Photo by Tom Campbell

Theatergoers saw a different side of entomology professor Tom Turpin in February. He played Peter Witherspoon in the George Ade play The College Widow.

Yes, that was famed Bug Bowl co-founder Tom Turpin on the stage of Purdue’s sparkling new Nancy T. Hansen Theatre portraying college president Peter Witherspoon in the Purdue Theatre presentation of George Ade’s light comedy The College Widow.

And why not? Who better suited to catch the acting bug than an entomologist?

“It was a great experience,” Turpin says. “I really enjoyed the process of seeing how a performance is put together, from the rehearsals to the set design, staging and direction. And working with a dedicated group of students and staff was a great thrill, but it’s a very difficult and time-consuming process.”

Director Dale Miller approached Turpin a year ago with the idea of playing a part in the play that Ade wrote in 1904. “As soon as I read it, Tom’s name jumped out in front of me,” says Miller, Purdue professor emeritus in performing arts. “I have known Tom for some time and had seen him deliver many speeches. I knew he wouldn’t have any trouble delivering the role.”

A celebrated teacher (Entomological Society of America Distinguished Award in Teaching, CASE Professor of the Year for Indiana, and Purdue’s Charles B. Murphy Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching), Turpin found that acting and teaching share much common ground.

“The impact of lines, jokes or lectures depends on the delivery,” the entomology professor says. “If they are delivered properly, the audience, whether in a theater or classroom setting, will respond properly.”

But not always, as Turpin found.

“We did the play for some middle school students. Very funny lines — lines that got great laughs with older audiences — got absolutely no response,” Turpin says, “just dead silence. That was kind of rough.”

Miller was much kinder than the sound of silence in his assessment of Turpin’s portrayal of the quirky college president.

“I think he delivered a spirited performance,” Miller critiqued. “He captured the eccentricities of the Dr. Witherspoon character magnificently.”

Turpin’s self-assessment is not so glowing.

“Let me put it this way,” Turpin says. “I’m not planning on giving up my day job.”

Contact Turpin at turpin@purdue.edu