MERLIN-CLE1X00185_9.JPG

The university in a statement said it received credible allegations of sexual misconduct against William Allman, a long-time Baldwin Wallace theater professor who died in 2005.

(Submitted photo)

John Patrick

BEREA, Ohio -- Baldwin Wallace University on Monday stripped two campus theaters of their names after decades-old allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against their long-dead namesakes.

The university in a statement said that it received credible allegations against William Allman, a long-time Baldwin Wallace theater professor, and Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright John Patrick who visited campus during Allman's time there. The information triggered the university to remove their names from the Allman Theatre and the John Patrick Theatre in the Kleist Center for Performing Arts.

Allman died more than a decade ago, while Patrick died in 1995.

"We are deeply sorry for any harm that may have been caused by this misconduct. No matter how much time has passed, the correct choice is to remove their names from the theatres now," the university said in a news release.

The specific allegations against the men are unclear. The university said "the conduct in question occurred decades ago."

Allman, was Baldwin-Wallace College drama professor who began teaching at the school in 1957. He founded the Berea Summer Theatre and managed it for 40 years.

He also was instrumental in the design and development of the school's Kleist Center for Art & Drama, which was completed in 1972.



Many of his students went on to successful careers as actors, directors and technicians, including John-Michael Tebelak, who created "Godspell."

Allman was friends with Patrick who won drama Pulitzer Prize in 1954 for "The Teahouse of the August Moon."

Rick Heileman, a News Sun columnist, met Allman in 1960. He described him as a very friendly guy, who was always trying to get young people interested in theater.

"Having known Bill Allman since I was 18 years old up until he died in 2005 -- I was in a number of plays he directed at Berea Summer Theater -- I'm stunned. I'm shocked. I'm saddened," Heileman said in an interview Monday.

He also knew Patrick, who he met in 1973 when he was cast in one of his plays.

"I mean, I liked both of them a lot. I don't know what else to say. I can't imagine that either one of them would have done anything like that but I don't know."