▁an ▁Elizabeth an ▁the ater ▁scholar ▁and ▁professor ▁of ▁English ▁Liter ature . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁Reyn olds ▁helped ▁develop ▁plans ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁Mary ▁R ipp on ▁Out door ▁Theatre . ▁R ipp on ▁( 1 8 5 0 - 1 9 3 5 ) ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁professor ▁at ▁the ▁university ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁teach ▁at ▁a ▁state ▁university . ▁She ▁was ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁German ic ▁L anguages ▁and ▁Liter ature ▁and ▁also ▁served , ▁without ▁financial ▁compens ation , ▁as ▁Dean ▁of ▁Women . ▁ ▁After ▁her ▁death , ▁University ▁President ▁George ▁Nor lin ▁suggested ▁that ▁a ▁planned ▁out door ▁the ater ▁be ▁named ▁in ▁R ipp on ' s ▁honor . ▁Const ruction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁with ▁fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Reg ents ▁and ▁the ▁federal ▁Works ▁Progress ▁Administration , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁private ▁don ations . ▁“ Al umn i ▁Day ” ▁celebr ations ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁still - in complete ▁the ater ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁Mary ▁R ipp on ▁Out door ▁Theatre ▁was ▁officially ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁but ▁no ▁plays ▁were ▁st aged ▁there ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁when ▁book ▁rev iewer , ▁Shakespeare ▁scholar ▁and ▁associate ▁director ▁of ▁libraries ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁ac quis itions ▁James ▁S ando e ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁direct ▁a ▁play