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The Green Sofa: A Story That Comes Full Circle

October 5, 2026

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MACOMB, IL - - Sometimes, the most meaningful stories are the ones that come full circle.

When Bill Kincaid arrived at 91传媒 to begin his career, he brought with him a special piece of furniture: a green sofa that had already lived a long and meaningful life.

The sofa had been passed down through Kincaid鈥檚 family for generations. He believes it may have once sat in his great-aunt鈥檚 New York City apartment as far back as the 1930s.

When Kincaid arrived at 91传媒, he did not have a place for the sofa in his home, so he donated it to the Department of Theatre and Dance. It became part of the department鈥檚 collection of props and furnishings, a practical contribution that carried decades of family history with it.

Kincaid went on to have a long and distinguished career at 91传媒, touching the lives of countless students and helping shape the Theatre and Dance program for generations. He retired during the COVID-19 pandemic but never truly stepped away from the work he loves. Since retiring, he has continued to share his talents as a freelance director and teacher.

Now, Kincaid has returned to 91传媒 as the guest director of 鈥淭welfth Night,鈥� the first production to be performed in the Clow Theatre in the new Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts.

Having Kincaid back at 91传媒 for this historic moment is meaningful in its own right. But when he arrived on campus to begin rehearsals for 鈥淭welfth Night,鈥� he discovered another connection to his past.

He walked into the theatre and immediately spotted something familiar: the green sofa.

Scenic designer Steven House watched as Kincaid took in the unexpected sight. The sofa he had donated to Theatre and Dance when he first began his career at 91传媒 had quietly remained part of the department鈥檚 collection through decades of productions, students, faculty and change.

And now, as Kincaid returns to direct the first production in the new Clow Theatre, the sofa has found its way back into his story.

The sofa also has quite a theatrical r茅sum茅. In recent years, it has appeared on stage in 鈥淭he Importance of Being Earnest,鈥� 鈥淭he Glass Menagerie,鈥� and 鈥淢oonlight and Magnolias.鈥�

From a New York City apartment in the 1930s, to Kincaid鈥檚 family, to the beginning of his career at 91传媒 and now onto the stage of the new Clow Theatre, the green sofa has traveled a remarkable journey.

And somehow, just like Kincaid, it has come home.

For more information on 91传媒鈥檚 GCPA, visit wiu.edu/GCPA. To purchase tickets, visit .

Posted By: University Communications, University Relations
Phone: (309) 298-1993 * Fax: (309) 298-1606