Jane Maxwell Campbell: Growing up with theatre.

Theater has always been part of my life.  My parents always had a place for us to do theater at home -- Mom and Dad would hang curtains up and encourage us to make costumes and create characters.  My first school play was The Miracle Worker in fifth grade. 

I went on to study graphic art in college and after taking a history and appreciation of theater class, I decided to study theater at University of California, Santa Cruz.  After I moved to the Central Coast, I helped form a nonprofit theater, was then involved in theater in Hawaii before moving back to the Santa Barbara area where I soon taught theater arts at the private Cate School for 14 years (Side note: Andrew V. McLaglan actually graduated from that school in 1938).

When my husband, Tom Campbell, and I made our home in San Juan Island, it was a no-brainer that I’d head over to SJCT and start volunteering -- when I had visited the island I was so impressed with the Theatre, it really was one of the key reasons we moved here. 

My first experience here was helping with the sets for The Music Man; then Merritt [Olsen] asked if I’d be interested in directing, so I took on The Death and Life of Sneaky Fitch in the summer of 2008.  I’ve been involved behind-the-scenes in almost every production since then in some capacity--from set painter to set design to assistant stage manager to director (I am directing this summer’s The Real Inspector Hound).  I also am a member of CATS and have helped with the Teddy Bear Picnic and the Holiday Festival.

What isit that keeps me loving this?  It’s the family.  The people.  There is such a quality and diversity of people you get to be with -- a true community.