Stephen Myers, a member of Ouachita’s 2006 graduating class, is now taking on a major role as the technical director of Tiger Tunes. Myers is facing challenges, this being his first year to participate, to live up to the great expectations Tiger Tunes has set year after year. Stephen discussed not only his journey to Ouachita, but his hobbies, and the challenges he is facing getting ready for Tiger Tunes and teaching a class at the same time.
Myers began his journey at Ouachita as a freshman in 2002 and studied theater and mass communications. Coming from Dallas, he experienced quite a change in scenery and activities. He was no longer in the big city. After spending four years at Ouachita and graduating, he returned to Dallas to work at Hilton. After working there for a year, he was hired to work video production for Pine Cove camps, where he received the nickname “snoop” for a reason unknown to him (nevertheless, it stuck). He worked at Pine Cove for seven years along with teaching part time at a high school, where he discovered his passion for teaching. He then decided to make another move and attend grad school at Indiana University’s media school, where he graduated with an M.S. in Media Management. After 10 years, he made his move back to Ouachita where he was called to teach, and in June accepted the position as a teacher of media management, along with a job as the technical director and production manager of Jones Performing Arts Center. While he is facing many new challenges, he loves learning the ropes at Ouachita.
Outside of class and planning for major events happening in JPAC, Myers spends his time watching movies, playing video games, playing board games, being outdoors, and relaxing in Hot Springs. With his passion being in media production, he enjoys critiquing movies, and he appreciates how they are created. He even hosted a movie club at one time. Ranking every movie he watches online, Myers is now up to 950 movies, and he plans on reaching 1000 by next year. Along with watching movies, he finds an outlet through video games and board games. Not only does Myers love gaming, but he enjoys biking and swimming, also. He stated that he definitely takes advantage of the open swim times in the Sturgis Physical Education Center. On Sundays, he takes a trip to Hot Springs, where he attends New Life Church. He likes to spend the rest of the day in a café or restaurant writing and taking it easy.
This being Myers’s first year as the technical director of Tiger Tunes, he is facing some challenges, including learning to work the lighting and mic systems set up years before. Something Myers brings to the table is seeing things as a bigger picture and coordinating the system as a whole rather than in individual parts. This year, he has a team of work-study students who have been a big help, since most of them have assisted in setting up Tiger Tunes before. He indicated that the dynamic of his team is not your typical boss-employee relationship, as Myers’s work study students have been able to teach him as well. He plans to experience a year of Tiger Tunes before introducing new ideas that may assist the show in running more efficiently and reduce cost.
Along with setting up for Tiger Tunes, Myers is still teaching class and scheduling other events in the future for JPAC. He said he enjoys class, as it is what he is passionate about. He spends his nights reading and grading papers, and mornings and days working on Tiger Tunes. Identifying himself as a “busy body,” he enjoys the thrill of switching gears and having many projects at once. He stated that teaching alongside planning Tiger Tunes has not been a struggle at all; in fact, he is glad to have that outlet. Alongside teaching, he is still scheduling future events. Jones Performing Arts Center has become a popular place in Arkadelphia for events such as high school band concerts or the opera that Myers is working to plan for later this year.
Tiger Tunes will be a wonderful show this year and will continue to benefit under the direction of Stephen Myers. He is not only impressively tech savvy, but he is open to new ideas and working with others. He can appreciate the traditions of Ouachita while encouraging change, for the better. Myers has stayed remarkably calm while facing the pressure of pulling off one of Ouachita’s staple traditions. While watching the show, don’t forget all the hard work and countless hours that go in to making it such an amazing production and tradition. As Myers said, “It’s going to be a great show.” So don’t miss the opportunity to check it out.”
By Ashlynn Morton, Staff Writer
