Who was Peggy Ezekiel and why is the exhibit named in her honor?

Peggy S. Ezekiel was one of the four original founders of USITT/Ohio (originally the Cleveland Section and now the USITT/Ohio Valley Section). Peggy, an active member a the national level, believed that there was a need for a more localized chapter of USITT that would serve the needs of the many theater people in Ohio. With that goal in mind she was instrumental in obtaining from USITT National the charter forming the Ohio Section. At first, the section was local, but has grown to encompass the entire state of Ohio and has continued to flourish. It now includes the Ohio Valley and western Pennsylvania and boasts membership throughout the rest of the nation. USITT/Ohio Valley sponsors regional conferences, workshops on national artists and productions, and supports active student chapters of USITT. Peggy Ezekiel only saw the beginnings of USITT/Ohio before she died tragically during the second year of USITT/Ohio’s existence. It was not long after Peggy’s death that the Peggy Ezekiel Award was established in her honor in 1985.