. 

Acting on Her Passion for History 

Dr. Judy Byers was an English major at Fairmont State when she enrolled in a course taught by JoAnn Lough. “It was 1966 or ‘67,” began Byers, who later became the director of the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center. “I was taking a voice and diction class when I met JoAnn. I liked her right away.”  

It was the beginning of an enduring friendship that spanned decades.  

When Byers later took on the role of director of the folklife center, she was always on the lookout for programming ideas to offer the public. She shared her thoughts with Lough and the two often discussed ideas.  

At the time, much of the programming at the center focused on speakers, but Byers knew Lough had something more to offer. “JoAnn had a vast knowledge of history,” Byers said. “And she often talked about her father’s work as a historian.” 

Byers tapped into Lough’s talents and asked for something more than a simple speaking engagement. She wanted Lough to put together a performance that depicted a historical event.  

“I had been encouraging JoAnn for quite a while to choose something from her father’s stories,” Byers said. “She was so passionate about history. I wanted her to put together a show—to depict something from her father’s research.”  

By now, Lough had retired from teaching and had more time for other projects. She went to work writing a script about a woman who had been accused of witchcraft.  

“I was thrilled,” Byers said. “She put together a one-woman show. It was interpretive, a narrative. Of course, the woman accused of witchcraft wasn’t a witch. She had learned about healing from the Indians.” 

Using historical information from her father’s book, Lough not only wrote the script, but also performed it. “She did the entire performance,” Byers said. “She dressed as the woman and did the performance as a first-person oral narrative.” 

The response was overwhelming. “I was floored,” Byers said. “Everyone was captivated. She took down the house.” 

Now retired from her position at the folklife center, Byers still considers Lough’s performance one of the highlights of her time as the director.  

“JoAnn was one of those great forces in the theater department,” Byers said. “She was a fantastic person—truly a legend.” 

Honoring Her Legacy 

Fairmont State’s College of Liberal Arts launched a campaign this spring to help rename the Wallman Hall Theater in honor of Lough.  

“For over 40 years, JoAnn Lough shaped the creative spirit of our campus, mentoring generations of students and leaving a legacy that still echoes from the stage,” said Matthew. “Now, we invite you to help us recognize her extraordinary contributions.” 

To support the campaign please visit https://www.fsufoundation.org/friends-of-theatre.html