Majestic founder, educator to be honored for work in community

Date: 5/26/2010

May 26, 2010

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



GREATER SPRINGFIELD - When Holyoke Community College's (HCC) Alumni Council convened to name the 2010 honorary alumni they noticed a coincidental commonality among two applicants - their embodiment of and commitment to community.

The 2010 honorees, Kay Althoff, associate director of the Frances Perkins Program at Mt. Holyoke College, and Danny Eaton, founder of the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, have dedicated their professional lives to building unique communities since graduating HCC.

"This is the first time in 11 years that I've seen this kind of pairing taken place," Joanna Brown, director of Alumni Relations at HCC, said.

Brown noted that Althoff has worked for more than two decades to help women in the Valley complete their education, no matter the age. Eaton took his knowledge of theater and encouragement from a HCC professor to form the non-profit Majestic Theater Project, providing quality community theater for all.

"I felt that it was very timely in the year of [her] transition [from director to associate director] to honor her long, long directorial tenure," Brown said of Althoff, who chose to switch roles in order to have summers off for the first time in 20 years.

Althoff said she was surprised to learn she'd been selected as co-recipient of the honor. "I don't think what I do is so exceptional," she added.

"I love my work," Althoff continued. "It is the most inspiring and satisfying [job] to meet women who are trying to find out what to do with their lives and then to meet them bridging the next chapter in their lives [is exciting work]."

The Frances Perkins Program is designed to aid women over the age of 24 obtain their college degrees.

When asked why Eaton was chosen as the other recipient of this year's award, Brown replied, "Danny is still at the height of his game, there's no doubt about it."

Eaton has built the Majestic Theater from the ground up, incorporating many HCC alumni, Brown added.

He attributed his career in theater to HCC professor Leslie Phillips, who chose to direct and produce his one-act play. At the time, Eaton was focused on writing short stories but failed to get them published.

"I was sending out short stories to literary magazines all over the country but received nothing but rejection letters - but she wanted to produce [my play], which was pretty damn cool," he recalled. "That, more than anything, was what shaped my life and the Majestic Theater.

"It's really because of her that I'm doing what I do now so this award is hers more than it's mine," Eaton continued. "It never would have happened otherwise."

Althoff and Eaton will be honored at HCC Alumni Association's 33rd Annual Alumni Award Dinner at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke on June 8 at 5 p.m. The evening's proceeds will benefit the association's scholarship fund.

For ticket information or to make a donation to the scholarship fund, visit www.hcc.edu.