When Charles Lyons came to Stanford as drama chair in 1973, he outlined a revolutionary plan for the department's PhD program -- and for the entire academic field. Drama professors inhabited a world apart from theater professionals, and Lyons wanted to close the gap. He envisioned a new "artist-scholar" who would combine intellectual and practical knowledge.
Professor Michael Ramsaur, then in charge of the department's master's program, opposed Lyons's sweeping changes at first. Today, Ramsaur and other scholars across the country laud Lyons's influence. "The kinds of scholars we turn out are unique, strong, trend-setting individuals," says Ramsaur.
Lyons, 66, died on May 11 at his home on campus. The Margery Bailey Professor of English and Dramatic Literature, he chaired the drama department from 1973 to 1987 and again from 1995 until his death. He also chaired the program in Western culture. Most recently, Lyons campaigned for a $3.2 million grant, awarded in April by The James Irvine Foundation, that will support both arts and the Law School. Some of the funds will be used to create Stanford's Institute for Diversity in California Arts, which Lyons was planning to head. "I have a new playground to play in," he told colleagues upon learning of the award.
Born in Glendale, Calif., Lyons earned bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees at Stanford. He served in the Navy and taught at Principia College in Illinois and UC-Berkeley before returning to campus. A recipient of the Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1994, Lyons was known for his devotion to students, helping them in every way from vetting job applications to serving as best man at one alum's wedding. Alice Rayner, now an associate drama professor at Stanford, first met Lyons as his student at Principia in 1965. She had intended to major in English, but he inspired her to study drama instead. "He made the literature of drama more interesting, more rigorous, more critical and at the same time something that had its artful place," Rayner says. "He really did believe in students and made students believe in themselves."
Lyons is survived by his wife of 43 years, Leila Phee Lyons, MA '55, two sons, John Christopher and James Charles, '97, and two sisters.
