In a full-circle moment, the creator of Fresno State’s Theatre for Young Audiences, Dr. Janet Loring, bequeathed a gift of over $4.8 million through her trust. The gift will establish the “Dr. Janet Loring Chair in Theatre for Youth” endowment and support the Theatre for Young Audiences program and other educational theatre programs in perpetuity. The gift is the largest received by Fresno State in fiscal year 2025 and a key contributor to the second-best fundraising year in the university’s history.
“Dr. Janet Loring’s extraordinary $4.8 million bequest represents more than just a generous gift—it’s a testament to the profound impact our faculty have on their students and the broader community. For over six decades, the Theatre for Young Audiences program has brought the magic of live theater directly to thousands of children throughout the San Joaquin Valley, often providing their first exposure to theatre arts. This endowment not only honors Dr. Loring’s remarkable legacy but strengthens our commitment to serving our community’s schools and students.
Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval
The endowment will also provide funds for supplies, travel, puppetry and theatre improvements. Additionally, a small portion of the gift will be used by the Fresno State Library to digitize Dr. Loring’s literary works, which will be stored and made available through the library’s special collections.
“I have never personally encountered a professor as generous and visionary about what her personal estate could do for future generations. Dr. Janet Loring is truly an inspiration to us all,” said Dr. Honora Chapman, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. “Fresno State has offered vibrant visual and performing arts programs for over 100 years, and now we can do so much more for our students and community through Dr. Loring’s gift. At a time when theatre programs face cuts on college campuses, this is a bright beacon of hope for the future of the arts on our campus and throughout the Valley.”
In her earliest memories, Loring recalled learning songs and performing them in preschool.
“The days were full of fun, we learned songs and skits. Once, I was a flower with my face ringed with petals,” she said in her memoir, “The Mysterious Song of Me,” which was published by The Press at California State University, Fresno shortly before she passed away.
As a fifth-grade student in Kansas City, Missouri, she got her first real part as Martha in “A Christmas Carol,” an experience that solidified her love of the performing arts. During grade school, she and her friends created puppets and skits to perform for neighborhood children, instilling a lifelong love of puppetry. In high school, Loring performed as a soprano in the Glee Club and later directed the drama club production of “The Pretenders.” She spent her summers as a camp counselor and worked for two years in a nursery school.
“I think those experiences gave me a leg up, so to speak, later with my children’s theatre program. It was truly an education,” said Loring.
After receiving her B.A. in Speech from Northwestern University, her M.A. in Theatre from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and her Ph.D. in Theatre History from the University of Iowa, Loring joined the faculty at Fresno State in 1957.
What began as skits with students dressed as a clown named “Mr. Pink,” performing in schools and shopping malls, morphed into a much larger program. Loring spearheaded what is now the “Theater for Young Audiences” program in the early 1960s, which performs at elementary and middle schools throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Designed to be portable, Loring directed at least a dozen productions, impacting thousands of local students.
“If you’re going to ask about the most basic skill that you could teach somebody, I believe it’s communication,” said Dan Pessano, managing director of the Good Company Players and one of the students to play “Mr. Pink,” the clown character that helped launch what would become the Theatre for Young Audiences program.
Loring saw the educational impact theatre had on thousands of young children throughout the Valley. She especially loved how puppets could impact a child’s development.
“Puppets are great for kids. They promote creativity, discussions of character and life concepts—physical dexterity, teamwork, language and vocal skills,” Loring said. “For the shy, the character is a protection and hence enabling. At some point, from the idea of a character, through the making and mechanics of performance, most life skills are challenged.”
Loring continually built and refined the Theatre for Young Audiences throughout her career at Fresno State and remained involved after her retirement in 1995. With 38 years of service, Loring was granted emerita status.
Loring was very proud of her students and their accomplishments. She kept in touch with many of them and continued mentoring until the end.
“What has driven me as much as anything was her expectations of me. That went right up to the end. I think if you’re lucky enough to have somebody who expects more of you than you do of yourself, I think that’s kind of the secret,” said Pessano.
After a storied career and active retirement, Loring passed away on July 3, 2024. She was 98.
Every year, Fresno State students enroll in the Drama 138B course to bring children’s theatre productions to elementary and middle schools throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Students are responsible for all aspects of the production, including setting up and taking down the stage, managing costumes and handling props. The experience gives students a holistic perspective on theatre. This touring company of student actors, founded by Loring, has been a tradition at Fresno State for over 60 years.
“This gift allows the Theatre for Young Audiences and the educational theatre program to be more present and more robust, which will attract students into that track and give us the ability to train future theater teachers in the Valley,” said Dr. Melissa Gibson, Department of Theatre and Dance chair. “It also gives our student actors a little taste of what it is like to be on a touring show and what it’s like to perform in front of the toughest audiences there are, which are third graders.”
Over the decades, student actors in the Theatre for Young Audiences have performed at schools all over the San Joaquin Valley for hundreds of thousands of children. Additionally, they perform two shows each year at the University Theatre during Vintage Days, Fresno State’s annual student-run spring festival.
