Faculty Records (University Of Maine). Professor Colbath (James Arnold) Papers

James Arnold Colbath earned a B.S. in 1948 from the University of Maine, a M.A. (1950), M.F.A. (1951), and Ph.D. (1962) from Case Western Reserve University. Colbath's Ph.D. was on Japanese Noh drama. Colbath also served as a student assistant in the Theatre Branch at the Shrivenham University in England under Herschell L. Bricker who as well being as the Branch Head was also the director of the Maine Masque Theatre.

Colbath taught at a number of academic institutions from 1951-1968 before coming back to the University of Maine in 1968 as an Associate Professor of Theatre. While at the University of Maine Colbath was also the Area Coordinator of the Theatre Division in the School of Performing Arts and Director of the Maine Masque Theatre (1970-1978). Colbath also served on a number of University of Maine committees including the Council of Colleges (1970-1973) and Graduate Board (1970-1972). Colbath conducted research into the French director Jacques Copeau, including writing an unpublished biography. In 1977, Colbath was named a Fellow to the National Endowment for the Humanities "Symposium on Shakespeare in Performance.

Early in Colbath's career he acted in a number of plays, but he would go on to focus more on script writing, producing and directing plays and musicals. Including producing: "Huck Finn", "The Crow In The Heart", "All Flesh Is Grass", "The Blue Moon in the Yellow Lake", "Der Augenblick, or Poor Fish", "Something About Oyster", "Dancing On The Water", and "The Women In The Sixth Row".

Colbath directed plays at the University of Maine, Catawba College, Malone Summer Playhouse, Reinhardt College, University of North Carolina, Case Western Reserve University, Elmira College, University of Minnesota, University of Delaware, and off-Broadway in New York City.

Colbath died in 1986.