Frank W. Bridges
August 21, 1926 – February 28, 2017
Frank W. Bridges moved to Austin in 1955 to teach English, Speech, and Theatre Arts at Austin High School. In 1962 he began teaching at Austin State Junior College (now Riverland) until his retirement in 1989. In 2005, he was named Emeritus Faculty at Riverland Community College where the theatre is named for him. Frank served as a mentor to many in the performing arts, laying the groundwork for the thriving theatre community that continues today. He felt his greatest legacy was founding Summerset Theatre in 1968 as a venue for community members and students to be together on stage. Frank volunteered for the Mower County Historical Society and the Mower County Senior Center as well as writing a book recording the history of theatre in Austin.
