The theatre community has lost another member. We are sad to report that Lance Hayden Kump, Marketing Manager for Studio Theatre and a gifted visual artist, died suddenly January 20, 2012.
As reported last night on TheatreWashington, Studio Theatre will hold a memorial service for him at 2pm on Saturday, February 28 at Studio Theatre in the Milton Theatre, 1501 14th Street, NW. Any questions about the service can be directed to 202-232-7267.
Kump, who joined Studio Theatre as a consultant in 2008 and rose to the position of Marketing Manager, was known for a hyperrealistic painting style which recalled Andy Warhol and for his remarkable digitally-manipulated photography. Both styles of work are featured on his website, which also features his astonishing “Kim Jong Il #1.”
As a marketer and arts management consultant, Kump served several theatre companies, including Shakespeare Theatre as well as others such as DC Theatre Scene, and showed the same imagination and decisiveness which characterized his work as an artist. “It was amazing how quickly Lance grasped a concept and could execute a perfectly rendered interpretation,” said DC Theatre Scene editor Lorraine Treanor, for whom Kump did some consulting work. “He was generous, sweet man and will be missed.”
Our condolences to his family and friends and the staff of Studio Theatre.
Lance and I worked in Studio’s Communications department together this season and last season. He was incredibly fun, warm, witty, and bizarre. He had a remarkable ability to spin the most random thoughts into gold. He was a true sweetheart, an extraordinary colleague, a thoughtful and caring older-brother figure, and a loyal friend.
I’m particularly caught off-guard by the little things. Like the fact that he and I often caught the same bus down to Studio in the mornings. This morning, I looked for him at his stop. Old habits, I guess…
It’s impossible to summarize all the ways he contributed to the mood of the office that made us all so happy. I think of these moments, and him, every hour of the day these days. Sometimes when he was having a debate about the logistics of a marketing campaign he would raise both his hands and point his fingers at you, as if wearing sock puppets, and debate the pros and cons of an issue using talking hands… When angry or frustrated, he’s sometimes transform into his alter-ego, Leona Helmsley. When that happened, watch out… And our weekly department meetings seemed to always include a moment when Lance would notice something surprising on the ceiling, out the window, or over in the corner of the room, and we’d all veer off topic for a moment to examine it. Liane, our Director of Communications, would often respond by saying, “Lance, just don’t look up.”
So in honor of Lance this weekend, and going forward, I’ll be following his lead. Be a pal, be a mentor, be a remarkable citizen. And, yes, look up.