In theatre, the story is told in terms of acts. Legacy plays were all mostly written using the three-act structure; today’s plays have two at best. If one were writing the story of Roberta Sloan’s life, it would take at least five, if not six, acts.
Known locally these days as the founding artistic director of Jewish Theatre of Oklahoma, Roberta was raised and educated in Chicago and eventually earned her PhD. in Theatre from the University of Michigan. Following a year in Israel and a stateside sabbatical in San Francisco, Roberta became the first female professor of Drama at the University of Oklahoma. It didn’t go well except for meeting and marrying Steven Sloan.
The television portion of her career began at OETA, the statewide PBS station, as the cultural coordinator, host of Arts Encounters, and eventually the production director. That led to advertising agency work and an adjunct teaching job at the University of Central Oklahoma which led to a full-time professorship in Theatre where she grew a program from 7 to 165 students in 16 years.
Chairmanships followed at the University of Central Florida and Temple University before she and Steve hit the high seas as lecturers on cruise ships. After 18 cruises to 80 countries over 6 years, she found on-camera film work in L.A. Back in This Town, Roberta helped Oklahoma City University transition to a new dean before starting Jewish Theatre of Oklahoma.
Post-production by Fred O. Bishop
Sponsored by Carpenter Square Theatre
