Jerry Argetsinger • Author

Jerry Argetsinger • Author

Gerald Argetsinger, Ph.D. (Bowling Green State University), is an Associate Professor, Department of Cultural and Creative Studies, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. He joined NTID in 1975, where he has taught a variety of courses and chaired two departments. Argetsinger has had a distinguished career in theater and film as a scholar, playwright, director and producer. He has authored a major study on the Danish playwright Ludvig Holberg including eight comedies by this Father of Scandinavian theatre, as well as numerous articles and essays on the literary and dramatic arts. He has published a dozen scripts and directed and produced a number of major theatrical productions, He is a nationally recognized director of outdoor drama, including the Hill Cumorah Pageant (for which he was the Artistic Director for nine years from 1987-97), the original production of Utah! in St. George, Utah, Trail of the Lonesome Pine (the Virginia State Outdoor Drama), and Equality of Rights: The First Women’s Rights Convention (presented at the National Women’s Rights Park, Seneca Falls, NY) and the historical dramas Sword of Peace and Pathway to Freedom at  Greensboro, North Carolina.  Of his other productions, he is particularly proud of directing Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Quintero Theatre on Theatre Row in NYC (2000), and Peter Shaffer’s Equus (2009), which examines a pertinent issue for gay Mormons: “What happens when someone’s worship is taken from them?”  Recent productions include Carol Lynn Pearson’s Facing East–one performance of which was presented for his home stake, followed by a discussion led by the Stake President and a member of the Area Presidency.   He is the founder of the Gay Mormon Literature Project wherein he has cataloged all published and/or produced narrative fiction and scripts containing gay Mormon themes and/or characters. This includes 4 films, 19 plays, 20 novels and 122 short stories Argetsinger has held a number of church callings and currently serves on the high council of the Rochester/Palmyra Stake. He is married to award winning costume designer, Gail (Bishop) Argetsinger and together they have raised two young sons.

 

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