Jefferson Performing Arts Society

Jefferson Performing Arts Society

Students from Dillard, Loyola, and Tulane Universities offer theater, marketing, and business skills to JPAS Spring Season

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Students from Dillard, Loyola, and Tulane Universities offer theater, marketing, and business skills to JPAS Spring Season

“We are blessed to have so many local students offering their youthful energy and ideas to our current productions and future publicity campaigns. In turn, JPAS is glad to offer students this opportunity to work with a 44-year-old institution firsthand!”

- Dennis Assaf, Co-Founder and Artistic Director.

Heaven Edmonson at the light board for "A Comedy of Tenors"

Jefferson Performing Arts Society is benefitting from hours of involvement of theater, marketing, and business students from three local universities this spring. Students are contributing their time and talents for A Comedy of Tenors as well as working on long-term marketing and publicity initiatives.

One Tulane University student, two Loyola University students and five Dillard University students are working behind-the-scenes for the production of A Comedy of Tenors, in roles ranging from sound and lights to costume creation.

According to A Comedy of Tenors stage manager and intern supervisor Reagan Lincoln, “It's wonderful to bring new people into the world of theater. They get to see firsthand the beauty of the creation, while getting a close look at all the cogs in the wheel that make a production fully realized. And how exciting to have three schools participating! For this show we need so many hands in different places. For example, Hunter has been gathering all the sound effects and has attended all rehearsals to play those effects for us--that's a true luxury in the rehearsal process. Our lighting interns have worked hard as well hanging and focusing lights. But it doesn't end there.  Heaven will run our light board and handle any lighting programming that may arise.  Jalen, Mekhi, and Nicole have come in during the day to sew.  And it's all hands-on deck backstage with Lizzie, Kasey, Zach and Nicole switching between setting props, moving props, and dressing actors. I could not do this show without them!”

Zachary Paige- Westbrook and Jada Williams adjust lighting at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center

Intern Comments:

  • This opportunity is giving me valuable, hands-on experience in a professional theatre setting where I can meet, observe, and learn from theatre professionals.  The best part for me is getting to see a vision come to life from paper to stage. It is incredibly rewarding to watch and especially to be involved in that process. That is what has always drawn me to theatre,” said Loyola University intern and Theatre Arts major Lizzie O’Dell.
  • As the Founder of Enter The Draco™️ Productions, an entertainment production company that I've started from the bottom up, I am enjoying the opportunity to brand myself and to work in a big theatre space,” said Dillard University intern and Theatre Performance major Zachary Paige-Westbrook.
  • My career goals include music performance and all aspects of music and sound production and recording in both music and theater. This internship has helped me gain invaluable knowledge about producing and coordinating sound for a theatrical production,” said Hunter Wainwright, Loyola University New Orleans, Popular and Commercial Music.

 

Lizzie O'Dell and Nicole Lincoln dress the set of "A Comedy of Tenors"

Additionally, 35 senior level undergraduate marketing/business majors from Tulane University’s Brand Management course, taught by local opera singer and actor Elizabeth Ulloa Lowry, are working on six marketing research projects designed to assist JPAS with various publicity, community engagement, and Covid-era challenges.

Professor Lowry is in the Department of Marketing, Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.  Her selection of JPAS as a partner non-profit for the spring semester was inspired by the fact that she was cast in a leading role for Jefferson Performing Art Society’s A Comedy of Tenors!

"It has been a pleasure getting to work both on and off stage with the JPAS family this year. This experience has been so beneficial to our students, who are learning first-hand about delivering an extraordinary product at a very difficult time. We also hope the students' research and insights will be equally valuable to JPAS and its patrons," added Lowry.

 

Dillard University Interns:

Jalen Carr: Costume assistance. Heaven Edmonson: Light board operator.

Mekhi Hayes: Costume assistance. Kasey King: Assistant Stage Manager.

Zachary Paige-Westbrook: Grand drape assistance and costume changes.

Jada Williams:  Assistant to the light board operator.

Loyola University Interns:

Lizzie O’Dell:  Assistant stage manager, props.

Hunter Wainwright: Assistant Sound Engineer.

Tulane University Intern:

Nicole Lincoln:  Assistant stage manager, costume repair, costume changes.