Knightly News

Lear deBessonet '98

The impact a life, a voice and a legacy can make is tremendous.  Sometimes two lives collide in a way we never expect, the ripples set in motion from one experience, one moment of kindness, and then years later, those ripples return in a way only our faith can lean into and rely on.  Friday, March 24th, marked a day where one voice spoke in remembrance and in the spirit of a special alumna, mother, daughter, sister, wife and friend of so many in our Episcopal community.  Lindley Spaht Dodson was a 1995 graduate of Episcopal remembered for the way she shared her love and joy with those around her. While on campus, Lindley was active in many extracurricular activities, including serving as Student Body President. She was passionate about theater and received awards for Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress and Excellence in Drama. 

When the Spaht and Dodson families set out to find a way to honor Lindley, there is no doubt there were countless ways she could be remembered. She touched so many people in every avenue of her life through her humor and undeniable laugh, her professional achievements, her faith and her exuberant love for life.  The Spaht family fondly remembers Lindley’s love of the stage and how the Episcopal Arts brought her out of her shell. 

To honor Lindley’s legacy, the Spaht family endowed the Lindley Spaht Dodson Speaker Series to benefit the performing arts program at Episcopal.  This program gave Lindley the chance to find her voice through the many roles she played and ultimately transformed her from a shy, awkward child into a gregarious, confident adult.  The theater at Episcopal was a home-away-from-home for Lindley, and her immersion in it became a turning point in her life.  Episcopal is honored and extremely grateful to have the gift of this annual speaker series in her memory for the students of Episcopal.   

Paul Spaht, Katherine Spaht, Lear deBessonet and Drew Dodson

On Friday, March 24th, Episcopal welcomed Lear deBessonet back to campus as the inaugural speaker in the series. Lear, a 1998 alumna, first met Lindley when Lindley cast Lear for the play “Rumors.” Even now, Lear remembers that Lindley made her feel like a part of the cast as a young freshman. After graduation, Lear attended the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Scholar and went on to become an award-winning Broadway director. Lear’s work includes “Into the Woods” on Broadway, “Annie Live” for NBC and “Hercules” (Disney Theatricals/Public Works.) She is the artistic director of Encores! at New York City Center, and she previously founded the acclaimed Public Works program at The Public Theater. Lear’s message to Episcopal students in all three divisions was powerful and inspiring.

“What is a good life? What is a meaningful life?” she asked Upper School students during assembly. “I’ve had quite an epic adventure since Episcopal,” she said. “I think about my time at Episcopal every day as an adult in New York.” That adventure included working multiple jobs, overcoming rejection and staying focused on her faith.

“I could persist because of the faith that was nurtured here,” said Lear of her time at Episcopal. She found that relationship with God at the age of 10 and has used it as her guidepost ever since. “God sees you and knows the things you like; for me, that was theater,” she said from the VPAC stage. As she spoke, she remembered performing on the stage in a fourth grade Christmas play wearing a puff paint sweatshirt as a member of the chorus. She approached her part with enthusiasm and passion and earned a compliment from Director Danny Tiberghein.

Throughout Lear’s time with current Episcopal students, she encouraged them and offered hope. She shared stories of profound moments of opportunity and raw determination. She inspired young Knights to imagine the future of their dreams. “The things that you love doing now – those are real seeds,” she advised. Lear was open and honest with aspiring student artists. “Having confidence doesn’t mean you’re not freaking out inside,” she said. “I do continually have to be outside my comfort zone. It’s fine to not feel like you have it together.” She also encouraged students to love others and make a difference. “I believe the arts change people’s lives,” she said.

In her career, Lear has made it a point to help others and improve her community. She’s participated in a range of projects, including distributing Broadway tickets to people who have never seen a show, bringing art to homeless shelters and working with refugees in Cambodia to create visual art. “Become a light in a dark place,” she advised students.

For so many, Lindley was a shining light. We are so grateful to Lear for returning to campus to inspire our students to be kind in whatever they do, to overcome adversity and rejection in life, and to keep Christ in their hearts in all they do. We know Lindley’s legacy was felt through the voice of Lear.  Our students and community are so fortunate to have such a tremendous opportunity, and the ripple effects will be forever felt every year as the memory and voices of these speakers impact our students.

If you are interested in supporting the Lindley Spaht Dodson Speaker Series, please contact me at [email protected] to learn how you can give. 

Lindsay Turner is a 1997 graduate of Episcopal High School. She received her undergraduate degree at The University of Alabama in Business and received her master’s degree in Sports Administration from Louisiana State University.  After spending 17 years on LSU’s campus both at the LSU Alumni Association as well as the Tiger Athletic Foundation, in 2019 she accepted a position as the Development Outreach Coordinator here at Episcopal. Lindsay married another Episcopal alum, Earl Turner III, and they have two children, Wynn and Sydney. Lindsay is thrilled to be back on campus and looks forward to reenergizing and reconnecting with fellow Knights in our alumni community. 

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.