Notable Alumni Return To Celebrate 25th Anniversary Of Jesuit High School's Alex L. Parks Performing Arts Center -01/05/23
Portland, Ore. (Jan. 4, 2023) – Jesuit High School is celebrating 25 years of outstanding performances in the Alex L. Parks Performing Arts Center (PAC) with a Silver Anniversary Gala on Saturday, January 7. The event will feature nearly 100 alumni and students reprising roles from the past 25 years, several who have gone on to successful careers in the arts. Current Miss Oregon Sophia Takla ’19 will be performing, as well as the JHS Chamber Choir and the cast of the school’s upcoming musical, The Wizard of Oz.
Immediately following the show, the party moves to the recently remodeled Hollman Family Student Union for food, drinks, and entertainment by several of Jesuit’s professional performing alumni, including The Bylines (with Maria Thielen ’00), LVDY (with Kathleen Hooper ’10), and Courtney Freed ’98.
“It becomes pretty clear as soon as the alumni begin gathering that we’re celebrating a lot more than the anniversary of a building. We’re celebrating a community. We end up with a group from all walks of life. Some have kept performing. Some haven’t performed since they were on this stage. But there’s a shared experience,” said Jeff Hall, who co-directs Jesuit’s Theatre Program with Elaine Kloser.
All proceeds benefit the ongoing legacy of Jesuit High School’s Theatre Program. The 25th Anniversary Gala begins with a reception at 6 pm on January 7, followed by the Gala performance from 7-8:30 pm, and then the after party begins at 8:30 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.jesuitportland.org/theatre.
The Jesuit High School Theatre Program has been co-directed by Jeff Hall and Elaine Kloser for more than 30 years, and has been recognized by the Educational Theatre Association for the unique opportunities offered to students at Jesuit and beyond. “When Elaine and I started here in 1991 and 1992, the program at Jesuit was thriving. We’re grateful to have had the level of support and involvement from the very beginning that has made this beautiful facility and all these experiences possible,” said Jeff Hall.
For more information, visit www.jesuitportland.org/theatre.
About Jesuit High School: Founded in 1956 by the Society of Jesus, Jesuit High School is Oregon's only Catholic secondary school in the Ignatian tradition of excellence in education. We are a non-profit, coeducational college-preparatory school for grades 9-12 that serves students of all religious faiths. Our 1,280 students represent a diverse mix of young women and men from the Portland metro area and southwest Washington.
Jesuit High School's mission is to educate "men and women for others.” Our graduates are leaders who are religious, loving, intellectually competent, committed to doing justice, and open to growth. Jesuit is the recipient of two U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Awards, a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Award for its sustainability efforts, and 17 OSAA Cup Awards for outstanding achievement in academics, school activities, athletics, and sportsmanship. More information can be found at www.jesuitportland.org.