John Sits Down with Jay Burton Longtime ACC Drama Faculty
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Description
When he was a student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jay Burton was studying to be a playwright, a creative but literary pursuit. His plans changed, however, and Burton is now helping the next generation of actors, producers and technicians learn about acting. After changing his mind about being a playwright, Burton tried acting, but soon realized that he preferred working behind the scenes as a teacher, director, designer and lighting director. "I took a course in drama because I wanted to write better dialogue, and it turned out that I liked all that theatrical stuff," said Burton, the chair of the speech and drama department at Alvin Community College. He went on to earn a master's degree in theater from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a doctorate at Florida State University. Burton taught at Lenoir Community College in North Carolina before settling in Alvin in 1978 and joining the college staff there. Burton was born in Texas, but grew up in North Carolina. He was drawn back to his birthplace several times, including when he was in the Air Force. It wasn't until he took the teaching job at Alvin Community College that he finally stayed. Burton, who is divorced, has passed on his desire to educate and communicate to his children. His son, Chester, 40, is an artist and teaches art at Indiana State University, and his daughter, Kelly Beam, 36, is an attorney in Houston. Burton's duties run the gamut in theater, from his teaching to side projects. His schedule stays full. In addition to his normal teaching duties, he oversees the drama department's three annual productions, two of which take place during the fall semester, and one in the spring. He also heads the college's Summer Children's Theater Festival, which includes two productions each summer. He is bringing an adult-oriented, dramatic production, A Piece of My Heart, to the Alvin Community College's theater. The show is a dramatic portrayal of the true lives of six women who go into the Vietnam War and come out changed. "There's been a lot of discussion about how badly veterans were treated after Vietnam," Burton said. "If anything, the women were treated worse. They were forgotten." Burton even helped some of his cast members to get in contact by e-mail with the women they are playing. "It's been a difficult show to rehearse," he said. "It's a very emotional show. "Somebody's crying before rehearsal's over almost every night because of the content of the show." But preparing for any kind of production takes much time. Planning the set, props and costumes for a production can also be labor-intensive, Burton said, but his drama staff members help with the effort. Donna Piecznski works with costumes and props, while Able Windham, the technical director, builds the sets. All three supervise the student crews that work on the shows. Burton said all this work pays off when everything "clicks." That exciting moment occurs when the planning, preparation, rehearsals and nervousness combine into a seamless and perfect moment for the actors, crew and director. "And because it's live theater, that doesn't happen every time," he said. "But boy, when it all goes together right, it's just magnificent. It feels great."
Publication Date
2021
Document Type
Podcast
Publisher
Alvin Community College
City
Alvin
Keywords
drama, theater
Disciplines
Theatre and Performance Studies
Recommended Citation
Tompkins, John, "John Sits Down with Jay Burton Longtime ACC Drama Faculty" (2021). John Tompkin’s Podcast. 12.
https://archives.alvincollege.edu/john-tompkin-podcast/12
Comments
Jay Burton began his studies at UNC–Greensboro intending to become a playwright, but soon discovered a passion for theater production and teaching. After exploring acting, he shifted toward directing, design, and lighting, eventually earning a master’s degree in theater from UNC–Chapel Hill and a doctorate from Florida State University. Burton joined Alvin Community College in 1978, where he has led the speech and drama department and directed numerous student productions. He oversees three major shows each academic year, along with a summer children’s theater festival, and is known for guiding students through emotionally powerful work, such as A Piece of My Heart. Burton values the collaborative process of live theater and finds great fulfillment when performances come together seamlessly. His dedication to the craft and to teaching has influenced not only his students, but also his own children, who have pursued careers in the arts and law.