Our People

Aimée Hayes
Producing Artistic Director
ahayes@southernrep.com

Since being named Producing Artistic Director in 2007, Hayes has focused on new play development, producing many writers during her tenure, including Andrew Hinderaker, John Biguenet, Eric Coble, Zayd Dohrn, Catherine Filloux, Jim Fitzmorris, Ross Maxwell, Tarell McCraney, Peter McElligott, Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, Joe Sutton, and Steve Yockey. As a member of the National New Play Network, Hayes has served on the Showcase of New Plays panel and directed in their MFA Playwright Showcase at the Kennedy Center. She has also overseen the incorporation of a new slate of new play development programs into Southern Rep’s Lagniappe Series including 6×6, a new play slam, 3×3: THE ONE ACTS, New Orleans’ only live, ongoing soap opera, DEBAUCHERY!, and THE NEW PLAY BACCHANAL, an annual two-day new play festival that includes honoring a new play by a female playwright of color with The Ruby Prize.

Hayes has often appeared on the stage, most recently as She in Southern Rep’s STAGE KISS, Hannah Jelkes in THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA, and Blanche Dubois in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. In 2014, New Orleans Magazine named Hayes a Top Female Achiever, and in 2012 she was named Gambit Weekly’s Theatre Person of the Year, and one of New Orleans Magazine’s 2008 People to Watch. In 2016, she was a finalist for the prestigious Zelda Fichandler Award presented by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation. Hayes has served as the Chair of the Governance Committee and at-large Board Member for the Theatre Communications Group (TCG).

Jenny Windstrup
Managing Director
jwindstrup@southernrep.com

Windstrup joined Southern Rep in 2015 after six seasons as Director of Development for New Orleans Opera Association. Prior to moving to New Orleans in 2007, she worked in the production department of Washington National Opera. A graduate of St. John’s College, Maryland, she is an active volunteer for New Orleans-based chamber music ensemble New Resonance Orchestra and serves on the board of New Orleans Friends of Music.

Helen Jaksch
Director of Arts Education / National New Play Network Producer in Residence
helen@southernrep.com

Helen Jaksch considers both El Paso, TX and New Orleans, LA home. She is working on her Doctorate of Fine Arts in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism at Yale where she is studying Youth-Created Theatre in America. Her writings on theatre and performance have been featured in TDR, Theater, Performing Fiction and the NOLA Defender. She has produced and served as dramaturg for new plays, devised performances, and youth playmaking programs in New York, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Texas. A passionate advocate for young voices and community artists, she is excited to be joining Southern Rep as the company’s NNPN Producer in Residence.

Lauren Turner
Producer of Artistic and Community Engagement
lturner@southernrep.com

Lauren E. Turner is a freelance actor, director, producer, and playwright. She is artistically “at home” when creating theatre that engages diverse communities and sparks discourse. Lauren is in residence at Southern Rep Theatre as Producer of Artistic and Community Engagement thanks to the Leadership U: One-on-One program, funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and administered by Theatre Communications Group. She also serves as adjunct faculty at Dillard University in the Theatre Department, where she teaches Dramaturgy and Audition Preparation. Lauren received her MFA in Theatre Performance at the University of Southern Mississippi. No Dream Deferred is the culturally specific production company she co-founded here in New Orleans.

 
Alex Smith
Technical Director
asmith@southernrep.com

Alex is a theatrical jack-of-all-trades and can be happily found behind, above, below, in front of, or on the stage. He holds a degree in Performance and a degree in Technical Theatre from Whitworth University. He is also professionally trained in Mime, Stage Combat, and Youth Theatre Education.

Jessica Podewell
Literary Manager
literary@southernrep.com

Originally from New Orleans, Podewell received her BFA from Webster University, and her MFA in Acting and New Works at the Ohio State University. She has worked professionally in theatres throughout Austin, Chicago, and New York, as well as New Orleans, and was most recently seen on stage in Southern Rep’s DETROIT. She is a proud founding member of the children’s theatre The Patchwork Players, and currently serves as Professor of Practice in Tulane University’s Department of Theatre and Dance.

Juleah Buttermore
Box Office Manager
boxoffice@southernrep.com

is currently a final-year MA candidate in the UNO Arts Administration program. Originally from Ohio, she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre from Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music before working regionally at Columbus Children’s Theatre and Shadowbox Live. Favorite roles include Lineoleum in THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL (Oakland Center for the Arts) and Elaine in THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSE (Blackbox Productions). She has also served as Director for several shows, memorably Disney’s ALADDIN JR (Pickerington Community Theatre) and DEARLY DEPARTED (Blackbox Productions).

Logan Faust
Office Manager
lfaust@southernrep.com

Logan Faust holds his B.A. in Theatre Arts from Loyola University, where he appeared in BLITHE SPIRIT and ENDGAME. In addition to his university work, he has also been seen around New Orleans in A CHRISTMASSACRE STORY (Lecter), JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Herod), and ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS (Alfie). Backstage credits with Southern Rep include NEXT TO NORMAL, FREEDOM, NIGHT OF THE IGUANA, DETROIT, STAGE KISS, and SONG OF A MAN COMING THROUGH. In addition to acting, he is also an emerging playwright, with his plays VIVARIUM and DRAG receiving their premieres in 2015.

Colleen Gowland, Sea Level Design
Graphic Designer

Motorway
Site design & development

Chris Rubino
Southern Rep Logo and Brand Artwork