Obituary of Jeffrey Alan Haas

 

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts …”

 

Jeffrey Alan Haas of Minneapolis, Minnesota died late Thursday evening, April 24, due to complications following a massive stroke. He was 71 years old. He was born on September 28, 1953, in Saginaw, Michigan, and graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1971.

Coming from a musical family, Jeffrey was a singer as well as being a successful actor and director. Beginning at a very young age, throughout his life he performed in recitals, concerts, and numerous dramatic and musical theater productions. In high school he held major roles in shows such as “Bye, Bye, Birdie,” “Who’s the Bride?,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” “Barefoot in the Park,” “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” “Harvey,” and “The Apple Tree,” as well as other productions.

Jeffrey majored in music and theater at Central Michigan University (Mt. Pleasant), and performed in various University Theater and musical productions, including: “Hey You Guys, Quit Fooling Around!,” “The Madwoman of Chaillot,” “The Would-Be Genie,” “The Sirens of Titan,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” “The Coronation of Poppea,” “Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon,” “A Day for Surprises,” and “Tom Jones.” It was during his time there as a student of Dr. Dale Blount that Jeffrey became a passionate devotee of the works of William Shakespeare. In addition, he was a member of the University Chorale, Madrigal Singers, and the Collegium Musicum; vice-president of the University Friends of Musical Theater, a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, and an honorary member of Alpha Psi Omega, the national drama fraternity. Jeffrey also was a cast member for “Childsong,” a Saturday morning CMU produced TV show for children. As part of his final graduation project, Jeffrey authored and directed a homage to Shakespeare, entitled “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”

After completing his studies at CMU in 1976, Jeffrey began his teaching career, first at St. Casimir’s Elementary School in Saginaw, Michigan, and then in 1980 he moved to the twin cities and became a 5th grade teacher at St. Peter’s Elementary School in Richfield, Minnesota. During this time he appeared in several theater productions and musical revues at the Fischer Opera Haus in Frankenmuth, Michigan, as a member of the “The Renowned Fischer Troupe Company.” These productions included: “The Fantasticks,” “The Drunkard,” and “The Gaslight Revue.” Later, he appeared in several Shakespeare productions including “Twelfth Night,” “Macbeth,” “King Lear,” “The Taming of the Shrew,” “Measure for Measure,” and “As You Like It;” Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” and the lead role of John Adams in the well-known musical, “1776,” being active in the theater communities of Lakewood Community College in St. Paul, Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis, and with other theater companies in the twin cities.

Jeffrey eventually retired from teaching and his career shifted to doing theater and performance-work full-time, and he soon became the founder and artistic director for the Minnesota Artists’ Shakespeare Festival, directing many productions including original adaptations of “Macbeth” and “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” He also joined up with his brother David in singing for various recording studio projects in Minneapolis.

Since 2009 he was an active member of the performing arts division (and later working in visual art) of the Interact Center for Visual and Performing Arts, a non-profit community of artists in St. Paul, holding a mission to “create art that challenges society’s perception of disabilities and to build connections.” During his time with Interact, he appeared in over twenty main stage productions, including two sold-out performances at the Guthrie Theater. Jeffrey also was a mentor and teacher in the program, serving as their resident Shakespeare scholar. His original song, “Stage Fright” reflected some of his own struggles in recent years, and has been sung throughout Minnesota.

In addition to his love of the theater, music, and all things Shakespeare, Jeffrey loved to travel, and reverenced his role as parent to many cats over the years. He was passionate about progressive politics, and was the president of the Minnesota Movie Masterworks Society, a weekly gathering of friends who celebrated their love of film together. The last several years of his life he lived as a joyful and well-loved resident at the Oak Grove Care Center in Minneapolis, and had many dear friends there, throughout the twin cities, and beyond.

Jeffrey is predeceased by his parents Robert and Joan (Pierce) Haas, both who were professional musicians and music educators.

He is survived by his two younger siblings, David (Helen) Haas in Apple Valley, Minnesota, and Dr. Colleen (Mary Boutain) Haas, in Bloomington, Indiana; his uncle and Godfather William Haas of Jacksonville, Florida, as well as several cousins in Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, Utah, Colorado, and California.

 

We celebrate his life, his tremendous and prolific talent, and his lavish generosity and clarity of goodness.

A celebration of Jeffrey’s life will take place on Sunday, June 1, 2025

at The Cremation Society of Minnesota, 7110 France Ave. S. Edina, MN 55435

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. – Hospitality and Visitation

2:00 p.m. – Celebration of Life

All are invited. Reception/Social to follow.

The service will be live-streamed. Check back here soon for more information.

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A final graveside service will take place in Bridgeport, Michigan

on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.,

at Pine Grove Cemetery, 6680 Dixie Highway, Bridgeport, MI, 48722

Once again, all are invited.

 

In lieu of flowers, all memorials should be directed to

The Interact Center for Visual and Performing Arts

1860 Minnehaha Avenue W, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55104

(www.interactcenter.org)

 

*William Shakespeare, from “As You Like It.” Act II, Scene 7