FOR UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON ALUMNI AND FRIENDS WINTER 2019 The One and Only Tony-winner André De Shields ’70 forged his artistic identity at UW–Madison. Page 22 Vision Winter in Madison isn’t all bad, right? Right? Last January, Hanna Hohener x’23, Jennifer Chandler x’23, and Max Johnson x’22 “borrowed” trays from a cafeteria to take part in a UW tradition of makeshift sledding on Observatory Hill. Photo by Bryce Richter On Wisconsin 3 Come home again to Wisconsin, it’s more you. NAME: SCHOOL: STUDIED: YEAR GRADUATED: MOVED TO: MOVED BACK TO WISCONSIN: REASONS: See more of Cody’s story at InWisconsin.com/Cody WINTER 2019 4 On Wisconsin Contents Volume 120, Number 4 Erin Lee Carr ’10 remembers her father, David Carr, in a new memoir. See page 44. COURTESY OF ERIN LEE CARR LEE ERIN OF COURTESY DEPARTMENTS 2 Vision 7 Communications 9 First Person OnCampus 11 News 13 Bygone Landlines 14 Calculation Pretty Witte 17 Conversation Corey Pompey 18 Exhibition Campus Art Exchange 20 Contender Dana Rettke OnAlumni you. 50 News FEATURES Come home again to Wisconsin, it’s more 52 Tradition Hillel Dinners 53 Class Notes 59 Diversions 22 A Star Was Born NAME: 60 Honor Roll Mary Lasker André De Shields ’70 found both obstacles and opportuni- 61 Conversation Elizabeth Arth ties at UW–Madison, where he took the first steps of his SNG SOPHIE & MAUD SCHOOL: 66 Destination Hamel Music Tony-winning acting career. By Jenny Price ’96 Center 28 The Travel Detective STUDIED: Peter Greenberg ’72 draws on investigative reporting skills to get the inside scoop on the world’s largest industry. YEAR GRADUATED: By Kristin Baird Rattini 32 The Future of Food MOVED TO: UW alumni are at the forefront of the on-demand dining trend, transforming the way we eat and the way we live. MOVED BACK TO WISCONSIN: RICHTER BRYCE By Preston Schmitt ’14 Sofía Snow ’11, a former REASONS: 38 A Hip-Hop Family First Wave student, has The inaugural graduates of First Wave, the nation’s first hip- returned to lead the hip-hop hop scholarship program, reflect on the initiative’s impact. program. See page 38. By Stephanie Awe ’15 44 An Exercise in Grief Cover See more of Cody’s story Just as her father did, the daughter of legendary at InWisconsin.com/Cody Meet The Badger — and sit on it, too. André De Shields See page 19. New York Times columnist David Carr has published a won a Tony Award memoir. We excerpt All That You Leave Behind. for Hadestown. By Erin Lee Carr ’10 Photo by Lia Chang. On Wisconsin 5 Discover Madison’s premier retirement living today. 608-283-2046 University perks. retirement.org/Madison At your feet. At Capitol Lakes, vibrant, university town living is right outside your door. Capitol Lakes is a Pacific Retirement Services community and an equal housing opportunity. 6 On Wisconsin WINTER 2019 Communications MILLER JEFF Hail to the Heroes Muir the most, such as [Ralph Kudos to On Wisconsin magazine Waldo] Emerson and [Henry for this article [“A Hero Comes David] Thoreau. Author Danny Home,” Fall 2019 On Wisconsin] McKay forgot the great German and to the recovery team who scientist Alexander von Hum- brought Lt. [Buster] Stone’s boldt. In a Humboldt biography remains home. Young people are titled The Invention of Nature, often maligned for not appreciat- author Andrea Wulf stated that ing our shared heritage as Amer- John Muir idolized Humboldt icans. The people in this article, and carried his writings with him however, do get it. Blessings wherever he traveled. upon each and every one of them. Chuck Pils Bill Culver ’67 Middleton, Wisconsin Waukesha, Wisconsin The Great Dayne Thanks for your amazing article My lasting memory of “The on the MIA Project — what a Great Dayne” [Contender, Fall beautiful treatment of their work 2019] was a game between the and mission. Badgers and San Jose State here Christina Matta MA’01, in California shortly after Barry PhD’07 Alvarez came to the UW. Madison First and 10 at the 25 from #FollowUs the Badger end of the stadium, Want to see more On Wisconsin Dr. Margolis’s Magic and Dayne disappears into the photography? You can now find us Thank you for your great articles, far end of the stadium for a on Instagram: @onwismag. And especially the one on Dr. David 75-yard touchdown run. Oops! while your thumbs are at it, follow Margolis [“The Doctor Is In, with Penalty flag! Now first and 15 at us on Twitter (@onwismag) and Green Hair,” Fall 2019], who the 20-yard line. Badgers run the like our Facebook page helped brighten our four months same play, and again Ron Dayne (/OnWisconsinMagazine). After spent with our daughter going takes it “to the house.” My wife 120 years, we remain committed through leukemia treatments at and I were attending the game to bringing you high-quality con- the Children’s Hospital of Wis- with an aunt [a San Jose State tent. Sometimes with hashtags. consin in Milwaukee. At 19 years graduate] and her husband, both old, while majoring in engineer- émigrés from Wisconsin. As the ing at UW–Madison, she came slaughter ensues, Aunt Eileen MILLER JEFF home for Christmas break feeling leans over and says, “It’s just not tired and blue-lipped. We had her fair! Those big Wisconsin boys blood tested to find out her white are raised on milk and cheese, count was off the charts, with a meat and potatoes; while our diagnosis of AML (acute myeloid little California boys are raised leukemia). on tofu, sprouts, and Perrier.” She ended up with four ses- Mark Kouba ’81 sions of chemo, and we were able Vacaville, California to witness Dr. Margolis’s magic in action. It helped brighten his Summertime ... SIFT ON! patients’ and parents’ days for [In response to Calculation, UW–Madison has officially sifted kids as young as six months “Summer Term,” Fall 2019]: I’ll and winnowed for 125 years. On to the oldest patients, like my always remember my summer September 18, 1894, UW president daughter. She has since grad- of 1962 in Madison: living in the Charles Kendall Adams invoked uated and been in remission Pi Lambda Phi house on the lake the fabled phrase in defense of for five-plus years and is a GM that was turned into a women’s Professor Richard Ely, whose engineer in Pontiac, Michigan. dorm, sleeping to the waves of progressive economic teachings Russell Hager ’80 Mendota, enjoying a summer Muskego, Wisconsin romance with a counselor from had drawn scrutiny: “we believe Camp Indianola across the water, that the great state University of John Muir Mentors eating ice cream, and studying Wisconsin should ever encourage “To the Summit with John geology and sociology on the pier. that continual and fearless sifting Muir” [Fall 2019] mentioned the Patty Eisberg Kaplan ’65 and winnowing by which alone the naturalists who influenced John Beachwood, Ohio truth can be found.” On Wisconsin 7 OAKWOOD’S TWO CAMPUSES are thriving communities set in beautiful natural surroundings. Walking Enjoy the paths, resident gardens, and integrated landscaping invite you to explore. Paired with best-in-class life enrichment Nature programming, you will find ample opportunities to learn, grow and be a part of a close-knit community. of Great Prairie Ridge University Woods Retirement 5565 Tancho Drive, Madison 6205 Mineral Point Road, Madison Learn more at www.oakwoodvillage.net Always Evolving. With a keen focus on creating places conducive to innovation, URP is taking key steps for: • Additional density through thoughtful design • Enhancement of retail amenities New headquarters for • Green spaces and walkability Exact Sciences • Leadership in sustainability, landscape and design LEARN MORE: universityresearchpark.org/evolution 8 On Wisconsin WINTER 2019 First Person COURTESY OF HILARY RICHARDSON HILARY OF COURTESY Winter 2019 COEDITORS Niki Denison, Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) Dean Robbins, University Communications PUBLISHER Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association 1848 University Avenue Madison, WI 53726-4090 608-263-4545 Email: [email protected] Web: onwisconsin.uwalumni.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER John Allen, WFAA WRITER Preston Schmitt ’14, University Marketing CLASS NOTES/DIVERSIONS EDITOR Stephanie Awe ’15, WFAA André De Shields ’70 cultivated his theatrical talent Chicago 1970, ART DIRECTOR at UW–Madison en route to becoming one of the during De Nancy Rinehart, University Marketing greatest Broadway actors of our time. But no one Shields’s run in Hair. UW friend DESIGNER has written the definitive story of his campus years Hilary Richard- Danielle Lawry, University Marketing until now. And what a story it is, marked by setbacks, son (left) helped PRODUCTION EDITOR breakthroughs, and an appearance in the legendary buy André (right) Eileen Fitzgerald ’79, University Marketing “nude Peter Pan.” the bus ticket to PHOTOGRAPHERS Author Jenny Price ’96 used her formidable sleuth- the audition. Jeff Miller and Bryce Richter, University ing skills to track down De Shields’s campus friends, Communications who loyally supported him during a challenging era for African American DESIGN, LAYOUT, AND PRODUCTION actors. She also dug up rare photos and materials, including a touching IOU Toni Good ’76, MA’89, Kent Hamele ’78, from 1969. De Shields gave this scrap of paper to one of the fellow students Kate Price ’09: University Marketing; Nicole Heiman, Chelsea Schlecht ’13, who bought him a Madison-to-Chicago bus ticket for a crucial audition for Erin Sprague ’94: WFAA Hair. He got the part, launched his career, and never forgot his friends’ kindness. The scribbled IOU is reproduced on page 27, and you can find EDITORIAL INTERNS Allison Garfield x’20, Megan Provost x’20 additional photos, audio, and video in the online version of the story at onwisconsin.uwalumni.com.