Around campus, we know him as Jarrod Yuskauskas, our Director of Theatre Arts, but this summer he stepped out from behind the curtain as Rev. Shaw Moore in Footloose, Sterling in Jeffrey, and Nick Bottom in Something Rotten! as part of Summer Theatre at Northampton Community College (NCC). 

The summer company is a professional one, comprised of community actors, Actors' Equity members, and a number of college students and recent graduates pursuing musical theatre. "I've seen Jarrod interacting with all of them, onstage and off, and he's a strong role model and mentor for them, both as actors and as people—which I'm sure doesn't surprise you," says Carol Burns, Marketing Director for Summer Theatre at NCC. 

This sentiment comes as no surprise to any past or present students who have acted under Jarrod's direction. But directing students and acting in NCC's community theatre are "very, very different experiences," Jarrod tells us. "Wearing the director's hat, you are constantly juggling, keeping all the balls in the air, as well as the occasional flaming baton and chainsaw. That said, it's been the pleasure of the season to work with Bill and also Nancy (Nancy Barry, Vi Moore in Footloose and the producing director of Interlakes Theatre in New Hampshire) and forge friendships with two actors who are both producing and directing theatre."

He continues, "Conversations over breaks, dinner, or a coffee were like master classes.  The 'thing' I was reminded most from them and this experience is that maintaining your connection to the craft can only make you a stronger, kinder, more compassionate teacher and director." 

Now, at least for the summer, Jarrod replaced his teaching hat with his acting one, playing "three such dynamic who could not possibly be more different." This was a welcome challenge, something Jarrod hasn't done since his "rep season days" at Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre. 

This experience reminded me of the passion and joy in... well, doing what we do. That is, breathing life into a human being and telling their story.  It's impossible to pick one of the three as each encounters a moment where the very core of their belief systems are challenged, if not shattered. However, it was in finding their journey to the other side of those moments where I found that each has a boundless capacity to love, and then learning with each of them how to channel that love away from an obstacle and into a celebration of the ones they hold dearest.

Footloose and Jeffrey have already closed, but you can see Jarrod and the rest of the talented cast in Something Rotten!, which runs until Sunday, July 17. If you need any more convincing to see the show, Jarrod leaves us with the following: 

From being married onstage to one of my favorite humans, Meredith Doyle; to an amazing talent I get to call my brother, Jake Ziman (a Chicago-based actor); seeing the NCC Summer return of Lehigh Valley native and storied talent Ric Stoneback (our own Nostradamus), fabulous and familiar local talents, and finally those at the core of this company: the students from NCC and a bevy of outstanding triple-threats out of Nazareth College, UArts, and Montclair State... I ramble out of sheer awe of and joy in all of these talents.