Service of Comfort for Michael Philippi. Insurance fund started.

Scenic and Lighting Designer (as well as brother, husband, and father) Michael Philippi will be remembered by family and friends at a Service of Comfort in Appleton, Wisconsin.

The service will be held this Monday, November 9th, 2009 at the James W. Perry Hall at the Communications Arts Center, University of Wisconsin Fox Valley, 1478 Midway Road, Menasha, WI 54915.  The service will be from 1:00-2:30pm, followed by remembrances, conversation, hugs, tears, and hors d’oeuvres from 2:30-4:00pm.

(RSVP’s are welcomed to help with planning, but I do not have the link at the time of this post.  I will update this post with the link when I receive it)

This is the same day as the opening night of High Holidays, which was the last show Michael designed. While the show had to be teched with Goodman Resident Designer Robert Christen setting cues, Michael had completed the focus the day before his death.  His notated script was also used to guide placement and numbering of cues as close to his intent as possible, allowing for the discovered needs that take place during any tech process.  The Goodman maintains a condolence page here.

A Chicago memorial service is still being planned, but no date has yet been set. (I will post any information when I get it)

Michael’s family’s health insurance was provided through his membership in United Scenic Artists Local 829.  His death means that his wife Miriam and daughter Megan may lose that insurance soon.  A donation fund has been set-up to help them get private insurance.  Anyone wishing to make a contribution can send a check made out to:  The Michael Philippi Family Health Care Fund,  and send it to:

Tags: lighting, Michael Philippi, union

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 9:34 pm and is filed under Chicago, General, dim the lights, history, union. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.