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Bill Kincaid with the green sofa he donated to WIU’s Department of Theatre and Dance decades ago. The sofa now appears in “Twelfth Night” in the new Clow Theatre.
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The green sofa donated by Bill Kincaid decades ago now appears in “Twelfth Night,” the first production in WIU’s new Clow Theatre.
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The Green Sofa: A Story That Comes Full Circle

October 5, 2026

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MACOMB, IL - - Sometimes, the most meaningful stories are the ones that come full circle.

When Bill Kincaid arrived at Western Illinois University to begin his career, he brought with him a special piece of furniture: a green sofa that had already lived a long and meaningful life.

The sofa had been passed down through Kincaid's family for generations. He believes it may have once sat in his great-aunt's New York City apartment as far back as the 1930s.

When Kincaid arrived at WIU, he did not have a place for the sofa in his home, so he donated it to the Department of Theatre and Dance. It became part of the department's collection of props and furnishings, a practical contribution that carried decades of family history with it.

Kincaid went on to have a long and distinguished career at WIU, touching the lives of countless students and helping shape the Theatre and Dance program for generations. He retired during the COVID-19 pandemic but never truly stepped away from the work he loves. Since retiring, he has continued to share his talents as a freelance director and teacher.

Now, Kincaid has returned to WIU as the guest director of "Twelfth Night," the first production to be performed in the Clow Theatre in the new Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts.

Having Kincaid back at WIU for this historic moment is meaningful in its own right. But when he arrived on campus to begin rehearsals for "Twelfth Night," he discovered another connection to his past.

He walked into the theatre and immediately spotted something familiar: the green sofa.

Scenic designer Steven House watched as Kincaid took in the unexpected sight. The sofa he had donated to Theatre and Dance when he first began his career at WIU had quietly remained part of the department's collection through decades of productions, students, faculty and change.

And now, as Kincaid returns to direct the first production in the new Clow Theatre, the sofa has found its way back into his story.

The sofa also has quite a theatrical résumé. In recent years, it has appeared on stage in "The Importance of Being Earnest," "The Glass Menagerie," and "Moonlight and Magnolias."

From a New York City apartment in the 1930s, to Kincaid's family, to the beginning of his career at WIU and now onto the stage of the new Clow Theatre, the green sofa has traveled a remarkable journey.

And somehow, just like Kincaid, it has come home.

For more information on WIU's GCPA, visit wiu.edu/GCPA. To purchase tickets, visit westernpresents.com/.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing