Mystery Zag: Dorothy Darby Smith

Tales of the ‘delightful, indomitable' Dorothy Darby Smith

I believe what you have there is a photo of Dorothy Darby Smith, grand dame of the GU and Spokane theatre scenes and no stranger to Broadway and New York either. - Ed Renouard ('59), Seattle.

The dame in the cats-eye frames is Dorothy Darby Smith. She was amazing! No one who knew her could ever forget her. She directed some terrific stage musicals at GU (and Holy Names Academy) in the 1960s and taught speech. Her productions were as good as, and sometimes better, than the big time Broadway productions. I had the pleasure of taking her speech class, playing piano for the Wizard of Oz at HNA for her and working back stage for the GU production of South Pacific in which my friend from birth, Natalie Monte, had the lead role. Her son, Monty Smith was in the first Gonzaga-in-Florence class, 1963-64 with me. And going back even farther, my mother designed dresses for Dorothy and her mother when Dorothy was in college, and my mom was a young Italian immigrant of about the same age, who had a small dress shop in the Ziegler building in downtown Spokane. Not quite 6 degrees of separation there. - Diane DeFelice Nelson ('65), Spokane.

I believe this may be a picture of Dorothy Darby Smith who if I am remembering correctly was involved with the performing arts theater in the Administration Building, third floor, west end. The reason I think it is she is that I passed that way many times on my way to the Biology wing on the fourth floor back in 1962 through 1967. I also remember seeing her across Boone Ave. eating at May Ryan's little restaurant in a white house which was right across the street from the old gymnasium. - Roger L. Branz ('67, '87 M.A.), Spokane.

My answer: Dorothy Darby Smith - John Hancock ('66), Bellevue, Wash.

The photo of the woman on page 20 in the upper left-hand corner is Dorothy Darby Smith. She was at GU in the '60s in the speech department. She is pictured in the 1964 yearbook on page 179 and was always identifiable on campus by her cat's eye frames. - Donald and Cathi Schafer ('65), Bellevue, Wash.

The lady with the glasses is Dorothy Darby Smith, producer and director of the student musicals of the early '60s. What I learned from her: when talking to student performers, the voice was loud and demanding; when talking to elementary-age performers, the voice was soft and encouraging. A lesson I never forgot. - Barbara Marano Winner ('66), Spokane.

It was wonderful to see the picture of Dorothy Darby Smith in "Who's this Zag?" in the Winter 2010 Gonzaga Quarterly. Though I was not a theater major, DDS was one of my most inspiring teachers and she has influenced my entire life. Her role as a teacher and as an incredible drama director cannot be overstated. She really believed in me and pushed me to challenges that I still remember vividly, and the sense of accomplishment when I met those challenges. I graduated in 1972 and have been teaching music privately ever since, and Dorothy Darby is still with me.  It has been a very satisfying career teaching and mentoring young people to achieve their best in piano, voice and composition. Many of my own students have become fine teachers themselves, have gone on to graduate study and/or have released recordings.   I have often told tales of Dorothy Darby Smith and her teaching or directing, and how she influenced me. The best part about her was that she was totally and completely herself, wild and zany, honest, compassionate, and she didn't seem to care what anyone thought - because she operated completely from the heart.  When my wife of 41 years, Pat (Cahill) and I were newly married, she helped us find our first rental home - through her housekeeper Dorothy. - Robert E. Lundquist ('70), Bellingham, Wash.

Dorothy Darby Smith was all about Drama... Drama... Drama. Thoroughly enjoyed her entertaining approach to teaching, her speech class, and her support of everyone who contributed to the furtherance of Drama. - Tom Nollette ('67), Walla Walla, Wash.

Dorothy was one of my all-time favorite faculty members at GU. She could get the most out of her actors and was as tough as any athletic coach around. I did three shows with Dorothy, including her last GU production, "H.M.S. Pinafore." I have two fond memories of Dorothy. My sophomore year I was cast as the lead in "Little Mary Sunshine". It was my first time working with Dorothy and I had heard how demanding she could be. She said to me, "Rich, I'm looking forward to working with you and I just hope that at the end of the show, we'll still be friends!" My junior year we were doing the musical "The Diary of Adam and Eve." My good friend, Jim Solan, had to kiss a girl in one of the scenes and when he kissed her, Dorothy stopped the show and yelled at him, "Solan, if you kissed me like that, I'd kick you out of bed!" She was one of a kind.  A great lady and, until the end, a wonderful friend. - Rich Ulring ('74), Portland, Ore.

The "dame in the cats-eye frames" is Mrs. Dorothy Darby Smith. I had the joy and privilege of being one of her theater arts students from 1962 through January 1966 when I graduated. She had a great sense of drama and joy that was clearly evident in the big musicals of the 60s. It was great fun being a part of the Music Man and to be her student director for the King and I. While at Gonzaga I also was her son's roommate in the Residenza as members of the Gonzaga in Florence Pioneers ('63-'64). Mrs. Smith was a joy - full of life, great ideas, humor, the dramatic, and knowledge of theater. Thanks for the great memories that picture brought back to me. - Brian McKernan ('66), Ridgefield, Wash.

This Zag is Dorothy Darby Smith. - Rita Beaudoin Hinde ('65), Pittsburg, Calif. 

The delightful, indomitable Dorothy Darby Smith was instantly recognizable in the "Who's this Zag?" photo. I was fortunate to be among her ultimate graduating class of Drama majors. Dorothy (I never heard a student call her Ms. Smith) was Gonzaga's de facto Good Will Ambassador to greater Spokane by virtue of her productions. Their consistent quality was the sole attraction to campus for many visitors, who spread a favorable reputation of GU on their basis. She packed Russell Theatre literally to the rafters: I had to operate a spotlight from her office so patrons could be accommodated on the balcony. Dorothy could charm any gathering, Carol Channing-style, or she could electrify a plodding improvisation by jumping in as a new character with shocking news. One moment, she'd be agog at an image recalled; the next, she'd be strutting before the class, nostrils blasting smoke from her perpetual cigarette, heels punctuating key syllables of her lesson. As we labored under the lights, we'd try peering through the curtain of darkness to locate the glow of that cigarette, either among the seats at rehearsal or in her office window during the show. She once drove a few of us to a WSU forensics tourney in her red Duster with the white vinyl roof. To Dorothy, conversation was always more fascinating than staying on our side of the highway. Straddling the line, we rounded a curve and were confronted by an oncoming truck. Invoking the deity in an expletive, she swerved to safety, soon to be entranced again by an anecdote and straying from our lane. We arrived unharmed, hairs permanently raised. I learned from her immeasurably. I owe a great deal of what success I enjoyed on Chicago stages to her instinct for drama, her discipline and the enormous reservoir of experience she imparted to her students. Dorothy was open to anything that made good theatre. She recounted to us once that she had gone home exhausted from rehearsal the prior evening, encountered David Bowie's deliberately-shocking TV debut, and perched entranced on the edge of her bed for the entire show.  "That man is so decadent," she said, "but he's such a good performer!" - Rick Timms ('74), Lake Oswego, Ore.

The dame...in the cats-eye frames is Dorothy Darby Smith, the drama queen of GU. I was in her final musical production of HMS Pinafore, spring 1974. When she was exasperated by the striving thespians, she would run her right hand through her hair and exclaim, "I mean the thing of it is what!!" Remarkable woman, may she finally rest in peace. - Sue Frankovich ('74), Spokane.

Dorothy Darby Smith, drama professor, is the woman in the photo on p.20 of the Winter 2010 issue of the Gonzaga Quarterly. Her office was next to mine in College Hall during 1967-1969 while I was Assistant Professor of political Science and my wife was earning her B.A. It was nice to see her photo after all these years. - Jack Nesbitt (former faculty), Kansas City

Dorothy Darby Smith was the most flamboyant, hard working, hard drinking, hard smoking theatrical icon I have ever had the good fortune to know. I spent some of the best years of my life with her in Russell Theatre from 1970 to'74. Dorothy was the embodiment of the creative process, and she taught us everything about it; how to relax and work together, to give, and how to create a story and a show from nothing, with nothing but our own imagination. She even taught us how to breathe. I still use the lessons I learned from her as a writer for the Sierra Sun. And, after every production, Dorothy threw the best parties ever at her home. The food was great! - Bob Sweigert ('74, '79), Tahoe City, Calif.

The mystery lady is Dorothy Darby Smith, the director of the theater program at Gonzaga. Her son, Montgomery and I were classmates and friends. We talked each other into trying out for one of his mother's plays. As I recall, it was a Shakespeare play. We showed up at the appointed time and had separate readings. I don't recall how Monty did, but I certainly remember my experience. After reading about 3 sentences, Dorothy peered over the top of her glasses, and in her husky voice looked me in the eyes and said in a rising crescendo, "Out, out, out"!  - Pete Thompson ('66), Spokane.

Dorothy Darby Smith was a great influence in my life! When I was 18, she cast me as Col. Hugh Pickering in the '68 production of My Fair Lady. Mike Moynihan, S.J., was Higgins and Karolynn Flynn was Eliza. Never have I had so much fun. Dorothy was an actor's actor, smoking like a chimney in full concentration of what she wanted from us; sprinkled
with words I cannot repeat in print. I remember her laugh more than anything and her ability to really teach and put on a great show. Genius, she was; miss her, I do. - Mike O'Connell ('71), Maple Valley, Wash.

I just received my Gonzaga Quarterly magazine and saw the photo on page 20. Of course, that is an early photo of Dorothy Darby Smith who not only taught, but directed many of Gonzaga's wonderful plays. That photo brought back many memories. - Lynn Vosholler Finkel ('66), Schenectady, New York.

The Zag on page 20 of the Gonzaga Quarterly is Mme. Dorothy Darby Smith. She was head of the theatrical department and directed many classical plays. This is an early picture here... probably from the 1950s. Bill Ringrose ('74), Colville, Wash.

Dorothy Darby Smith. I was in Kiss Me Kate and The King and I. - Melanie (Kieper) Homan, ('67), Sunnyvale, Calif. 

The lovely "Dame with cats-eye frames" (p.20) is Dorothy Darby Smith. When I was a senior at Gonzaga (1968), I signed up to be the prompter for her production of "My Fair Lady." Soon I got to be her right-hand gal juggling all sorts of behind the scenes jobs. What an experience being with such an electric personality! Bing Crosby came to the dress rehearsal. Talk about dramatic tension to make things perfect! When someone wasn't quite on cue to close the curtains, Ms. Darby Smith sure let us know! From her great direction, though, I learned so much about drama and how to use it in the classroom. What a "class act!" - Inga (Anderson) Boyles, ('68), Spokane.

Dorothy Darby Smith, head of theatre department. - Michael John Masterson ('68), Portland, Ore. 

Dorthy Darby Smith...yes, she was the first person I ever met who chain smoked, and belted out whatever she had to say in that raspy voice, all beneath the allure of those cats-eye frame glasses...I'm sure she was an extra in the original 60s film "The Producers"...So New Yorkish (for us in Spokane) and infused with...THEATER! I had a bit part in the musical "Kiss Me Kate" in the early 60s, my very first theater experience, and worked under her wonderful direction...I remember her in that high school theater on the edge of town (Shadle Park or something) where we rehearsed and had our shows and they had a sound booth to the side where she would watch us--then she would madly wave her arms and yell something or other that we couldn't hear on the stage, but it was hilarious to see a human being so animated behind the wall of glass. She was magnificent, original, wacky and amazingly right on--She must have been a good influence: I don't smoke or wear those glasses but I have been a Theater Arts High School Teacher, have acted in community theater and have written several plays that have been produced and more than all that, yes, Dorthy, yes I just LOVE THEATER!..Still, I will never direct or act in "Kiss Me Kate": That lies in a sacred, glowing place in my memory which no one can touch. - Mike Roddy ('67), Salinas, Calif. 

Editor's note: We have thoroughly enjoyed your tales of DDS. Our thanks to all who wrote.