Dr. Dennis Michael Maher

Dennis Maher, Theatre Person and Professor

[Paraphrasing Mark Twain, Dr. Maher has written his own obituary "in order to get in all the facts."]

Dennis Michael Maker, a Theatre Person for 59 years and a Professor at UT Arlington for 42 years, entered into the next plane of existence on October 27, 2026. He was 76.

Maher was born on June 6, 1950, in East St. Louis, Illinois, and made his theatrical debut at the age of six months as the Baby Jesus in a church Christmas pageant. Twelve years later, he played Beelzebub, Prince of Devils, in another Christmas pageant. He was onstage during his four years at St. Louis University High School where he was inspired to be "A Man for Others" in imitation of Ignatius Loyola, and where he was elected President of the school's drama club, The Dauphin Players.

He continued his career by earning a BA at St. Louis University, an MA at Memphis State University, and a Doctorate at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. He joined Actors' Equity Association in 1974 and retired as a pensioner after 37 years as a professional actor. Dr. Maher directed over fifty plays and musicals at UTA and appeared onstage as an actor in a number of productions. He held the title of Associate Professor Emeritus at UT Arlington. He was an actor, a director, a playwright, a producer, and a dramaturg. He also acted and directed in regional and local theatres in the Metroplex, including Stage West, Theatre Three, Theatre Arlington, Dallas Playwrights Theatre, The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Onstage Bedford, and Creative Arts Theatre and School. He was a longtime member of Alpha Sigma Nu, Alpha Psi Omega, The Society for American Baseball Research, and Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas. In his career he played Mark Twain, Franklin Roosevelt, Robert Benchley, Alexander Woollcott, maverick Physicist Richard Feynman, and Albert Einstein, among many others.

A longtime resident of Arlington, Texas, he was preceded in death by his father, John William Maher; his mother, Hortense "Hart" Marie Maher; and his father-in-law, Calvin R. Mason.

He is survived by his wife of thirty-five years Melanie A. Mason, Sister Susan Meagher, Sister-in-Law Carolyn Norman, Mother-in-Law Patsy Mason, Sister-in-Law Deana Mason, Brother-in-Law Marc Tardiff, chosen daughter Sarah Maher Prow, and many of his "adopteds", friends and students he and his wife made throughout his over four decades as an educator.

A Celebration of Life is planned, and Dr. Maher urges those who attend to wear any color clothing BUT black. His mentor, the late F. Joseph Schulte, gave him his "advice to the players" speech, which he used prior to opening nights and which will serve as his epitaph:

"Tell the story the playwright has given you, make it happen as if for the first time, and - most important of all - have fun! Make every moment count."