Person
Biography
Forrest Coggan was born near Lansing, Michigan, in 1926 and his interest in theater and dance began early. He performed in local musicals and recitals with his sister Nadine, and was greatly influenced by seeing Ted Shawn’s Men Dancers in 1936 and 1937. While pursuing public speaking and drama at Michigan State University, he was a student at Jacob’s Pillow in both 1944 and 1945. During the 1945 Pillow season, he was in the cast of three different programs in the Ted Shawn Theatre, performing works by Shawn and Angiola Sartorio. Serving in the U.S. Army’s Special Services Unit during the Korean War, he entertained troops based in Japan. After his discharge, he earned his Master’s Degree at the University of Wisconsin, where he later lectured, taught, and performed in theater arts. Along with Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn, he was an early participant with the Sacred Dance Guild in the 1950s. He died in August 2018, one week short of his 92nd birthday.
Source of Biography
written by Norton Owen for Jacob's Pillow Remembers.
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