Though it’s been more than two decades, Alex Pearlman ’04 remembers starting his college search as a high school student—and what ultimately inspired him to choose MMC: meeting David Mold, a Theatre Arts professor who taught at the College for 25 years. Mold had served as director of theatre recruitment and admissions and was often students’ first introduction to campus. He invited Pearlman to sit in on his Acting class and showed him around—interactions that, while brief, were so impactful that Pearlman decided to enroll.
“David was engaged, he was enthusiastic. I watched how he worked the class. I felt that somebody had an eye out for me and was going to help me do what I needed to do for myself and in my profession,” said Pearlman, founder and director of the video and production company Bardo Arts, which often shoots MMC’s stage plays. “I would not be at Marymount then or now in any capacity if it wasn’t for him.”
Other alums, years apart, share similar stories. Taylor Miller ’10 remembers feeling calmed by Mold’s presence and intuiting how much he wanted students to do well; classmate AJ Cote ’10 remembers simply feeling supported by him; Sarah Ramos ’03 recalls the kind, welcoming atmosphere behind the scenes of a production Mold directed.
They were among 35 alums, some traveling from as far as California, who returned to MMC on May 16 for a special dedication ceremony in the Nugent Hall café: The space, a popular gathering spot for faculty and students, was renamed in Mold’s honor to David’s Cafe. All told, more than 100 guests attended, trading stories of how Mold touched their lives and celebrating his legacy as an educator and theatre artist.
Mold retires this month, taking on the title of Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts. And for students and faculty alike, it will be hard to imagine MMC without him, said Interim President Peter Naccarato. “His dedication and generosity have made him a vital and cherished member of our community,” he said.
Indeed, since Mold joined the faculty in 1998, he has served in a variety of roles. In addition to directing 14 mainstage productions and teaching courses in Acting, Scene Study, Directing, and the Business Side of Theatre, he was also vice president of the Faculty Council, chair of the Division of Fine and Performing Arts, and coordinator of the Directing Concentration. He received MMC’s Teaching Excellence Award for the academic year 2018-2019.
Interim President Naccarato said the newly dedicated space, illuminated by a pink neon David’s Cafe sign, was a fitting tribute to him. Because it sits just across from the Theatre department office and the Theresa Lang Theatre, it’s “typical to hear students in here running their lines, discussing how they’re going to approach a scene, and maybe even belting out a song,” he said.
“This space radiates the creative energy that permeates this whole college. It’s also where students, faculty, and staff alike build a sense of community and camaraderie for all of our individuality and diversity,” Interim President Naccarato said. “So, it’s only fitting that this space is dedicated as David’s Cafe because for 25 years, building the MMC community has been David’s passion, from his tireless work as a recruiter … to his countless achievements as a teacher, an advisor, a director, and a mentor.”
In a speech, Mold said that whatever he had achieved was the result of collaborations with and guidance from family, friends, colleagues, and students. “I view tonight as a celebration of what we have achieved together over many years,” he said.
He also paid homage to faculty members he’d worked closely with in his 10 years as chair of the division of Fine and Performing Arts, including Professor of Theatre Arts Mary Fleischer, Art and Art History Chair Hallie Cohen, and Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of the Faculty Katie Langan. “Their knowledge of the history of the institution and the passion for which they led their departments made it easy for me to be an advocate for the division,” Mold said. “We collaborated on strategies that were always guided by a single thought: What do we need to do to make the educational experiences of our students the best that they can be?”
Mold also had high praise for Jill Stevenson, who has chaired the Theatre Arts Department since 2020. Stevenson, he said, had “created diverse, equitable, and inclusive experiences for our students, transformed the department, and made me a far better teacher than I was.”
Calling MMC one of his artistic homes, Mold praised the College for allowing him to tackle difficult theatre pieces. “As an education institution, we believe in challenging experiences that lead to student learning,” he said. “I have been able to tell huge and difficult stories that would be hard to produce in today’s professional theater. Plays like Richard Wright’s Native Son, James Baldwin’s Blues for Mister Charlie, and an evening of short medieval plays.”
Jesse Massari ’24 who served as assistant director of last year’s production of the Anton Chekhov play Uncle Vanya under Mold, said his work as a director left a lasting impact on students. “I had weekly meetings with him during Vanya where he talked about how he would direct for each individual student based on what they needed,” she said. “He just cares so much.”
Students and alums weren’t the only ones to describe Mold as a creator of safe spaces; faculty members said he’d established the same environment for them as an ever-ready collaborator and sounding board.
“David never dominates a conversation but knows when and how to ask that crucial question that suddenly shifts the discussion to a more fruitful place for everybody,” Fleischer said.
Raising a toast to Mold, Stevenson summarized his impact this way: “What an amazing mentor to me, to so many faculty, to so many students.”
