As the curtain falls on the last production of Anglers, it will be sentimental to most, but nostalgic to one.

Anglers will be the final production of Professor Christian Moe, chair of the theater department, and director of the play. Moe is retiring after 38 years as an SIUC faculty member, and leaves in his wake a distinguished career that made it possible for SIUC to gain national attention for its playwriting program.

I would like to retire at the top of my game, and this seems to be the right time, Moe said.

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Moe said that when he came to SIUC in 1958, it was one of the fastest growing universities at the time. Now, 38 years later, after directing 75 plays and authoring a text on historical drama and twelve produced plays, he looks back at a very exciting career.

There are a lot of good memories, and it has been very satisfying, he said. I will miss working with the students, but I feel that I have succeeded.

As he is busy with his last production, he looks ahead to the final curtain of the last play.

It will be a little sad, he said. It is a good feeling when the audience applauds at the end of your plays, and I will miss that. But I am moving on to a different kind of applause now. I still expect to be directing and working with other theater companies. I really enjoy what I do, and I have never looked at it as work. I hope people remember me as a friend, and as a continual supporter of the theater. This has been a very happy experience.

He then holds his head in his hand, placing his finger on his temple, and comments, There is value in staying in one place, and I am glad I stayed here and built this playwriting program.

Students shouldn’t get discouraged. They may not make it, but they have to try. It is a hard philosophy to follow because of monetary reasons and time, but it does work sometimes. You have to pursue it.

Moe did pursue it, and for select few that wanted it bad enough, he succeeded. So as the moment approaches to when that curtain falls one last time, Moe will be there, looking ahead as well as back, and smiling.

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