THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT
6:00.
TODAY WE LEARNED A FATAL CAR
CRASH TOOK THE LIFE OF AN AWARD
WINNING HIGH SCHOOL THEATER
TEACHER AND DIRECTOR.
DENNIS SWANSON THE CAR HE
WAS DRIVING VEERED ACROSS
HIGHWAY 5 AND HIT BY A TRUCK
HEAD ON.
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE
CRASH.
SWANSON WAS 70 YEARS OLD AND
RETIRED BUT CONTINUED TO WORK.
ANGELA DAVIS RETURNED TO THE
HIGH SCHOOL.
WHAT A BIG LOSS.
Reporter: INDEED.
HE WAS NAMED DENNIS BUT HE WENT
BY  DENNY.
HE WAS A POWERFUL INFLUENCE FOR
40 YEARS.
STARTING THE THEATER PROGRAMS.
SHE SAYS HE HAD A GIFT WHEN IT
CAME TO STUDENTS UNTAP THEIR
HIDDEN TALENTS.
IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO
INSTALL CONFIDENCE IN TEEN  ANAL
-- TEENAGERS.
KIDS WHO NEVER SAW THEMSELVES
ON STAGE ENDED UP THERE ANY
WAY.
HE WOULD SAY WE NEED YOU.
WE NEED YOU TO COME AND TRY
OUT.
WAIT, WAIT.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A PLAY.
YOU CAN BE IN A PLAY.
Reporter: DECADES OF
MUSICALS AND PLAYS DIRECTED BY
DENISE SWANSON HAVE WON
MULTIPLE AWARDS AND STATEWIDE
RECOGNITION.
ROWS OF PLAQUES FILL THE TROPHY
CASE AT EAGAN HIGH SCHOOL AND
DOZENS OF PHOTOS OF CAST
MEMBERS IN COSTUMES LINE THE
AUDITORIUM.
HE WAS REALLY GOOD AT WHAT
HE DID.
HE WON ONE ACT AWARDS.
Reporter: DR. POLLY IS THE
PRINCIPAL AT EAGAN HIGH.
SHE BECAME FRIENDS WITH SWANSON
IN THE 1970s.
EVEN AFTER HE RETIRED FROM
TEACHING IN 2003, HE CAME BACK
TO DIRECT AT LEAST ONE SHOW A
SCHOOL YEAR AND A SUMMER
COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION.
HE IS 70 YEARS OLD.
HE WASN'T READY TO GO.
THERE WAS NO WAY.
HE WASN'T IN ANY WAY READY TO
GO.
Reporter: DENNY SWANSON WAS
SCHEDULED TO PRODUCE A SUMMER
PRODUCTION OF WIZARD OF THE OZ.
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN
TO THAT PRODUCTION.
SOME OF HIS FORMER STUDENTS
WENT ON TO PURSUE CAREER IN
STUDIO.
