By Risa Askerooth
[email protected]
Central Theatre Arts Academy (CTAA) coordinator and English teacher Jamie Stroud carries 10 years worth of memories, productions and students with her. The driving force behind CTAA and director of countless plays and musicals, Stroud has made a lasting impression on MHS and Hawaii’s performing arts community that will remain in the hearts of students and colleagues long after she leaves for California at the end of the year.
“The program became something the community wants to come and support and the shows have become quality enough for the community and the students to be proud of. She has given this program a reason to be proud,” said alumna Kristi Kashimoto-Rowbottom, who has served as the head choreographer of CTAA’s productions.
Stroud became involved with the program after earning her undergraduate degree in theatre performance from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and moved to Hawaii, where she continued to act in local productions such as “Footloose,” “Chicago” and “Annie.” When she registered her daughter at MHS, she learned that there was a job opening with the existing theatre program and no one to fill it. “I said, ‘Hey, I have an undergraduate degree in theater, and I would love to teach,’” said Stroud, “That’s kind of how it started.”
The theatre program at MHS was previously called Tri-School because it was a collaboration between Leilehua High School, Waialua High School and MHS. However, as the program became increasingly oriented toward the wider public high school population, Stroud renamed it CTAA. In addition, Stroud hired Technical teacher and Lighting Designer Anna Foster and other teachers to help with the production process for shows. “It’s definitely grown,” said Junior Nicholas Howe, who has acted in five productions under Stroud’s direction, “(But) we’re losing a big part of what makes the program the program.”
Along the way, Stroud has inspired many of her students with every show and every piece of advice. She has taught them about putting on a show and more importantly, how they affect the overall performance. “What you’re really trying to do is teach people what goes on and what’s important and let them see that their part is important to something that’s bigger than they are and so the discipline of theater is what I’m really trying to instill,” said Stroud. Howe added, “Looking back on high school, it would never have been the same and I would not be the person I am today if (Stroud) had not touched my life in the way that (she has).”
Being in charge of such a big learning center did not come without challenges, as it took Stroud a few years to become comfortable with all its different elements. “There’s a lot involved with that learning center in terms of meetings that we need to attend and reports and data that has to be compiled and then administratively it was a lot,” expressed Stroud, “But once I had that scheme assembled and we had a lot of different teachers working together for that angle, it made it a lot easier.”
Stroud is leaving MHS for the San Francisco Bay Area due to her husband’s new job, but her departure will not be an easy change for herself as well as many of her students and colleagues because of the memories made here. “I will miss her intensely. I will miss her laugh. I will miss her silliness and sarcasm. I will miss her conservativeness and her ‘Oh, gee!’ exclamations after all my crazy commentary,” said Kashimoto-Rowbottom, “We have been through a lot, and I will never forget the heart and passion she puts into every show she creates.” Stroud added, “Bittersweet, I guess. Sad and happy at the same time.”
Seussical is the last production that Stroud will be directing in Hawaii. Next year, Aiea Intermediate Drama teacher Julia LoPresti will step in and hopefully continue Stroud’s legacy: never being afraid to change something for the better.
