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Directors

Directors

Lovejoy High School Theatre Director - Vonya Eudy

We are thrilled to announce the addition of Vonya Eudy to the
Lovejoy ISD Fine Arts team as our new Theatre Director at Lovejoy High School. With a deep passion for theatre education and a proven track record of program development and student success, Vonya brings both experience and vision to her new role. Vonya joins us from Brownfield ISD, where she led Theatre Arts and
Production classes at the middle school level. Her leadership guided students to a top-three finish in a competitive UIL One-Act Play district contest, with numerous students receiving recognition
for acting and technical excellence. Prior to that, Vonya served as the Head of Theatre Arts at Seminole ISD, instructing courses in Advanced Theatre Production and Technical Theatre. During her tenure, she directed multiple mainstage productions, helped students advance through several
levels of UIL competition, and directed at the summer theatre camp at Texas Tech University. She also played a key role in building a dynamic and inclusive program that reflected her commitment to creativity, diversity, and student engagement. During her tenure as Theatre Director in Canadian ISD, Ms. Eudy led her students to the State UIL One Act Play Contest. Prior to that, while serving in the same role at Keller ISD, she led her students to the state contest three times, earning top-three placements on two occasions. A dedicated member of the Texas Educational Theatre Association, Vonya is known for her collaborative spirit, innovative instruction,
and ability to connect with students through the transformative power of the arts. Her strengths in vocal training, movement dynamics, and acting development have made a lasting impact on hundreds of students.

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Lovejoy High School Assistant Theatre Teacher - Clarissa Shirley

Celebrating her 20th year in education, Clarissa Shirley holds a BFA in Theatre Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Clarissa currently serves as the Yearbook Adviser at Lovejoy High School where her students have earned several distinctions with scholastic journalism organizations ILPC and TAJE. Before joining the journalism program at LHS in 2022, Clarissa served as Assistant Director of Theatre in Keller ISD (Keller, TX) for ten years and served as Head of Theatre at King Alfred's College (Wantage, England) for four years. As part of the directing team at Keller HS, Clarissa earned Casa Mañana Betty Buckley Best Musical nominations for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Spamalot as well as multiple KISD Kelley nominations for excellence in musical theatre including winner of Best Musical for The Addams Family. Additionally, she achieved UIL One Act Play state recognition with All the King's Men and were regional qualifiers with Enron and Bob: A Life in Five Acts (alternate to State).  At KHS, Clarissa sponsored an improv team, the Thespian troupe and hosted coffeehouse nights, and has worked with Summer Spotlight theatre camps. She also gained valuable experience as a production assistant and craft service for tv/film productions filming in Boston most notably for Scout Productions on the ABC TV show Knock First. She looks forward to a busy and challenging year. Go Leopards! 

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Willow Springs Middle School Theatre Director - Morgan Guinn

​Miss Guinn is thrilled to continue in Lovejoy as a Theatre Educator. She graduated with a BFA in Theatre Education from Sam Houston State University, where she immersed herself in various aspects of theatre, including stage management and assistant directing. Her passion for theatre began in 5th grade as a knight in  The Frog Prince at the Crighton Theatre. Some of her favorite plays she has been a part of are Silent Sky, Radium Girls and Little Shop of Horrors. Miss Guinn is excited to be here at Lovejoy to continue working with Mrs.Wilborn and Mrs.Shirley to create and further the experiences and education of theatre students in Lovejoy ISD.

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DNA Statemens

DNA Statements & Standards

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Our theatre department is known for being a big, tightly knit family. We look out for one another and we strive to be supportive and encouraging to everyone involved in our program. We hold our students to extremely high standards.

DNA Statement: 

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“Our mission is to create a comfortable environment where people feel safe to make artistic choices and make mistakes without being judged. We strive to produce quality art as a family filled with wonderful people and lasting memories.”

 

(Created by Production Class 2013-2014)


 

Lovejoy Theatre Standards: 

Keep in mind you are a representative of Lovejoy Theatre and all it stands for:​

  • We are organized and academically responsible.

  • We strive to maintain physical and emotional health.

  • We are focused and hard working.

  • We are able to “leave it at the door.”

  • We are dedicated to excellence in arts.

  • We treat each other with kindness and compassion

  • There is no difference between freshman or senior, Theatre 1 or Theatre 4, chorus or lead. Everybody shows respect to others. 

  • It takes everyone to produce great art. Actors and technicians work harmoniously and support one another. 

  • We respect and encourage each other’s extracurricular organizations throughout the school such as football, Majestics, band, and other ventures.  

  • We hold ourselves to a high standard and strive to represent the graduate profile.

  • We represent the theatre program well, no matter where we are or what we are doing. 

History

History

Founded by director Jessica Brewster and currently under the stewardship of Haley Wilborn, the Lovejoy High School Theatre Department began in 2006 and has been consistently recognized for its ability to produce impressive, ambitious productions. In conjunction with the choir department, the school has produced full-scale musicals to sold-out audiences. Lovejoy High School’s students, plays, and musicals have garnered many awards for both performing and technical achievements in UIL One-Act play competitions and the Schmidt & Jones Awards. An Improv Troupe began in 2015 and was named, “Lovejoy, Unscripted”.  In 2016, the department chartered Lovejoy’s first International Thespian Troupe #8345, which participates every year in the Texas Thespian State Festival, with multiple students qualifying each year for nationals.

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2025-2026

  • Improv Show

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2024-2025

  • Improv Show

  • Steel Magnolias

  • Charlotte's Web

  • Cinderella

  • We Are The Sea (Bi-District Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

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2023-2024

  • Clue

  • Emperor's New Clothes

  • Wizard of Oz

  • Women of Lockerbie (Region Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

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2022-2023

  • All in the Timing

  • The Princess and the Moon

  • Fine Arts Festival Improv Shows

  • The Addams Family

  • Nevermore! (Region Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

  • The Cover of Life

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2021- 2022

  • Lost Boy

  • All Together Now!

  • The Dining Room

  • Fine Arts Festival Improv Shows

  • Judy Moody

  • High School Musical

  • Silent Sky (Bi-District Champions, UIL OAP)

  • Grit Collective

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2020 - 2021

  • Land of Forgotten Toys

  • Santa’s Workshop Got Talent

  • Beehive : The Musical

  • Wit (Bi-District Champions, UIL OAP)

  • Grit Collective 

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2019-2020

  • You Can’t Take It With You

  • All in the Timing

  • Sideways Stories from Wayside School

  • Fine Arts Festival Shows 

  • Improv Shows

  • The Pirates of Penzance

  • The Kentucky Cycle (no UIL - COVID)

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2018-2019

  • Hot Topic: High Hopes

  • Orphan Train 

  • Princess and The Moon

  • Fine Arts Festival Shows 

  • Improv Shows

  • Grease 

  • Anatomy of Gray (State Finalist, UIL OAP) 

  • The Cover of Life

  • The Ruby Sunrise 

  • The Yellow Boat 

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2017-2018

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream

  • The Ant and The Grasshopper

  • Almost, Maine

  • Fine Arts Festival Shows

  • Improv Shows

  • The Sound of Music

  • Violet Sharp (Alternate to Area, UIL OAP)

  • The Diary of Anne Frank

  • The Staggering Heartbreak of Jasmine Merriweather

  • Over the River and Through the Woods 

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2016-2017

  • Peter and the Starcatcher

  • Attack of the Pom-Pom Zombies

  • Fine Arts Festival Shows

  • Improv Shows

  • Fiddler on the Roof

  • Wit (Alternate to State, UIL OAP)

  • Air Bud: The Musical!

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2015-2016

  • Hot Topic: Be the Light  

  • Book of Everything

  • Charlie Brown Christmas

  • Seussical: the Musical

  • Nevermore! (Region Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

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2014-2015

  • Princess and the Moon

  • The Dining Room

  • Charlie Brown Christmas

  • Oklahoma!

  • Waving Goodbye (District Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

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2013-2014

  • You Can’t Take It With You

  • All in the Timing

  • ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

  • Annie

  • The Women of Lockerbie (Region Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

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2012-2013

  • Hot Topic #The New Generation

  • The Importance of Being Earnest

  • Charlie Brown Christmas

  • Little Shop of Horrors

  • Sweet Nothing In My Ear (State Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

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2011-2012

  • The Ant and The Grasshopper

  • The Dining Room

  • Charlie Brown Christmas

  • The Music Man (Best Musical, Lyric Stage’s Schmidt and Jones Awards)

  • Kentucky Cycle: Fire in the Hole (Region Qualifiers, UIL OAP)

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2010-2011

  • The Miracle Worker

  • Almost Maine

  • Into The Woods

  • Nevermore! (Alternate to Area, UIL OAP)

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2009-2010

  • Hot Topic (2)

  • The Crucible

  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

  • Bye Bye Birdie

  • The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Alternate to State, UIL, OAP)

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2008-2009

  • Nunsense: Teacher Show

  • Dearly Beloved

  • To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday

  • The Sound of Music

  • Wit (Alternate to Region, UIL OAP)

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2007-2008

  • You Can’t Take It With You

  • Beauty and The Beast

  • And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson (State Qualifier, UIL OAP)

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2006-2007

  • Hot Topic

  • When Shakespeare’s Ladies Meet

  • Seussical: The Musical

  • I Never Saw Another Butterfly (District Champs, UIL OAP)

 

Our Traditions

Our Traditions

There are many things that make our theatre program unique. There are a few pre-show rituals as well as yearly traditions that we always make sure to do.

 

  • Gold Pins- Before each show, actors and crew members go around and pin a gold safety pin on one another to signify that “we all come together to create one product” and for good luck. Seniors pin freshmen, and then theatre veterans pin newcomers. 

 

  • Lucky Penny- On her first day at Lovejoy, Brewster found a penny on the ground and stuck it between the stage floor and tile near the hospitality room. Before each show, tap it twice for good luck!

 

  • Shake Down- Before every performance all company members participate in the “shake down”. It’s a way to release stress and tension before the show begins. 

 

  • Circle Up- Before each performance, the company circles up for warm ups and encouragement to prepare for the show. 

 

  • Theatre Awards Banquet-

    • Dorothy Barnett Award- This award honors Dorothy Barnett, an impactful member of our theatre community. This award is given to the most encouraging and uplifting student throughout the entire year.

    • Lovejoy Legacy Award- This is given to the senior who left the greatest impact on the theatre department throughout their high school career. This senior is nominated by the students, and the other top nominees are featured on the legacy wall. 

    • Outstanding Technician- This is given to the student who exemplifies outstanding work as a technician throughout the year and goes above and beyond.

    • Drama Queen/King

    • Most Dedicated

    • Most Improved

    • Best Newcomer

    • Show Awards- Students will receive awards based on their involvement in shows throughout the year. 

    • Silly Awards- At the end of the year at our banquet, the seniors team up for silly awards. They create personalized, fun awards for each student. Make sure to RSVP to take part. 

 

  • Legacy Wall- The recipient of the Lovejoy Legacy Award as well as the other top nominees will have their headshot hung on the wall of the black box to encourage others to strive for excellence. 

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