Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2004 - 60

I would have otherwise guessed to have been 15 to 20 years
younger. He had a firm handshake, steady hazel eyes, and the
enormously gentle nature and quiet dignity of a great gentleman of the "old school." The overall effect of being around
him found me wanting to talk in hushed tones. But it was
watching him meet and interact with Richard and Bernie that
really impressed me. Three old and dear friends with long history, deep respect, and abiding affection. It was my first clue
that the day would hold in store something very special.
Now every Living History Project interview covers several
basic areas including a personal and professional history and
a detailed history of USITT involvement. In every area Mr. Koga
was equally impressive. A graduate of the University of California-Berkeley in 1940 with a B. S. in engineering, he had accepted the position of chief engineer for Hub Electric in 1947,
a position he retained until his retirement in 1980. During this
tenure, he formed a partnership with Northwestern University
professor Ted Fuchs, and together they consulted on over 250
theatres throughout the country, ranging from high schools to
the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of
Illinois. Mr. Koga's numerous design innovations ran the
gamut from one of the first electronic multi-scene preset
boards to early versions of computerized control. His vision
and grasp of the state of the art is best considered by recalling
his visionary planning of the Krannert where, in 1969, he provided for the eventual installation of computerized lighting
control years before such units were available on the market. From 1980 through 1998 he had continued to work in
semi-retirement as a private consultant.
Likewise, his USITT involvement was equally influential.
As early as 1964-65 Institute records bear his name as one of
the stalwarts of the highly active Midwest Section. He served as
the chair of the Section's founding board, continued as a longtime board member, and was the head of a strong commercial
sponsorship contingent that helped keep the Section and the
Institute active and solvent during those early days. Richard
Arnold and Bernie Works confirmed in glowing terms the importance of Al's dependable participation despite Al's constant
modest protests that he had really not been that important.
Again, I was struck by the manner of the man. His accomplishments were vast; however, his modesty was pervasive and absolutely genuine. It was little wonder that others regarded him
with such respect and affection. These and many other longterm contributions rightfully earned Mr. Koga numerous recognitions including, in 1995, both the Midwest Section
Founder's Award and induction as a Fellow of the Institute.
All of these accomplishments were important and influential, and the man himself was endearing and charming. But
there was something much more than this that set this interview apart as the most memorable.
It was the man and his personal story that made Al Koga
unforgettable.
You see, Al Koga was born in 1915 in San Francisco to
parents of Japanese heritage. His father was a Presbyterian
minister who, in 1925, decided to return to Japan as a missionary. The family remained there until 1937, when they re-

turned to the San Francisco area and young Al entered the University of California-Berkeley. Upon graduation in 1940, Al
found engineering jobs in short supply. "The depression was
still on, so I took whatever odd jobs I could find to get along,"
he relayed during our interview. Al worked wherever and
whenever he could in this fashion for over a year, all the while
continuing to look for an engineering job. Then came December 7, 1941.
As a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, war hysteria and
racial prejudice against those of Japanese heritage swept our
nation. On February 19, 1942, security concerns and fear of
invasion on the west coast prompted President Roosevelt to
sign Executive Order 9066. This authorized the "evacuation"
and internment of almost 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry
who lived in California, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington into
"War Relocation Centers." Compliance was mandatory, as all
civil liberties and constitutional protections of due process
were suspended.
Even though Al was an American citizen by birth, as were
more than two-thirds of those affected, he and his parents
were forcibly "relocated" to the concentration camp at Tule
Lake, California, one of ten such camps scattered throughout
the western United States. Within the camps, internees were
left to their own devices with little in the way of support services. As a college graduate, Al helped organize the internal
school system and taught classes in mathematics, science, and
engineering drawing for the camp high school. His program
was so successful that he was recruited by the local school
board and added to their staff. By 1943, Al was anxious to both
contribute to the war effort and get away from Tule Lake, so he
applied to work as an instructor in the V-12 program teaching
Naval ROTC cadets. He was selected and assigned to the staff at

Bernie Works, Al Koga and
Richard Arnold, the "Three
Godfathers of the Midwest
Mafia."
TD & T

S U M M E R

2 0 0 4

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2004