While we'd not stayed in touch, and we weren't close with Roger, my wife, Cheryl Williams, and I had the honor of sharing the stage with him in what had been one of his earliest, if not his very first production of his professional career.
In early 1990, not long after he'd graduated from the Yale School of Drama, the previous spring, Roger played the title role in 'Hamlet', at Detroit's now-defunct Attic Theatre, in a production that was directed by his dear friend, Gordon Reinhard. Cheryl was his Ophelia, while I'd played Laertes, and I recently came across some photos from that show which we'd taken, onstage, during our technicals rehearsal, as well as backstage, during the run of the show. I'd actually had the pleasure of working a bit longer, and somewhat more closely, with Roger, than many others in our cast, since Gordon had required Roger and I to begin rehearsing a full week earlier than the rest, in order to choreograph our fencing duel and fight scene at the end of the play, which, I must say, still ranks as the absolute tightest, and most thrilling, work of stage combat in my career.
I'd been sharing some of these pictures with a number other actors from that production whom we've stayed in touch with, and, on a whim, I'd thought I'd try and track down Roger, in order to do so with him, as well. I cannot tell you just how shocked and saddend we were to learn of Roger's untimely passing, and we'd like to express our deepest condolences to you and your children. We hope and pray that you all may find peace.
This site apparently will only allow me to post a single photo with this rememberance, but a have a couple of others, along with a review or or two of that production which thought Roger's performance to be quite praiseworthy, that I'd be happy to share with you, Just let me know, and I'll send them your way.