The School of Drama is deeply grateful to honor the life, legacy, and generosity of Misha Berson (1950–2025) through a remarkable gift to our community.
In accordance with her wishes, Misha entrusted her professional library of more than 600 books collected over a lifetime of theatre criticism, journalism, and scholarship to the University of Washington School of Drama, to be used by students, faculty, and staff. The School of Drama worked closely with Misha’s husband, Paul, to ensure that her generous wish was carried out with care and intention.
On December 3, during the final week of the Autumn Quarter, the School of Drama made the whole of Misha’s library available in the Hutchinson Hall foyer, inviting students, faculty, and staff to take books that would continue to inform, inspire, and support their learning and creative work. The response was immediate and enthusiastic, most of the titles were claimed within 24 hours, and by the end of the week, only about 10 percent of the collection remained. The remaining books will now be housed in a special section of the conference room in the School of Drama Main Office, where they will continue to serve as an ongoing resource for our community, an enduring extension of Misha’s commitment to theatre, learning, and critical inquiry.
Misha Berson was a highly respected and longtime theatre critic and arts and culture journalist in the Pacific Northwest and previously in the San Francisco Bay Area. She served for many years as a chief reviewer for The Seattle Times and was selected to serve on the Pulitzer Prize jury for Drama. She was also the author of several books that continue to shape conversations around theatre and performance.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Misha was a longtime friend of the School of Drama. She regularly visited campus as a guest in Drama 101: Introduction to Theatre, generously sharing her insight, experience, and deep love for the art form with students.
We are honored that her library and her legacy will continue to live within our spaces and through our students.
Special thanks go to Misha’s husband, Paul, for his partnership and care in making this gift possible. Additional thanks to Annenelia Bach, Haley Thomas, Ren Langer, Jeff Larson, and Ojin Kwon for their support and assistance in stewarding this meaningful contribution to our community.
For those wishing to learn more about Misha’s life and impact, we invite you to explore the following tributes: