Sharon Walton

Class of 1973: A life in the arts

Her liberal arts education at Ripon taught her to think creatively and supported her curiosity, Sharon Walton said, and this led to a career enhancing the arts community in myriad ways.

She was born in July 1952 in Chicago, Illinois. She said she came to Ripon because of “the small class size and the opportunity to explore a wide range of learning experiences and opportunities, both inside and outside of class.

“Being able to take classes in history, science, and philosophy besides art opened (me) up to a wide range of opportunities,” she said. These include majoring in art, acting in College productions, participating in student government, contributing to College Days and Parallax, and being a DJ on WRPN radio.

She received her Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis.

Mixed Blood, a multi-racial, nonprofit professional theatre in Minneapolis, commissioned her to write the play “Jackie Robinson” in the early 1980s. This one-man play is about the first African-American to play in Major League baseball. Mixed Blood brought “Jackie Robinson” to the stage at Ripon College as part of the Caestecker Fine Arts Series in 1993.

Walton also penned “The Last Champion,” a play about Muhammad Ali. She has directed plays at theatres across the United States

She also served as a theatre panelist for the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

During her career, Walton held a variety of roles in the theatre and fine arts communities. In 2003, she retired from the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center where she served as the communications and events manager.

Ripon College presented her with its Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1998 for her dedication to the arts and her work in helping AIDS patients.

Since she was a child, the arts have played an important part in Walton’s life. She said she “believes that the arts involve people in ways that let them explore themselves and express their feelings.

“The arts provide insights into ideas and experiences which may be new or foreign. The arts are crucial in taking us beyond the necessities of existence, allowing us periods of grace, relaxation, and recreation. Unfortunately today, the arts may seem to be on the periphery of life, when instead they are a vital part of the human experience.”