Many student actors and directors use Southeastern’s theater department to add skills to their repertoire.
Student James LeJeune took his degree one step further by taking what Southeastern gave him to the students of Springfield High School.  
“I try to take everything I learn from the directors at Southeastern and am trying to bring it back to them,” said LeJeune.  “I’m trying to require what college directors require out of actors here.  It’s a high bar to set.  They’re doing very well.”
The theatre students of Springfield High are working on a production of “Aladdin” that will show March 24 through March 28 at Springfield High at 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. with the dinner theatre showing on March 29 at 7 p.m.
 Playing the role of Aladdin is Caleb Theriot,a senior at Springfield High who acted alongside LeJeune in Southeastern’s production of “Who Am I This Time?”
“It’s a different experience altogether,” said LeJeune about Theriot.  “He’s very good.  It’s a different dynamic being equal, but directing.  It’s cool working together.”
LeJeune attended Springfield as a student. After experiencing the theatre department at Southeastern while in college, he decided to get involved in the Springfield theater department.  “Aladdin” will be the fourth production he has been involved in at Springfield.
“I want to keep on going to direct everywhere I can go,” said LeJeune, who is planning to graduate in May.  “I’d like to go down to New Orleans and get a job in a theater company down there and work my way up.”
 Although LeJeune has acted in several productions, he explains how he directed before ever acting, and that is how he decided to pursue his passion of directing.
“I started directing before acting.  It’s kind of like sprinting before running,” said LeJeune.  “Acting is a ton of fun. You get to go out there and steal the spotlight, but directing you get to have your hands in all parts of it.  In every scene, in every character.”
Despite being able to work with every character as a director, LeJeune comments on how there are some liabilities that come with directing.
“With acting you’re only responsible for your portion.  [With] directing, anything that goes wrong with any part is on you,” said LeJeune.
LeJeune mentioned that Springfield’s elaborate sets really add to the production.  They have a lot of stage space and therefore can make great sets.  LeJeune claims to have not seen a better set anywhere else except on Broadway.
“Normal audience viewers who don’t expect much going to a high school play are going to get shocked by the quality of it,” said LeJeune. “I really think it’s going to go above and beyond what they would think, and the people that know theater and know what to look for are going to be impressed too, especially with how hard these students are working.  Most of the people we have are freshmen or sophomores and we are requiring a lot out of them.”
LeJeune has pushed the students further every year and has great expectations for their production of “Aladdin.”
The showings will be at Springfield High School on March 24-28 and the tickets will cost $5. The show on the 29th will cost $25 because of the buffet-style dinner that will be included in the cost of admission.
For more information call  Springfield High School at 225-294-3256.