Tom Joyce (1940-2025)
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Long-time stage manager at Drury Lane Tom Joyce passed away on June 12, 2025. For more than 50 years, Tom worked as a stage manager, actor, singer, director and producer. His credits at Drury Lane include SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, FUNNY GIRL, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES, CURTAINS, THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, among many others. Tom also worked with Shakespeare Repertory in the early days (now Chicago Shakespeare Theater), including stage managing the company’s first show at the Ruth Page Center, TROILUS AND CRESSIDA.
Before his time in Chicago theater, Tom was the manager of Corn Stock Theatre in Peoria from 1971 to 1978. He then moved on to Bradley University where he was a faculty member for several years before leaving Peoria to work in Chicago with Tony DeSantis and Drury Lane. Additionally, Tom served on the Actors’ Equity Council and the Central Regional Board, and held a seat as a Trustee on the Equity-League Pension and Health Trust Fund. He was honored with the Gretchen Iben Award in 2000 and The Kathryn V. Lamkey Award in 2014. Thomas John Joyce was born June 10, 1940, the son of Bridget Alice Doolan and Thomas Edward Joyce. Tom graduated high school at Spalding Institute in 1958, then earned his BA at St. Ambrose University and his master’s degree at Bradley University. He married his high school sweetheart Margaret (Margie) Hughes in 1961 in Peoria, and they shared their lives together until her passing in 2020. Margie and Tom had six children: Margaret Williams, Thomas Patrick Joyce, Kathleen Bayram, Mary Beth Joyce, Michael Joyce, Sheila (Mark) Hale; 11 grandchildren: Megan, Kelly, Riley (Zach) Williams; Jonathon Maxwell (Melissa), Nat Joyce; Kyle (Natalie), Erin, Shea (Nick) Bayram; Shane, Kevin, Tegan Joyce. He was also the proud great-grandfather of Thomas and Madison Joyce. Per Tom’s obituary — “His leadership, diplomacy, gift of storytelling and humor will forever be fondly remembered by every life he touched. However, he will be remembered most for his genuine loving and caring concern for those around him. Even with all his success, he was still most proud of his family. He was known for saying, ‘My finest production, and my wife Margie shared in this, is our children and grandchildren.’” |