Celebrating Jim Lortz

A career of giving to students

On Sunday evening at the Alaska Ferry Terminal amidst 300 celebrants gathered to honor the work of Jim Lortz on his retirement, we announced the Jim Lortz Theatre Enrichment Fund to continue Jim’s legacy of giving to students.

Attendees donated over $8,000. When added to our seed donors’ contributions, that put us over $30,000 – well on our way to our goal of $60K.

The Jim Lortz Theatre Enrichment Fund will allow us to provide additional opportunities to enhance the education of our theatre students for years and years to come – truly extending Jim’s gifts.

Please consider making a donation.

Jim gives so much. Following his example, now we can give back.

Please help us spread the word by sending the link to others and/or posting on social media, as we know how far reaching Jim’s impacts have been.

Questions about the Jim Lortz Theatre Enrichment Fund

If you have any questions or comments, please contact:

Erin Emry: call (360) 650-7310 or email emrye@wwu.edu
Mark Kuntz: call (360) 510-2587 or email kuntzm@wwu.edu.

A community profile of a beloved teacher and colleague

Marla Bronstein published a profile of Jim at WhatcomTalk.com

Jim’s favorite thing about theater—teaching, acting, and directing—is that “it’s about touching life. Being involved with that energy, that’s universal, that means something to somebody. Reaching out to connect to an audience and make them different from when they came into the theater.”

Jim's first year at Western

From an issue of a 1988-89 College of Fine and Performing Arts Newsletter:

James Lortz is the new assistant professor of musical theatre at Western. Originally from Deer Lodge, Montana, Lortz received his bachelor's in acting and directing from the University of Montana and also taught there. He acted in Seattle Bathhouse Theatre productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Peer Gynt and Twelfth Night, and toured for five seasons with the Montana Repertory Theatre, appearing in Crimes of the Heart, Deathtrap and The Rainmaker. His choreography and directing credits include A Chorus Line, Grease and Oklahoma! Lortz has taught courses in voice and diction, musical theatre and beginning acting at WWU, and is directing WWU's production of Baby, a contemporary musical comedy about parenthood slated for performances in March. He said what makes theatre people special is their willingness to get up in front of people and look silly. "That's how you touch people and reach them," he said.