Supporters are huddling around Scott F. Rousseau, the former director of On Stage Atlanta (OSA) while he battles a complex cancer diagnosis.
Rousseau was a “fixture” in OSA’s history and the wider metro Atlanta theatre community for over five decades. He has been involved every aspect of live theatre: performing, designing costumes, building sets, handling props, directing, choreography, administration, and fundraising.
As the artistic and managing director at OSA, Rousseau was responsible for finding and securing the performing space at Suburban Plaza, where the company spent 2002-2012 after years of having no fixed address. Rousseau worked at countless theaters in Atlanta, including Neighborhood Playhouse in Decatur, Theatre in the Square in Marietta, Atlanta Jewish Theatre Company in Atlanta, Stage Door in Dunwoody, and on the campus of Georgia Tech.
Now the OSA board of directors is asking for support for Rousseau.
After being diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer in February, Rousseau has shown improvement while undergoing chemotherapy. After some trouble breathing and a PET scan, tests showed cancer cells in the lining of his lungs. Doctors have changed his status to Stage 4 cancer.
Weekly procedures have left Rousseau with a partially collapsed lung, and he is currently in the ICU. Colleagues report that Rousseau is still very positive, and he has been accepted to a clinical trial run by the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL.
A GoFundMe has been established to offset Rousseau’s travel expenses to and from Tampa, as well as other medical expenses that are outside of his insurance coverage.
The OSA board of directors said, “If you feel moved to do so, we would appreciate any contribution you can make. We know that we seem to ask for donations from you at every opportunity, and we deeply appreciate the many sacrifices you have already made on OSA’s behalf.”
The link for donations to Rousseau can be found here.
