As chair of the theater department at Lewis University in Romeoville, and later as head of the Performing Arts Centre at St. Patrick High School on the Northwest Side, Chester “Chet” Kondratowicz encouraged generations of theater students to chase their dreams.
Known for his light directorial touch, the Chicago resident was quick to recognize talent and inspired his students to trust their gut in developing their characters.
“I speak not just for myself, but for hundreds, maybe thousands, of former students when I say he was the one who got me interested in theater in the first place,” said Chicago native and 1979 Lewis graduate John Caponera, a television actor and stand-up comedian now living on the West Coast. “In college, Chet was like a second father to me. He was a motivating figure in my life in so many ways.
“He was the one,” Caponera added, “that got me thinking I could actually make a living doing the thing I loved most.”
Kondratowicz, 85, formerly of Joliet, died of an apparent heart attack Nov. 5, at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, family members said.
For the past 13 years, Kondratowicz was a member of the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee, reviewing hundreds of stage productions, from small community plays to full-blown Broadway-style productions, for the annual Chicago theater awards.
“Chet truly understood what it takes to mount a successful production, from beginning to end,” said David Liesse, chairperson of the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee. “He had a passion and compassion for the theater that extended way beyond what happens on stage, but to everything and everyone involved at every level.
“Chet was a wonderful reviewer,” Liesse said. “He’d walk into a theater with a completely open mind, without any preconceived notions. He had a deep appreciation for everything a show has to offer and all the work that goes into making a connection with an audience.”
During his tenure at Lewis, Kondratowicz spearheaded the construction of the school’s Philip Lynch Theatre, named in memory of a speech and theater professor at Lewis. It opened in 1976, following a $100,000 renovation of an old, vacant airplane hangar on campus. Theater staff and students physically worked on the job.
“It was a labor of love,” he told the Tribune in 1995.
Born in Chicago, Kondratowicz received a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University, and later a master’s degree in English from Loyola University and another in theater from the University of Minnesota.
He joined the faculty at Lewis in 1965 and was appointed chair of the newly formed theater department in the early 1970s, while also serving as theater director. He retired from teaching at the university in 1995 but stayed on for several more years to occasionally direct productions.
“I was working 12-hour days,” he told the Tribune in 1995. “I loved what I was doing, but if I didn’t stop the world and get off, I was afraid they’d end up carrying me off.”
Kondratowicz was described by those he worked with as a no-nonsense director with a big heart.
“He was encouraging, supportive and never stingy with his compliments, especially when you nailed your character,” recalled Linda Waner, a 1976 Lewis graduate who performed in numerous campus productions. “He gave us these wonderful, handwritten notes after every show that I’ve held on to and still read from time to time.”
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During his tenure at Lewis, Kondratowicz also helped establish the Arts & Ideas Series, bringing renowned theatrical touring groups to the university, including the National Shakespeare Company. In 2001, he was honored by the university with the St. Genesius Award, named for the patron saint of actors and the arts.
In more recent years, Kondratowicz served as director of fine arts programming at the Performing Arts Centre at St. Patrick High School.
He is survived by a brother, Walter.
Services were held.
Giangrasse Kates is a freelance reporter.