In early April, Emma Craig posted a GoFundMe appeal in honor of the late actor and educator Mike Roark, who died in February. A group of his former students wanted to place a bench with a plaque honoring him in College Hill Park. 

After quickly reaching the goal, she increased it to cover a higher quality iron bench. Two weeks after her original post, the goal was met. 

In August, the City of Wichita installed the bench. Find it near the park’s center, southeast of the basketball and tennis courts.

Craig was among a cadre of former students who spent years learning from Roark at Music Theatre for Young People, where he cajoled and pushed and supported promising youngsters. For  Craig, his influence extended into adulthood. After appearing in nearly every MTYP show, she worked with him in local theaters including Mosely Street Melodrama. 

“Mike was gruff, but he was so soft with us kids,” she said. “He was a great cheerleader. He saw kids who had the drive but needed to be taught."

She also noted his legacy: “So many of his students have gone on to professional careers” — including Craig herself, who works as an actor and singer in New York.

Roark was an instrumental part of the Prairie Pines Playhouse, which also dedicated a bench to him shortly after his death. That bench, which is installed on the Prairie Pines property, notes his career and life as an actor, director, and person, while the new College Hill bench focuses on his teaching. 

“People don’t know the impact he had on us young people,” Craig said.

— Anne Welsbacher is The SHOUT's performing arts editor.

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