There’s another director’s chair at the Children’s Summer Theatre Workshop this year.
John Higginbotham, assistant technical director at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, will co-direct the workshop with Susan Raines, Bowlus executive director.
Raines started the workshop in 1995 for children in third through seventh grade interested in theater production. Higginbotham, 28, was one the first workshop kids all those years ago. After he was too old to participate as an actor he became a staff member for the workshop and helped until his freshman year of college.
“I loved it as a kid,” he said. “It’s one of those opportunities that gets looked over. Theater is more than just acting.”
Higginbotham got hooked on theater when a production set used a large turntable to create different scenes.
“I like to see how certain things are built,” he said. “You don’t have to use what is given to you in the tech world.”
His family was another large influence for him. His father is a carpenter, his mom acted and did costume design and his sister acted.
“I would always come to rehearsals with them and I grew up in this place,” he said speaking of the Bowlus. “It holds a special place in my heart.”
Higginbotham said he was terrible at memorizing lines but enjoyed acting. His favorite role one summer required no lines. After graduating from Iola High School he attended Ottawa University and majored in theater.
This past year he has commuted from Ottawa to Iola to help with the tech booth at the Bowlus. He and his wife Jenna made the decision to move their family to Iola to eliminate the commute. They have two children, Eliana and Easton.
Higginbotham said he is a little nervous to start the workshop, but also excited.
“I hope the love I have for the theater will come through,” Higginbotham said. “Susan was my teacher and I want the kids to like it.”
Raines said she is looking forward to Higginbotham joining the direction team.
“John will bring new ideas to the workshop,” she said. “It’s great that it’s someone who has been a part of all of it.”
