SLOHS DRAMA - Key Persons
Ava Walsh is an American actress and a San Luis Obispo High School alumna who se rved as the Treasurer of SLOHS Performing Arts from 2021 to 2022. Walsh made her dramatic debut in 2018 with Wizard of Oz and subsequently gained notability for her roles as Snug in A Midsummer Night's Dream (2019) and Neddie in The Party Hop (2021). Most recently, Walsh was featured in the 2022 revival of Wizard of Oz. Walsh would have made her final performance in the 2022 revival of Much Ado About Nothing, but the show was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19.
Walsh was elected the first Treasurer of SLOHS Performing Arts on May 11, 2021. She assumed office on August 19, 2021.
With Zombie Prom (2022), Walsh and fellow actress Zoë Bartholomew became the first students to direct a live production since 2019's Runaways, and the first people to co-direct a production since 2017's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. For her efforts as a leader and as a performer, Walsh received the 2022 Golden Tiger Award for Excellence in Advanced Theatre.
Job Titles:
- Artist
- First President Without a Vice
- First Vice President to Become President
- President of SLOHS / Theater Arts Club
Baxter Boyington is an artist and realtor who served as the seventh President of the Theater Arts Club during the spring of 1966. He previously served as the fifth Vice President in the fall of 1965. Boyington was the second (and the most recent) Vice President to later be elected to the presidency.
After graduating, Boyington did not continue performing, but has maintained a substantial presence in visual arts up to the present day, pursuing fine art independently and serving as the San Luis Obispo County Film Commissioner.
Job Titles:
- President
- Exiting President
- Members, President
- Student Advisers to the President
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Sets and Properties
- Second and Current Commissioner
Cade Laity is the second and current Commissioner of Sets and Properties, having assumed office on September 17, 2022.
Job Titles:
- Only Vice President in History Without a President. Records Do Not Show the Presidency Occupied at All in Spring 1968
Job Titles:
- Secretary of SLOHS Performing Arts ( 2021 - Present ), Member of Academy of Creative Theatre ( 2018 - Present )
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Marketing
Job Titles:
- President of SLOHS / Theater Arts Club
Clifton H. Jolley, Ph.D. is a newspaper columnist and author who served as the first President of the Theater Arts Club from 1961 to 1962. Jolley transferred to SLOHS partway through high school and quickly became involved with the drama program, as well as student government, serving as ASB Vice President from 1961 to 1962.
After graduating, Jolley gained notability for hosting PBS Civic Dialogue and producing two documentaries for PBS, both of which garnered Emmy nominations. As a columnist, Jolley has been published in the New York Times, Dialogue, Sunstone, and Western Folklore, among others.
Job Titles:
- First Vice President Ever
- First Vice President to Become President
Job Titles:
- President
- President - Elect Year Appointed by
Former President Ella Livingston appointed all four student members of the 2019-20 Board, which was led by President Bella Gerencser. The faculty adviser, Zach Roper, was signed on by Gerencser herself.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Theatrical Hair and Makeup
- Second and Current Commissioner
Emily Sincoff is the second and current Commissioner of Theatrical Hair and Makeup, having assumed office on September 17, 2022.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Actor
- Co - President of SLOHS Drama Club
- Drama Club Co - President, 2019 - Present FPC Member, 2017 - Present / Secretary
- Drama Club Co - President, 2019 - Present FPC Member, 2017 - Present / Vice President
- Presidents of the Drama Club
- Treasurer of the Film Production Club
Evan Clausen was the second and most recent treasurer of the Film Production Club. He assumed office on August 24, 2020, having been appointed to the position by former President Bella Gerencser (2019-2020). His term ended on June 8, 2021.
Treasurer Evan Clausen was the first male individual, and second overall, to hold joint office in Film Production and Drama Club.
Treasurer Evan Clausen was the oldest officer ever, assuming office at 18.12 years.
Evan Clausen is an actor and San Luis Obispo High School alumnus who served as Co-President of the Drama Club from 2019 to 2021. He is known for his work on-stage with the Drama Club and has also made appearances at the SLO Repertory Theatre. Clausen additionally gained notability as a screen actor in Film Production Club, where he also served as treasurer from 2020 to 2021.
For his work in the SLOHS show choir over the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Clausen received the 2021 Golden Tiger Award for Musical Theatre.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Commissioner of Marketing
- Commissioner of Marketing ( 202 2 - Present ), Vice President of SLOHS Performing Arts ( 2021 - 2022 )
- Second and Current Commissioner
Secretary Flannery Clausen is the first officer ever who is related to a former officer.
Secretary Flannery Clausen is the third officer ever to serve office in both Film Production Club and SLOHS Performing Arts. After former President Ella Livingston, Clausen is also the second FPC officer to also serve as Vice President of SLOHS Performing Arts.
Flannery Clausen is the second and current Commissioner of Marketing, having assumed office on September 17, 202 2.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Technical Theatre
Gavin Wren is the second and current Commissioner of Technical Theatre, assuming office on September 17, 2022.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Costuming
Founder Grant Thorshov was the youngest all-time president at 15.99 years; however, his founding of the club allowed him to become president much sooner than others. His successors have only been seniors to date. For the title of youngest senior president, McKay narrowly surpasses Bella Gerencser, who took office at 16.9 years.
Job Titles:
- President
- President of the Film Production Club
Ian Hammons is the fifth and current president of the Film Production Club. He took office on August 25, 2021.
Job Titles:
- President
- President - Elect
- Vice President
- Vice President, 2018 - 2020 FPC Member, 2017 - Present
Ian McKay was the first President who previously served as a Vice President. He was also the only Board member ever to be promoted, serving two years as Vice President prior to his 2020 presidential appointment.
Ian McKay was the most recent President-elect of the Film Production Club. Kaylie Hall was the most recent Vice President-elect of the club. McKay and Hall both took office on August 24, 2020, dropping the "elect" titles. Filmmaker Ian Hammons has since succeeded McKay as president, but bypassed formal election and thus was never considered President-elect.
Ian McKay was the last creative director of Iambic Pentameter. He was appointed to the position on February 16, 2019 by predecessor Kaylee Beardsley when his production of Much Ado About Nothing was selected for the 2019-2020 season. McKay took office as club president on August 20, 2019. Due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and resulting postponement of the annual Shakespeare play, McKay's time in office was extended to a second term, which began on August 24, 2020 and ended on June 8, 2021.
Former Secretary Jahan Ramezani was involved with Film Production Club for all four years of high school, but did not join the club until the end of his freshman year. McKay, on the other hand, joined at the beginning of his freshman year. Treasurer Evan Clausen joined at the same time as McKay, but did not participate for most of 2018, and rarely attended meetings until 2019.
Secretary Jahan Ramezani broke the record for longest membership, beating out Ella Livingston's previous record of three years.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Member of the 2019 - Present
Secretary Jayda Monreal was the youngest secretary ever, assuming office 16.82 years.
Secretary Jayda Monreal was the only member of the board who was not a former dancer.
Job Titles:
- Staff Adviser to the President
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Member of the 2019 - Present
- Preceding President
Every past vice president has served for two years. Hall, however, took office as a senior, offering her only one year to serve.
Vice President Kaylie Hall was the first vice president to be appointed by the exiting president rather than the President-elect.
Vice President Ian McKay was appointed to his second term by the exiting president; however, his original appointment was by the President-elect, making Hall the first true vice president not appointed by President-elect.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Sets and Properties
Job Titles:
- President
- First President of Performing Arts Company
- Incumbent President
- President of SLOHS Performing Arts
Lindsay Smith is the first and current president of SLOHS Performing Arts, having assumed office on August 19, 2021. She began her second term on August 18, 2022.
Maddy Larrimore was the first Board member to resign, rather then end her tenure at graduation.
Job Titles:
- First Non - Binary Officer Only Non - Binary President
- Makeup Artist
Makeup artist Maggie Zuniga at work on an actor, wearing gloves and double surgical masks.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- First Vice President of the Performing Arts Company
- Vice President of SLOHS Performing Arts
Mark Rourke is the second and current vice president of SLOHS Performing Arts, assuming office on August 18, 2022. Out of the entire history of the drama program, Rourke is only the second male to hold the office, and the first in more than fifty years; the last male vice, Baxter Boyington, served in 1965.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Classics
- Second and Current Commissioner
Olivia Cusick is the second and current Commissioner of Classics, assuming office on September 17, 2022.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Costuming
- Second and Current Commissioner
Rebecca Gee is the second and current Commissioner of Costuming, having assumed office on September 17, 2022.
Job Titles:
- President - Elect
- First Female Officer
Talia Stolper became the first female officer in 2016. Ella Livingston became the first female president, the first African-American officer, and the first officer not born in the United States in 2018. Bella Gerencser became the first Hispanic officer in 2019. Maddy Larrimore became the first female treasurer in 2019. Jayda Monreal became the first female secretary in 2020.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Technical Theatre