Over this past weekend, Patrick Cronin performed in “You Can’t Take It With You” for his swan song out of the theater department and ending his 20 years at ETSU as a beloved professor by all who knew him.
Cronin played the part of Grandpa, an old man who stopped suddenly leaving the business world behind to do what he wants and what makes him happy, from not paying taxes to just spending time with his family. His character ended the play with a monologue about doing what it is that you love, and there is only a finite time that people should use that time to be themselves, whoever they may be.
This monologue culminated into a standing ovation as Cronin was surrounded by the cast for the curtain call, who all joined in the embrace and sending off of a figure pivotal to the theater department.
“What Pat brought in his time here was the business side of entertainment and educated students on how to feed their family,” Director Bobby Funk said.
Funk is also an ETSU theater professor who helped bring Cronin on.
“We changed the curriculum because of Pat and students here have now gone on and are doing things,” Funk said.
Cronin took time with me to reflect on his time and experiences at the university.
“I am very proud that all four of my children have graduated from ETSU,” Cronin said, referencing James (2004) and Charlie (2005), his step daughter Chelsea Kinser (2013) and his step son Isaac Kinser (Dec 2019), who is a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army.
“I also loved, above all else, the number of ETSU students who were the first in their families to graduate from college,” he said. “My parents came here from Ireland, and I was the first in my family to finish high school and to go to college, so I loved relating to these ‘first timers.'”
Funk elaborated on what Cronin’s presence has done for the growth of the department.
“We grew from seven theater majors, which were really speech majors with a theater concentration,” Funk said. “Now we have over 70 theater majors, not counting minors or dance minors. Pat was a huge part of that.”
Cronin also took a minute to express what impact the ETSU community has had on him.
“After years of living in Los Angeles, I was touched and honored by the hard working nature of the ETSU student,” Cronin said. “They not only went to college, but many of them worked full time jobs and many of them were married with children or were single moms or dads fighting for the better life. They made me love what I was doing with and for them. I also loved that I was able to become a full professor, and now I will be professor emeritus.”
Cronin has had a large effect on the students, but also by helping develop others in the local theater scene, leading to the success of many.
“The list of student success stories is truly endless from ETSU, and I can’t say enough about our faculty that I regret leaving, including current Chair Karen Brewster and my buddy Bobby Funk … who was the man who hired me 20 years ago,” he said. “Thanks, Bobby.”
Cronin plans to continue his acting career in Los Angeles and New York City as his wife Dr. Amber Kinser remains a professor and department chair of Communication and Performance.
Cronin closed his remarks with praise for the students and faculty and highlighted some of the people involved with the production of his last performance.
“Everyone in our department really should be highlighted,” Cronin said. “Karen Brewster is our Chair and she is our number one supporter and my buddy Bobby Funk is directing with William Cate, an old friend is our house manager, and Beth Skinner and Zach Olsen are our outstanding tech leaders, along with Professor Melissa Shafer, an old and trusted colleague, and we have a number of student artists doing lights as well as costumes.”
“Jonathan Taylor, an amazing student who is now back with us and who designed our set, and last but certainly not least, Kate Patton our first rate stage manager. We have always been a faculty-driven but student-featured program, and really all the students involved with the productions are wonderful.”
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