(Pictured: SOU Theatre Alumni Aiden Jenkins and Julia Gibbs, and SOU Theatre professor Jackie Apodaca)
For any professor, there is real joy in watching former students find their footing in their chosen field. For SOU Theatre professor Jackie Apodaca, that milestone came with a wonderful twist: getting to work alongside two of the actors she helped train.
While on sabbatical this spring, Apodaca stepped onto the stage at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre for their new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple: Murder at the Vicarage. Sharing the stage are SOU Theatre alumni Aidan Jenkins and Julia Gibbs, both of whom were honing their craft in Apodaca’s acting classes just a few seasons ago.
Directed by Paul Barnes and adapted by Cabaret’s Executive Director Rick Robinson, the production is a cozy mystery that balances Christie’s twisty plot and signature humor. With eight performances a week, the show keeps Apodaca, Jenkins, and Gibbs busy.
Miss Marple: Murder at the Vicarage at Oregon Cabaret Theatre
(Pictured: Jackie Apodaca, Barret O’Brien & Tyler Ward Lemons. Photo Provided by Oregon Cabaret Theatre)
Apodaca steps into four distinct characters—shifting between colorful townspeople and the enigmatic Mrs. LeStrange. Jenkins plays artist and prime suspect Lawrence Redding with intrigue and charm, while Gibbs brings a grounded innocence to her Lettice Protheroe, keeping the audience guessing about motives until the very end.
An actor and director with roots in theatre across the country, Apodaca spent years working in film, television, and stage productions before bringing her experience to SOU. She even literally wrote the book on navigating the profession, authoring Answers from THE WORKING ACTOR to help the next generation find their way in the business. Locally, beyond the university, Apodaca is the Artistic Director of Ashland New Plays Festival, where she employs SOU students every year.
(Pictured: Aiden Jenkins & Barret O’Brien. Photos provided by Oregon Cabaret Theatre)
Before making the jump to the professional stage at the Cabaret, local audiences likely caught both alumni in SOU campus productions. Jenkins previously appeared in SOU’s Pericles, Xanadu, and The Drowsy Chaperone, while Gibbs was seen in The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Wolves, and Xanadu.
The Cabaret production isn’t the first time Apodaca and Gibbs have collaborated in the professional arena, either; Apodaca directed Gibbs as Eliza Doolittle in last season’s production of My Fair Lady at the Collaborative Theatre Project, a performance that earned Gibbs Sneak Preview’s “audience favorite” award. “It’s been wild, crossing paths with mentors and professors so often in the valley,” said Gibbs. “Jackie and I, in particular, have worked together several times since I graduated. Each time we do, I’m reminded of how well SOU’s classrooms prepared me for this work.”
(Pictured: Barret O’Brien, Julia Gibbs, and Terry Bamberger. Photos provided by Oregon Cabaret Theatre.)
“There were a lot of nerves about working closely with a professor shortly after graduating,” said Jenkins. “It’s always been awkward for me to separate the roles of “teacher” and “student” outside of a classroom. But then, it turned out to be so harmonious and fun. I’ve never been one to easily make friends with teachers, but I’m happy to say I’ve made a good friend in Jackie.”
“It is absolutely wonderful to see our faculty and alumni performing together,” shared SOU President Rick Bailey. “ I’ve had the great privilege of seeing Aidan and Julia perform in SOU Theatre productions over the years, and am really proud that now they are on stage with Professor Apodaca, telling stories together as friends and colleagues.”
Miss Marple: Murder at the Vicarage runs through June 7 at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre. Be sure to catch SOU talent in action and celebrate this Raider reunion!
