Four students stand on stage dressed in medieval-type costumes, including a king and a wizard.

A man in Shakespearean-esque costume talking to a woman in a long dress who is standing on a set balcony.

Students sitting outside on grass under trees; two are playing guitars.

Students sitting in front of a mobile chalkboard; set pieces in background.

Three students in costume; two female students wearing dresses and sitting at a table drinking tea. Male student is wearing a suit.

Student dressed in an abstract costume.

One male and one female student in medieval-style costume.

A scene with wo male students dressed in robes, one holding a staff.

Six students in costume.

Head and shoulders image of Dr. John D. Ripley, Canadian theatre scholar and teacher.

Bio/Historical Note: Born in Londonderry, Nova Scotia, on 27 January 1936, Dr. John Daniel Ripley received his early education in Londonderry and Yarmouth and later attended the University of New Brunswick where he completed a BA (1st Class Hons.) and an MA in English. In 1963 he received his PhD in theatre history) from the Shakespeare Institute (University of Birmingham, England). He also studied theatre professionally at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, and held Licentiate diplomas from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (speech and drama), the Royal Academy of Music (speech and drama teaching), and Trinity College of Music (voice and speech). In 1963 he joined the Department of English at Dalhousie University, where he was active in the founding of the Dalhousie Drama Workshop (later the Department of Theatre) and the design and construction of the Dalhousie Arts Centre. He joined McGill's Department of English in 1969 as associate professor and director of the Drama and Theatre Program, where he remained until his retirement in 1997. In 1980 he was promoted to professor of English and in 1990 was named to the David C. Greenshields Chair. He served as chair of the Department of English from 1990-1993, and was a member of Senate and a Senate representative on McGill's Board of Governors for some years. Throughout his teaching career he followed with interest the careers of the numerous Canadian actors, directors, and media figures who had passed through his classes, but he took equal delight in those who discovered in theatre a continuing source of personal enrichment. From time to time in the course of his career, Dr. Ripley acted and directed in Canada and Europe in stage, radio, and television productions ranging from medieval mysteries to soap opera. His last appearances were in the daily television serial Time of Your Life. Dr. Ripley was the author of three books on stage history, and numerous contributions to essay collections, periodicals, and reference works. On his retirement, Dr. Ripley was invited to become Visiting Pforzheimer Curator of the Performing Arts Collection at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin where he served for some years. In 2012, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Dr. Ripley died on 18 September 2015 in Montreal.

A male student dressed as a sailor with two female students in costume. One female student is seated in front of an old sewing machine.

Top image is a scene from Candida, starring Frances Hyland and directed by Emrys Jones. This play, the inaugural production of the Department of Music, was performed in Convocation Hall in March 1946. Bottom image is a scene from Picnic, was performed at Greystone Theatre in December 1965. Actors (l to r): Don Evanishen, Helen Burton and Eric Peterson.

Two actors in togas sitting on faux stone steps.

Students rehearsing on stage; bleachers and stage lights visible in the new Arena Theatre, Hangar Building.

Six male students dressed in various costumes, including a soldier, sailor, and Uncle Sam.