Dr. David Allan Kuester, theatre director, who has taught speech and theatre as well as produced myriad plays at IVCC, will retire this year after 27 years.
Dr. Kuester’s last day at IVCC is July 31, 2025. His final semester of teaching is summer of 2025 (schedule A).
“Hello, Dolly!” is the last show for Dr. Kuester and Don Grant Zellmer director and choreographer, before they both retire from IVCC productions.
As IVCC marks its 100-year anniversary, Dr. Kuester is recognized for producing and/or directing a quarter of the plays at IVCC, including two major shows per year as well as holiday plays and smaller shows during COVID.
Chad Brokaw, theatre events and technical coordinator, oversees the events that take place in the Weeg Cultural Centre at IVCC. Brokaw started working with Dr. Kuester at IVCC in 2020; however, he has previously been in shows as a cast member or on the production team with Dr. Kuester since 2016.
Brokaw said, “I have so many good memories of working with Dr. Kuester over the years. One of these memories is when we were on stage during our holiday shows with me as an elf and Dr. Kuester as Santa.
“More memorable moments occurred during productions, going through the creative process—from the table read all the way through show strike. I have learned so much from him and Zellmer with all aspects of the production process. I’m amazed at the amount of creativity, knowledge and humor from them, and I am grateful to have been part of everything.”
Dr. Kuester expressed great admiration for his experience working with Zellmer, Brokaw and IVCC students. When asked what his most memorable shows were, he noted “Hello, Dolly!” is one of his all-time favorite shows, along with “Blithe Spirit,” “The House of Blue Leaves,” “The Boys Next Door,” “The Prom” (musical), “Mame” (musical), and countless Halloween as well as holiday shows. Kuester’s longtime experience also has been recognized statewide. IVCC’s theatre department was nominated for the Illinois Theatre Association’s 2022 Award of Excellence in College/University theatre on Sept. 24 2022. Kuester, Zellmer and Brokaw were recognized by the association for significant contributions to quality theatre.
Leading up to working at IVCC, Dr. Kuester said, “I was teaching in Texas, at Victoria College, and was flying home a few times a month to see my father who was dealing with Alzheimer’s.” Due to the nature of his visits and frequency, Dr. Kuester decided to move closer to his family.
“I thought what a great school; I really like the people and the opportunity,” Dr. Kuester explained. “I grew to really like IVCC and appreciate the quality education and student service it stood for; I think the human service nature of my personality is what made IVCC a good fit for me.
“Even though I taught at various schools and had a lot of experience in different collegiate environments, the big difference here, no matter what was happening, [is] the core values of student-first and the amount of assistance that was available for our students really stuck out as a quality place for education. That is why I stayed.”
Career accomplishments
Dr. Kuester has myriad career and academic accomplishments including a bachelor’s in Humanities, a master’s in theatre arts with a concentration in script creation, a Ph.D. in communication theory with a concentration of theatre and play writing as communication tools.
Kuester spent a portion of his professional career working in the service of persons with developmental disabilities as a DuPage County case coordinator for special populations as well as counselor and life skills therapist for the DuPage County mental health division.
Kuester also created and sought funding for performing arts programs for persons with developmental disabilities. “I was able to seek funding for and put together a non-profit organization in the suburbs called Theatre Recreation Outreach Opportunity Program (TROOP). TROOP was formed in conjunction with Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA).
Kuester spoke of a rewarding experience working with clients of the program and being able to watch speech progression as well as other benefits individuals had from their experience with TROOP.
Dr. Kuester explained, “It was a wonderful experience to watch some of those clients blossom with communication skills, the immediate reinforcement of live performance or performing for public access television really helped move people to achieve a better quality of life through the performing arts. I worked there for at least 10 years.”
When pursuing his master’s degree, Dr. Kuester shared his enjoyment of script creation and his love of character development. Kuester explained, “In 1993, I returned to school to work on my doctorate; I was able to bring worlds of social service and performing arts together in an exciting way. In 1996, I defended my dissertation focused on the way we have portrayed mental illness on the American stage and received my doctorate in communication with a concentration on theatre arts and play writing as a communication tool.”
Future plans
Dr. Kuester said, “In the greater picture, my partner and I have three grandsons that I want to spend a good deal of time with.”
He is also planning for an upcoming celebratory trip to Greece and is going to finish working on the scripts he has written and other projects with playwriting as well as improv.
IVCC, community impact
Kuester said, the theatre department “has engaged in community centered programs such as “Horizon House for eight years for grade school writing and performance workshops on disability awareness; as well as a five-county awareness interactive performance supporting the victims of domestic violence in partnership with Freedom House.”
Kuester’s legacy will be long remembered at the college.
Brokaw stated, “Dr. Kuester makes such a great impression with not only students, but the employees of IVCC as well. There have been many times we have been out in public, away from IVCC, when past students and/or those that were in productions approach Dr. Kuester to say hello and catch up. These meetings only happen because of the positive impact Dr. Kuester has made.
“Members of the public that have been to one of the several productions Dr. Kuester has produced also approach him to tell him that they always enjoy the shows at IVCC and have a great time. Providing the community with entertainment and the opportunities for the community to entertain for 27 years is an incredibly impressive legacy, one that Dr. Kuester should be extremely proud of.”