Marla Egan Dean Ph.D

Cherished by all, Marla Egan Dean, Ph.D., passed on Saturday, January 25th at the age of 68. Devoted mother, artist, writer, director, and friend to all. She was a Professor of Drama and Theatre Arts, who continuously lit up the world around her.

Born in Sherman, TX in 1951, Marla has always inspired others with her passion for life and nurturing heart. Earning her degrees in the theatre from the University of Texas at Austin and LSU, Dr. Dean directed over sixty plays & musicals throughout the country during her career.

As an esteemed playwright, teacher, and mother, she continuously shared poignant reflections and was always creating. If she was not working on her own project, she was often helping to develop another’s work further. Forever driving others to seek, “Adventure is out there!”

Director of New Play Development at Remembrance Through the Performing Arts, and an esteemed UIL judge for both theatre and film, she was renowned locally working at Capitol City Playhouse. Earning the reputation as an exciting and risk-taking director, she helped pioneer the New Play Development Program and helped influence the resurgence of new theatre.

Novelist and Co-author of Simple Machines and MAHIM, she always pushed the conversation in the arts and the world. Deeply committed to her work and family. She could expertly guide both new and experienced playwrights’ plays from first draft to production ready. She was tough, yet gentle. She was challenging, yet always supportive. Many of the plays she developed were produced both locally and nationally. Some works went on to win significant awards such as The Kennedy Center Award for New American Plays. In recent years, she taught theatre at Austin Community College and at several online universities.

Marla always had a love for life, her passion was contagious. She was a dreamer who never gave up and always believed in others. She was clever, competitive, and kind with a gift of making things grow and flourish around her. Whether her children, or her garden, or the students and artists she inspired, she changed people’s perceptions of how they saw the world.

Her list of professional & academic accomplishments was extensive. A founding member of the Playwrights & Screenwriters of Austin, Winner of the Texas Short Story Competition, she was recognized by the Mayor of Austin and granted a special day for her work with central Texas Playwrights and the Austin Theatre. Finalist at the Eugene O’Neill American Theatre Festival, Southern Playwrights, and National Theatre Repertory, Dr. Dean continued to impress everyone until the end.

She is survived by her three children: Simone Macdonald Gonzalez Carreon and husband Manuel Carreon, M. Christian Macdonald, Julia Hope Macdonald-Ward and husband Drew Ward, mother: Lila Nadene Whisnant Dean, brother: Michael Egan Dean, sisters: Maryl Dean Weightman, Marcia Dean Scott, and Janet Egan Frisard and Grandchildren: Shelby Gonzalez Carreon, Zoe Gonzalez, Victor Carreon, Logan Ward, Johnathan Carreon, and Leia Ward. Marla is preceded by death by her fathers: Lt. Commander Patrick Egan Dean and Raymond Dean, Jr.

Services will be held Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Hudson Bend Cemetery, 4101 Ranch Road 620 N., Austin, TX 78734. Celebration of her life will follow at 14001 Hunters Pass, Austin, TX 78734.