Mark Arthur Haack

June 13, 1952 - Sept. 4, 2025

Mark Haack was born June 13, 1952, in Park Falls, Wisconsin. His father, Laurence Haack was a forester and his mother, Lorraine Anderson Haack, was a registered nurse. The family moved to Escanaba, Michigan, in 1962, when Mark’s father became Superintendent of the Hiawatha National Forest. Mark attended public schools and while at Escanaba High School took an intense interest in stagecraft, designing and building sets both for the school’s drama program and a local theater group, the Players de Noc. Pete Adamini, his theater instructor, urged Mark to attend Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, as it had a strong theater and artistic design program. Upon earning his B.A., Mark followed his muse to Greenwich Village in New York City and immersed himself in theater activities, designing and building sets for numerous off-Broadway and summer stock productions, including the Peterborough Players of New Hampshire, The Hyde Park Playhouse and the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. In NYC he paid his dues for 16 years as journeyman set designer, artistic advisor, set maker and stage manager, sometimes eking out a living as an itinerant carpenter, remodeling apartments for fellow starving artists. When painting sets for a 1978 Long Island production of “The Brixton Recovery,” Mark struck up a life-long professional association with David Chapman, the set and production designer. The two worked together on numerous off-Broadway and Broadway productions, including: “The First” about Jackie Robinson; “Othello” starring James Earl Jones and Chris Plummer; “Zorba” starring Anthony Quinn; The 1980’s revival of “Cabaret” starring Joel Grey; and the 1982 American Shakespeare Theater Stratford production of “Henry IV Part 1” and “Hamlet.” Lured by filthy lucre, the Chapman/Haack team migrated to the motion picture industry and production designed and art directed for such studio films as: “Legal Eagles;” “Dirty Dancing;” “Mystic Pizza;” ”Last Exit to Brooklyn;” “Home Alone;” “Grumpy Old Men;” “Singles;” “Lost in Yonkers;” and “Two if By Sea.” Their HBO productions included: “Into the Homeland;” “Vendetta;” and “Capistrano.” Their Portland, Oregon independent movies included: “The Favor;” and “Body of Evidence.” Mark lived in New York for 25 years and taught stagecraft at Marymount College in Tarrytown NY. He contracted HIV in the late 1980’s, lost his partner Robert Hines to AIDS in 1989 and decided to move near to family in Oregon. Mark continued to design for film and stage from Portland, including numerous productions at Teatro Milagro (Miracle Theater) and the Oregon Children’s Theatre. In Portland, Mark art-directed the Lifetime movie “Bigger Than the Sky” and production designed the Lifetime movies “A Change of Heart” and “Take My Advice: The Anne and Abby Story.” He designed sets for Royce’s Prop Shop and was Head Painter at R. A. Reed’s Productions. He relished being a crew member for Sherry and Don Lundell’s food booth at the Oregon Country Fair and a scenic painter “Farm Bod” for the Pickathon Music Festival at Pendarvis Farm. Prior to his retirement in 2016, Mark was set designer for Dick Wolfe’s one-season-only TV drama “Chicago Justice.” Mark was a long-term member of I.A.T.S.E. Local 829, United Scenic Artists (New York) and Local 800, Art Directors Guild (Los Angeles), and remained a retired member of the Guild until his death. He earned a Portland Drammy Award in 2006 for his design of “The Giver” at Oregon Children’s Theater and the 2010 Scenic Design Drammy for “El Quijote” at the MiIagro Theater. Mark enjoyed woodworking, was a master draftsman and scenic painter, and turned a plain-Jane cottage in the Piedmont neighborhood into an arts and Crafts jewel box, which for the past 29 years he shared with his husband, Fred Neal. Together, they camped all over Western America and Canada and travelled extensively in Europe and Mexico, touring architectural wonders and ancient ruins, enjoying art museums, flea markets and scenic vistas, always to return to their small but gracious home and garden, where they loved to entertain their many friends. Even when they were separated by one or the other’s work travels, they ritually shared a 5 o’clock gin martini, which Fred will forever more refer to as “Mark-tinis.” Mark is remembered as quiet, gentle and generous with his talents and gracious humor. He enjoyed mentoring fellow stage artists, sharing his vast knowledge of color, design and fealty to the story. After a number of years of increasing disability due to dysphagia and COPD, Mark passed quietly away at home September 4. He is survived by his husband, Fred R. Neal, brother Paul Haack (Marcia), sister Nancy Ward, brother-in-law Larry Neal (Peg), sister-in-law Linda Kreisman (Peter) and many adoring nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by both of his parents. Contributions in Mark’s name may be made to the Oregon Food Bank, 7900 NE 33d Drive, Portland 97211, or the Milagro Theater 425 SE 6th Ave., Portland 97214. Fred and Mark’s family are grateful for the excellent care Mark received both from Kaiser Permanente NW and Legacy Emmanuel and Legacy Hospice. There will be a celebration of Mark’s life at the Milagro Theater, 525 SE Stark, Portland, Saturday November 8, beginning at 11 am.