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RUBEN VAN KEMPEN BIOGRAPHY
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Inspiring Voices honoree Ruben Van Kempen and his wife, Myrnie. Photo by Team Photogenic
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Ruben Van Kempen was first introduced to theatre while watching a play in the 5th grade. It was a magical moment as the characters in the play were ready to descend into the earth. The curtain came back up moments later, showing the stage filled with green and blue lights as the leading man slowly lowered himself into the center of the earth. Born to parents who are both half Dutch and half Indonesian, Ruben’s first language was Dutch. He was born in
Holland
, where his parents had immigrated after the war. The Van Kempen family came to
America
in 1962 – after stepping off the boat in
New York
, they took the train to
Yakima
, where they lived for six months, and then moved to
Seattle
.As a public school student, Ruben learned about theatre by taking classes at McClure Jr. High School and then being 100% involved in the drama program at Queen Anne High School. Of course he thought he would be the next Yul Brynner, so he decided to attend the acting program at the
University
of
Washington
. Gracing the stage at the UW with such actors as Jean Smart, Pamela Reed and Harry Groener, he decided that his heart was really in seeing youngsters turned on to the arts and decided to go into directing and education. Ruben received his MA in Theatre with an emphasis on directing from
Western
Washington
University
. He began teaching at
Roosevelt
High School
in 1979 and is currently the Director of Theatre.In the past few years, Ruben has directed My Fair Lady for
Western
Washington
University
, Leonardo the Learner, a play produced by INTIMAN Theatre and Seattle Children’s Museum and Mame for Seattle CLO. Along with Beth Orme, he co-directed I Got Rhythm, which performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in
Scotland
. Some of his favorite directing credits include Crazy For You, On Your Toes,
42nd Street
and Me and My Girl (receiving The Seattle Times Footlight Theatre Award for best Musical Revival 1993) for Seattle Civic Light Opera; Quilters for
Western
Washington
University
; Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the Village Theatre; and the Northwest premiere of Good News. Some of his other directing work includes Fiddler on the Roof, The School For Scandal, The Children’s Hour, She Stoops to Conquer, Watch on the Rhine, The Music Man, And Then They Came For Me - Remembering the World of Anne Frank, The Dining Room, The Madwoman of Chaillot, and several industrial and college shows. His regional theatre favorite roles include Enoch Snow in Carousel and Lun Thau in The King and I. Ruben has performed as back-up vocalist singing for Pat Boone, Debby Boone and T.V. personality Kathie Lee Gifford. Along with Beth Orme and Kim Douglass, he will develop a new musical review, Too Darn Hot, for the Fringe Festival in
Edinburgh
this coming summer. His wife Myrnie teaches strings for the
Edmonds
School District
and his children both play classical violin and cello. Basically, they have the arts covered in their household. Ruben is listed in the 1998, 1996 & 1992 editions of Who's Who Among America’s Teachers.
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