Peter Brett Prentiss

fter graduating in 1963, I went of a good chance of being drafted, or college had one of the oldest drama to London for two years to a scholarship to Yale Drama School. I programs in the country, started back Astudy acting at the London opted for Yale. By sheer luck, some in the 1930s by Maude Adams, Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. years before, Curtis Canfield ’25, Broadway’s original Peter Pan. The first year there, I roomed with dean of the Yale school, had seen me Stephens presented a full nine- one of my former Phi Alpha Psi room- in the role of Richard III at Amherst, month repertory using a company of mates, Bob Goldberg, who was and he had left a message that if I professional Actors Equity actors studying at the London School of ever wanted to opt for an MFA degree along with advanced students. In Economics. Then, during my second at Yale, to contact him. I did and was addition it operated a summer stock year in London, after Bob had accepted into their program. So theatre at Okoboji, Iowa. When not returned to the United States, I met a Branca and I spent the next three rehearsing or performing, I taught Brazilian woman, Branca Maria de years in New Haven, Connecticut, classes. During our time there, our Brett Prentiss Queiroz Costa, at a party given by where our son, Craig, was born. daughter, Laura, was born. lives: Columbia, Mo. some Portuguese friends. She was When I graduated from Yale, I In 1970 I decided to give New contact : working at the Brazilian Embassy. accepted a job offer at Stephens Col- York City a shot. I acted Off Broadway, (573) 442-1736 Three months later we were married lege in Columbia, Missouri. The in TV films for BBC/PBS and some TV major: Dramatic Arts at St. James’s Church at Spanish degrees: AB, MFA Place. A few weeks later we were off field: Acting, teaching to meet Branca’s parents in Rio de employer: Retired Janeiro and then my family in Hud- wife: Branca son, Ohio. Soon after our return to the children : Craig, Laura United States, Amherst Professor of grandchildren : Benjamin, Cole, Malia, Drama Walter Boughton invited us to Kaila, Alana go to Washington, D.C., with a group activities: Acting of Amherst and Mount Holyoke actors. We were going to open the Folger Shakespeare Library’s new season by presenting a production of Twelfth Night. (The Folger, of course, is administered by Amherst, and the theater is reminiscent of the original Globe Theater.) I played Malvolio, one of my favorite roles. Unfortunately, at this time the Vietnam War was still raging. Soon it came down to a choice

1 Amherst College ✹ 50th Reunion ✹ Class of 1963 Peter Brett Prentiss continued and radio dramas, and did voice- Over the years, Branca and I have overs for films and commercials. often returned to Brazil to visit family “I have been Within a couple of years it was clear and friends. Since I loved scuba div- lucky to be that I was unlikely to become a ing (until a sciatica attack ended my able to make Broadway star. While acting one sum- underwater days), we visited Florida, mer in Weston, Vermont, in an Mexico, the Bahamas, and Honduras. a career out Amherst stock company put together We have returned to London a few of acting by Professor Boughton, I received a times as well. Branca is much more message from the town’s general the athlete than I am. She received a and to have store that a Stephens actor had called special sports council physical fitness a wonderful me with news of another job opening award from the mayor of Columbia wife and with their company. So Branca, I, and for walking four miles virtually every the children, returned to Stephens day for over 25 years on a beautiful family.” College, where I became a professor nature trail that runs along the out- in the theatre department, acting and skirts of the city. directing there for another 36 years. I retired in 2008, but from time to Our son, Craig, went to Bates Col- time I am still invited to play an “old lege in Maine, studied in Israel, guy” role in plays ranging from Much Kirby Theater received his PhD from the divinity Ado About Nothing to Scrooge in the school of the University of Chicago, musical version of A Christmas Carol. and is now a professor of history of I do some commercial and film work religions at Rockhurst University in and remain a rather inactive member Kansas City, Missouri. He and his wife, of the International Brotherhood of Shauna, have two young boys, Ben- Magicians. jamin and Cole. Our daughter, Laura, I look back on my Amherst days attended Mount Holyoke College and with pleasure and gratitude went on to Columbia University for (especially grateful I survived fresh- her master’s degree in social work. man physics). I keep in touch with She stayed in New York City, working some classmates such as Bob Gold- as a drug abuse counselor and also berg, Fred Maples, and Neale Adams. doing training programs for JETRO, I miss old friends like Ed Griffiths, the Japanese External Trade Organi- already dead. I have been lucky to be zation. She is now married and lives able to make a career out of acting In 1949, the Masquers presented Julius with her husband, Terrence Chun, and and to have a wonderful wife and Caesar, directed by Curtis Canfield ’25, three little girls, Malia, Kaila, and family (as well as some delightful the first performance on the Elizabethan- Alana, in Palo Alto, California. dog and cat friends over the years). style stage of the Folger Library.

2 Amherst College ✹ 50th Reunion ✹ Class of 1963