Nurturing creativity: How Dr. Jonelle Walker is keeping theatre alive
Tell me about yourself.
I coordinate the South Campus theatre and film program which means I supervise all our theatre events and advise our theatre and film students. At my core, though, I’m a theatre kid from Houston – fun fact: I’m a sixth generation Texan!
What inspired you to pursue a career in theatre arts?
I’m lucky that I had good role models for careers in the arts. My aunt was a ballet dancer, so I had the privilege to visit her backstage at the Houston Ballet many times as a kid. Seeing the elaborate sets and costumes; hanging out in the green room; and seeing the backstage machinery inspired me deeply. Even though I started college thinking I would be a lawyer, ultimately, I could not let go of the stage.
What is your educational background?
I have two bachelor’s degrees in literature and theatre arts from American University, and a master’s and doctorate in theatre and performance studies from the University of Maryland.
Tell me about your artistic journey and what inspires you.
I am deeply inspired by people-watching. Some of my most electrifying ideas come from moving through the world undercover and observing weird human moments in public. I took a 36-hour Greyhound bus trip from Washington, D.C. to Houston and wrote so many stories based on the people I met and the things I saw. I love that theatre uses humans in action as its medium and life as its subject. It means every minute of my life and every new thing I learn about the world is a source of inspiration. The more I understand about being alive, the better I get at making theatre.
Tell about your career journey as a writer and artist.
I started my career journey before I even realized that’s what it was! I produced, wrote the lyrics for, and starred in an original musical for the Houston Fringe Festival when I was a senior in high school. At the time, I just wanted to make something with my friend and the festival gave us more freedom than school. Now I look back and realize we were just kids really going for it. That’s been typical of my career. I almost never think about it in terms of the “right” move. I stay focused on doing projects I’m interested in with people I like.
Can you share a moment in your career that significantly influenced your path?
The summer after I graduated from college, my schedule was unbelievable: 9 to 5 internship; box office job on the weekend; acting, directing, and producing for a show in June and July; assistant stage managing a show in August. I was working 14-to-16-hour days all summer and I had never been happier. It was my sign that I could do hard things and still love my art form. It made me resilient.
Why did you become an educator?
I am extremely passionate about the performing arts, and they are losing audiences little by little every year. Part of why I am a theatre educator is to spread the gospel of performing arts and create opportunities for young people to identify their inner performer. The other part is that I am so inspired by young artists making theatre together; they make this ancient thing new and keep it alive.
How do you inspire creativity and critical thinking in your students?
I like to think of my teaching and directing style as creating a big house with a ton of rooms. I provide clear structure for my students, actors, and technicians; let’s call that the house. Students must think critically to get access to all the “rooms” – they need to understand the layout of the house! Once they understand the structure, they are free to explore those rooms and create whatever they want within. Limitations help us flourish creatively, especially when we are still trying to figure out what we want to make.
What legacy do you hope to leave in theatre education and writing?
I hope my legacy as a teacher is fostering fiercely independent artists who understand their personal creative direction and always listen for the best idea in the room, no matter who offers it. As a writer, I simply hope to contact another soul – maybe even that of the person reading this – across the void.
Learn more about San Jac theatre and film
Upcoming projects:
Our Town by. Thornton Wilder – The South Campus Department of theatre and film brings a multilingual version of the classic play performed in Spanish and English, featuring translated passaged by Nilo Cruz and Jeff Augustin.
Date:
Thursday, March 6 through Saturday, March 15
Location:
South Campus Proscenium Theatre (S15.151)
13735 Beamer Rd, Houston, Texas
Tickets:
One sale at sjcstheatrefilm.ludus.com
- San Jac students - $3
- San Jac faculty - $5
- Community - $7
