Roger Long was on the University of Hawai'i-Manoa faculty from 1976 until his retirement in 2004. Courtesy of Kennedy Theatre

Long was on the Manoa faculty from 1976 until his retirement in 2004, teaching classes in Southeast Asian Theatre, Contemporary Asian Dramatic Literature, and Asian acting for the Western actor, according to a news release issued this morning.

In addition to serving 10 years as associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, Long was also past chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, and of the Southeast Asian Studies Program.

Long directed and produced many performances at Kennedy Theatre and Manoa Valley Theatre, including "Angels in America: Part 1" and "Balinese Kecak."

He received a doctorate in philosophy from UH-Manoa in 1979. Several years ago, Long established four endowments at the College of Arts and Humanities at UH Manoa in support of specific theatre, dance, and music programs.

"The passing of Dr. Long is a deep loss for the University of Hawai'i and our community because of his tremendous impact on the performing arts as a teacher, director and patron," said interim chancellor Denise Konan.

Long also founded the college's "Study ALMOST Abroad" program, designed to bring students from Mainland campuses to UHM for one semester to take courses not available at their home campuses. Originally developed for theater students to experience the rich Asian theater offerings at UHM, it rapidly expanded to other academic areas.