Kenneth William Bright, Jr.

Kenneth William Bright, Jr.  (72)  Passed away unexpectedly on November 16 in Sewickley, Pa.   He was born November 1, 1950 in Logan, Ohio son of Kenneth William Bright, Sr and Ethel Sarah (Pat) Patton.

Ken enjoyed the typical small-town, post-war childhood of the 50’s.  He attended Logan High School, playing saxophone in the school band.  He was raised in the Episcopal tradition in the small mission church his mother attended; his father was the premier Welsh tenor in the Methodist Church that generations of Brights had attended and ministered for 100 years.

An avid bicyclist, he spent many years exploring the hills and roads around Logan and had many memories of the development of the Hocking Hills Park which an ancestor had begun. 

Ken attended Ohio University Lancaster branch for two years before transferring to the main university in Athens, OH.  His time at Lancaster began a lifelong love of and participation in professional theater.  He graduated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in theatre and, times being what they were, immediately went into the Air Force.  By this time, he was a young husband and father -- his son, Adam having been born as his military stint began: four years in Abilene, Texas then a return home to Ohio.

Auditioning for the Professional Actor Training Program at Ohio University, Ken was one of 12 people selected after a national search by the faculty.  He attended OU from 1977 – 1980, graduating with a Masters degree in Performance.

These three years were a highlight of Ken’s life.  He performed in numerous shows and undertook some challenging characters.  Shakespeare became a passion, and he was good at it.  He met his wife Rebecca while performing opposite her in Ibsen’s The Lady From the Sea.

Immediately after graduation he was offered an Equity contract by the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.  Following his time there he moved to New York City determined to make his living in the theatre.  He did several shows to acclaim and was a member of a well-known Shakespeare group when life and responsibility, as it does, took him in an unexpected direction.  His son, Adam, came to live with him as a teenager and Ken had to give up the bohemian life of a struggling actor to focus on fatherhood. 

Eventually, Ken reconnected with his Rebecca and moved to Albany, NY to be with her and begin teaching at SUNY – Albany.  

The next thirty years were pretty nomadic: Albany, Cleveland, Southern Illinois, and eventually Pittsburgh pursuing teaching and performing.  A highlight of these years was his attaining a PhD in Speech Communication and Theatre.  It was a long five years of teaching, study, research, and writing, but in the end Dr. Bright graduated in August of 2005.

Ken loved to travel, but most dearly to the Northeast.  Maine and Vermont were homes of his heart.  He read voraciously…. anything about philosophy, science, nature or history. He loved a good glass of Laphroiag in front of a roaring fire with a book in his hand, classical music playing, and a cat in his lap.  Ken was a closet romantic watching every Jane Austen movie and just about anything in costume.

A member of the Deep Springs Soto Zen community in Sewickley, Ken is immensely missed by all who knew him.  He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Fishel Bright, and son, Adam Kenneth.  A brother, Stephen K. Bright (Susan), a sister, Julie Bright Overturf (Rick), a sister-in-law Karen Fishel Howard (Todd) and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A memorial service will take place at Deep Springs around the first of the year.  Anyone interested in attending please contact Rebecca. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ken's memory to Deep Springs Temple, 22 Willow Ridge, Sewickley, PA would be greatly appreciated. Arrangements entrusted to Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services.