Al Groh was a giant in the local theater scene

Al Groh wore many hats throughout his life in the arts. He was a dramatist, an educator, and a poet. Above all else, he was a leader for young people, having been shaped by his service in war-torn Europe. His decades of experience in the academic world and in college theater, especially, were monumental in shaping the creative futures of his pupils. In the meantime, Groh carved out an impressive career in the arts for himself, becoming one of Luzerne County’s most recognizable local advocates for creative pursuits.

Groh was born in Wilkes-Barre in 1921. His path to artistic success is very much tied to his academic life, which included stints at Bucknell Junior College – now Wilkes University – and Syracuse University. He later attended Columbia University in New York as a postgraduate student, where he wrote his master’s thesis on F. Scott Fitzgerald.

During World War II, Groh flew 15 air missions, and willingly flew 45 more after recovering in a military hospital from mental fatigue. For his service, Groh received a Certificate of Valor. Like many others who survived the brutal conflict, he returned to civilian life with an enriched perspective. Groh was drawn to the arts, specifically in the Wyoming Valley, and he made it his personal duty to bring the life-sustaining joy of artistic expression to his community.

With the establishment of Wilkes University under its current name, the school was in need of a mission statement. Groh worked alongside the university’s first president, Eugene Farley, to craft that mission statement, thereby helping to build the foundation of the school’s principles. He began teaching at Wilkes in 1947, bringing him closer to the college community. Elsewhere in Luzerne County, Groh was involved in art institutions like the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre.

Groh was the driving force behind Wilkes University’s theater culture. He staged early productions in the Chase garage when the school was without a formal, central theater for performing arts. Groh lobbied for such a theater’s creation, and convinced local legend Dorothy Dickson Darte to support his cause. In the mid-1960s, the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts was established on Wilkes’ campus, with Groh serving as its managing director.

Groh was an accomplished creative in the theater, writing the book for and directing the all-male Wilkes production of “All in Fun,” and writing the libretto for “Man Against The Sky,” which was performed for the 25th anniversary of Wilkes’ founding. He created the Cue and Curtain club and the Wilkes Summer Theater Workshops program, which allowed college and high school students, respectively, to build their skills in the theater arts. Groh also brought media figures like Pearl Bailey and David Brinkley to the area through his Wilkes Concert & Lecture Series.

The Wilkes University Theater Arts program was formed in 1978, with Groh often being credited as its founder. Between his time as a leader in the pre-program and program eras at Wilkes, Groh directed theater productions at Wilkes University for over 50 years. From musicals – such as “Camelot” and “Fiddler on the Roof” – and dramas – like “Othello” and “Enemy of the People” – Groh’s productions were true community events that brought crowds of people to the Darte Center.

Groh retired from Wilkes in 1987, but he continued to create. As an early architect of the Fine Arts Fiesta, Groh would write a new poem each year to commemorate the festival’s continued success. Groh was a self-published poet, with the release of his collection “Winter Songs” serving as a career highlight. Further on the publishing side of the arts industry, Groh collaborated with local company Karol Media to create the Alfred S. Groh I’m a Poems Collection for the Classroom.

Al Groh passed away at age 92 in 2013. His life and legacy was subsequently celebrated by the local community, especially at Wilkes University and in local arts circles. He has since been remembered as one of Luzerne County’s greatest artistic voices, both for the length and the magnitude of his contributions.