The Lendon Players here at Hinds Community College are known as a group of theatre major students looking to perfect their craft. With every great play, comes a great cast. For every great cast, comes an even better director. Alison Stafford has been that great director here at Hinds for the last few years.She started her education at Louisiana State University because of family ties.
“I started college at Louisiana State of Alexandria in my hometown,” said Stafford. “At that time LSUA was more of a community college, it didn’t even have dorms like it does now.” Beginning as a science major, she graduated from LSUA with an Associate’s Degree in that major. She then transferred to Louisiana State University and started as a pre-veterinarian major. However, her major would soon change.
“I didn’t realize LSU had a theatre program,” she said. “So one day I tried out for a role in a play. I impressed the director and was cast as one of the play’s main characters.”
After that, she would change her major from pre-veterinarian to theatre. It was then her wonderful career began. Instead of taking up a career in the theatre, she chose to do that sporadically and began her instructing career.
“I began instructing because I was good at it,” Stafford said. “I began at LSUA instructing science. I wanted the satisfaction of having a steady job, and instructing gave me that.”
She continued her education at the University of Mississippi where she completed her Masters of Fine Arts in acting.
In fall 1999, Hinds Community College was introduced to Stafford. She described her Hinds journey as an interesting with one. She loves all her students, but gives her theatre students “The Mama Treatment.”
“They are so energetic, I constantly have to get their attention,” she said. “I tell them, with love, to please focus and listen to mama.”
From instructing science at LSUA, to becoming the theatre director and leader of The Lendon Players here at Hinds, it is fair to say that Alison Stafford has had an illustrious career. With The Lendon Players next production quickly approaching, the students and faculty are in for a great time.
Be sure to see The Lendon Players presentation of “To Kill a Mocking Bird” this week (April 18-21) in Brooks Theatre. Tickets can be purchased in the Department of Speech, Theatre and Dance or at the box office on the nights of the production.
De’Shane Frye is a mass communications major on the Raymond Campus and a student worker in the Public Relations office. He has been awarded the College Public Relations of Mississippi Scholarship for the 2017-2018 year at Hinds Community College.
