PRODUCER
Creating performing arts is an act of love: Love of the words on the page, love of the actors - their voices and movement in the rooms, love of light and sound and space, of music and laughter and tears, and most importantly, a love of really, really hard work. I’ve produced performances in warehouses, on city streets, in cavernous Victorian houses, outdoors under a canopy of stars, in churches, schools, prisons, and museums, and in theaters large and small, ornate and austere. My life’s work has been to bring performers and audiences together with lights (when we had them!) and a stage.
TEACHER
While teaching, my commitment to the transformative power of theatre informs each aspect of my pedagogical practice. By passing on the craft of acting, I am also transferring tools that will endure with the engaged pupil - through their art and in their lives. Communication teaches empathy. Voice study teaches courage and poise. Artistic discipline teaches mutual respect and patience. This relatively small platform - creating live performances together – opens a door for working toward common positive goals. Simply put: The work of teaching performing arts is essential to the success of humanity. Theatre teaches us how to live and live well, together.
DIRECTOR
As a Director and theatre professor, my highest calling is to foster an environment where others have the opportunity to excel, while investing myself completely in the power of performing arts.
PERFORMER
Like so many theatrical professionals, Lisa began her journey in theatre as an actor. She is a third generation student of Sanford Meisner and believes, as he did, that “Acting is behaving truthfully in imaginary circumstances.” She has appeared in countless productions and her experience informs her teaching, directing, and production.
Lisa believes that acting is a form of service: to the truth, to one’s fellow actors, and to the audience. She’s also a pretty good singer but refers to her dancing as “enthusiastic, probably entertaining, but not in a good way.”
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND CERTIFICATES
ABOUT LISA
Lisa Cesnik Ferguson is a theatre professional with 33 years of experience producing, directing, teaching and acting. She has produced theatre regionally all over the United States, but most frequently in Barnesville, GA, Indianapolis, IN, Minneapolis, MN, Chicago, IL, Columbus, GA, Athens, GA, and Richmond, VA. She earned her baccalaureate degree in Theatre from Ball State University and her MFA in Theatre from University of Georgia.
She is a tenured Associate Professor at Gordon State College where she additionally serves as Director of Theatre and has instructed and directed at University of Georgia, Columbus State University, Randolph Macon College and Piedmont University.
She is working toward her Certification at Georgia Film Academy (GFA) and toward her certification in Fundraising Management from the Eli Lilly School of Philanthropy at IUPUI.
AUTHENTIC LIFE - COLLABORATOR
What is the actual role of an actor/director/producer/teacher in, say, a small town where there’s never been a professional theatre community? How does one build an audience? How do you ignite in people a love of live theatre? It’s my belief that there’s tremendous opportunity and work to be done offstage as much as on.
CONTACT LISA
