Just a few days into his new job as theatre director at Permian High School, Scott Windham has new appreciation for teachers.
Windham has been involved in theater for 25 years with Basin Theatre Works, Odessa College and Midland Community Theatre.
He also has worked professionally in New York City, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Tennessee.
He applied for the theatre director position at PHS because they don’t come open very often.
“I saw an opportunity and felt like it was something that combined my passions and my desire to make a difference and make an impact. I met with Dr. (Aaron) Hawley and (PHS Principal) Dr. Delesa Styles and the administration team, and here I am,” Windham said.
Although it’s still early days, Windham said his respect for teachers continues to climb.
“I think a lot of people in the community maybe don’t realize the challenge that is in front of our teachers,” he said. “Here at Permian alone, we have 4,400 students, I believe, so it’s a small town.”
Windham has a degree in dramatic literature from Liberty University.
Known for portraying Santa Claus, he’ll have a little less time to do that now but he has several other gentlemen who work with him who can help “pick up some of that slack,” Windham said.
A native of Odessa, Windham graduated from Odessa High School and went to Liberty University in Virginia, which is where he was bitten by the theater bug.
He moved back to Odessa about 15 years ago with a view toward bringing what he learned over the years back to Odessa.
Windham hopes to instill that passion for theater into the next generation.
He had thought about teaching over the years and was already doing it through his theatrical endeavors.
“I taught for a year out of college at a private school up in Virginia, taught theater and public speaking. And then I worked professionally for several years in New York and Tennessee and those places. When I moved back here, I was actually on staff at Crossroads. One of the first things we did my first year at Crossroads was we produced ‘Godspell,’ the musical. … That was 2010, I believe. That’s when I got involved with the Playhouse, which later became Basin Theatre Works,” Windham said.
Basin Theatre Works hired him to be the artistic director part time. They had a theater camp this summer and are starting a theater school called Triple Threat Academy, which will teach students how to sing, dance and act.
“Our goal is to make really well-rounded theater artists that know how to move, know how to use their voice and know how to tell a story,” Windham said.
At Permian, they are planning a production of “Mean Girls the Musical” for October.
Auditions are Oct. 20.
Windham urged everyone to attend theater whenever they can.
“Theater is pointless without an audience. It’s pointless without a community. … We have stories to tell and we have truths to tell, but we need, we want, the West Texas community to get on board with us and be a part of this journey and be a part of the story that we’re telling with Permian High School and Basin Theatre Works,” he said.
Executive Director of Fine Arts Aaron Hawley said the district is thrilled to welcome Windham as the new theatre director at PHS.
“As a native Odessan, he brings a deep connection to our community along with extensive experience from the professional world,” Hawley said.
