Luella Massey Studio Theatre

The Luella Massey Studio Theatre is one of three venues run by the Faculty of Arts and Science’s Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies. Located on Glen Morris Street, the building was called the Glen Morris Studio Theatre until 2014 when it was renamed after Luella – more fondly, Lou – Massey.

Massey, who passed away in 2013, was a mainstay of the drama centre as its facilities and box-office manager for 35 years. She handled everything from stage managing and event co-ordinating, and always helped students in need.

Rebecca Biason, who became Massey’s administrative successor and orchestrated the renaming, recalls Massey making her tea when she saw her swamped in work as a graduate student. She even offered Biason a summer job at the drama centre when she knew she needed one. Massey was always there to listen to students, offer a ride home or even talk about the history of the centre with them. “She was like a den mother to all of us,” Biason says. “[She] was the one constant figure in times of change.”

Read about memories of Lou from U of T students, staff and friends.