Arts Directory

About

Artist Bio

Currently Jef performs mime, variety arts and Mask Theater as The InterACTive Theater of Jef. He teaches mime, circus arts, Commedia dell’Arte, Melodrama, Theater Mask, ensemble techniques and composition through educational residencies. He is also a founding member of the Southeast Center for Arts Integration, a corporation dedicated to fostering the creation, dissemination, evaluation and improvement of arts integration programs. He is currently also the Teaching Artist Consultant to the South Carolina Arts Commission.

Jef apprenticed with C.W. Metcalf and Tony Montanaro, with brief instruction from Jacques Lecoq. His other studies include: acting with William Hickey, period dance and style with William Burdick, commedia dell’arte at the Del’Arte School, neutral mask with Dody Disanto, and clowning with Ezekiel Peterhof.

From 1976 to 1993 Jef was a member TOUCH, North Carolina’s touring mime theater ensemble. The North Carolina Symphony and the Charlotte Symphony both commissioned TOUCH to create and perform original works in concert with them. In 1990, TOUCH received the North Carolina Theater Conference Award for Excellence in Theater for Youth.

From 1993 through 1997, Jef created the character and performed as Wool E. Bull- the mascot for the Durham Bulls Baseball Team.

This year’s performances include: Merlefest in North Wilkesboro, NC; the Saluda County Libraries in SC; The Very Special Arts Festival in Pembroke, NC; and Christmas in July in West Jefferson, NC.

Because of his specialized training in styles of movement theater, Jef has taught at: Department of Dramatic Art, UNC- Pembroke, Pembroke, NC; Department of Theater and Dance, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC; Drama Department, Duke University, Durham, NC; Drama Department, Lees McRae College, Banner Elk, NC; International Festival of Mime and Pantomime, Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta Mime Festival; Southeastern Regional Mime Festival, Greensboro, NC; International Thespian Festival, Muncie, IN; Southeastern Theater Conferences; North Carolina Theatre Conferences; Stanly Co. High School, Albemarle, NC; The Community Youth Theatre, Chapel Hill, NC; Ashe County Middle School, Jefferson, NC; Children’s Summer Theatre Workshop, Oriental, NC; YouTheatre at Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock, NC; the South Carolina Children’s Theater in Greenville, SC; Pine Street Elementary in Spartanburg, SC; Southside Middle School in Florence, SC; Philip Simmons Middle School in Wando, SC; MC Riley Elementary in Bluffton, SC; and the Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary in Charleston, SC.

From 2005 through 2021 was a North Carolina A+ Fellow.

In 2010 he attended the Lincoln Center Institute International Educator Workshop in which he was exposed to world-class professional development exploring the arts, imagination and inquiry.

Jef has shared workshops in arts integration and arts education with teachers in North and South Carolina as well as Iowa and Ohio. He has also presented workshops at the Palmetto State Arts Education Conferences in South Carolina; ArtsR4Life Conferences in Raleigh, NC; the South Carolina STEM/STEAM Conference in Spartanburg, SC; the MUSE Machine Summer Institute at the Chapman Center in Spartanburg, SC; the A+ National Conference in Raleigh, NC; and he was the keynote speaker and workshop provider at the Charleston County Arts Education Conference in 2017.

Artist Statement

Onstage I’m a quiet kind of guy. I juggle and balance things. I get confused at times. (Sometimes I even forget what my hat is for!) I develop a relationship with my audience members to help me when I’m confused and to play along with my mime, mask & variety arts shenanigans.

In the classroom, I strive to be clear about the work at hand, be it mime or arts integration. I have been accused of oversimplifying concepts, but hey, I’m a mime- simple is good! I scaffold the work so that the participants are ready and eager for the next step and the next idea. I attempt to create workshops and residencies that empower the attendees to continue the work after I am down the road.

Teaching Artistry Details

Teaching Artist Statement

In the classroom, I strive to be clear about the work at hand, be it mime or arts integration. I have been accused of oversimplifying concepts, but hey, I’m a mime- simple is good! I scaffold the work so that the participants are ready and eager for the next step and the next idea. I attempt to create workshops and residencies that empower the attendees to continue the work after I am down the road.

Description of Offerings

In educational situations, I share workshops and residencies in Mime, Circus Arts, Commedia dell’Arte, Melodrama, Theater Mask, Ensemble Techniques, Playwriting and Arts Integration.

Experienced with the following age groups

• Kindergarten -2nd Grade
• 3rd-5th Grade
• 6th-8th Grade
• 9th-12th Grade
• Higher Education
• Adults

Materials Provided to Schools or Organizations by Teaching Artist

I bring all materials and supplies necessary for work in any residency. I provide Study Guides to participating teachers prior to my residency. I provide an overview of the work accomplished after the residency is completed.

Physical and Technical Requirements of a School or Organization

Most residencies can be accomplished in the students’ classrooms. The Circus Arts residencies must be in a large room that is empty, so that we don’t break things. If we are making masks, we need space appropriate to gluing, painting and cleaning.