Rodney Hudson, retired assistant professor of musical theater in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Drama, passed away on Monday, June 17, in Syracuse after a brief illness. He was 76.
Hudson was a career teacher and practitioner of the performing arts, and led his life – onstage, in the classroom and in private – with courageous generosity and an unwavering dedication to lifting the spirits of those who sought his counsel, his advice and his friendship.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1948, Hudson received a B.M.E. degree from Southeast Missouri State and an M.A. degree in theater at the University of South Dakota. He began Ph.D. studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor but departed before receiving a degree and began a career as an actor and director, finding success on Broadway, in film and on stages throughout the world.
But Hudson’s most enduring achievements happened in the classroom, especially during his 26 years on the faculty in the Department of Drama, which he joined in 1994. In Hudson, students found a champion, an advocate, a mentor and a collaborator who both nurtured and challenged in equal measure. Colleagues remember him as an artist of unmatched character, who used the poetry of theater and song to connect with the larger world. And all remember him as a singular and warm soul who sought to foster kinship and understanding with those who came into his life.
Hudson is survived by his niece, Marlissa Hudson; nephew William Hudson III; great-nephew Hudson Eaton; scores of close and special friends; and two beloved cats, Stanley and Charley.