Meet Jack Schnepp
Evergreen resident Jack Schnepp moved here from Michigan three years ago and has been involved in theater for over 50 years. He is currently directing the Evergreen Chorale’s production of "Forever Plaid" at Center Stage.
He has directed more than 130 shows for many community theaters, high schools, and community colleges and enjoys sharing theater with as many people as he can. Jack taught drama at the high school level for 40-plus years and served as principal at several different schools over a 16-year period, being named Teacher of the Year in Las Vegas in 1993.
In addition to being a director, Jack is an accomplished set designer and enjoys creating the just-right environment on stage for the actors and audiences. His favorite shows that he has done are "Quilters," "Grease," "Noises Off," "Oklahoma" and "The Miracle Worker."
Jack says he has enjoyed the challenge of directing "Forever Plaid," a show about four young performers from the 1950s who have the chance to return to life and record their dream album. Because of the large amount of singing and choreography in the show, the director must work in close partnership with the musical director, Christine Gaudreau, and choreographer NancyLee Manus.
“It has been a great experience all around to work with such talented performers and directors. I have only directed two shows in the last 14 years and I was very rusty.”
The last show he directed for the Evergreen Chorale was "Man of La Mancha" in 2006. He was living in Michigan at the time, and actually moved to Evergreen for eight weeks to fulfill director responsibilities. Jack’s daughter, Gail Montgomery, is familiar to area audiences through her roles on stage with the Evergreen Players and the Evergreen Chorale.
Gail got her start in theater during high school when her father encouraged her to put her energy into the theater program at his school. She caught the bug, and he has directed her in multiple shows over the ensuing years. Gail obviously has inherited his commitment to community theater and is now performing in a two-women show, "Parallel Lives," at Miner's Alley Playhouse in Golden.
Not one to sit still, Jack has also become involved in the Evergreen Elks Lodge where he will serve as Exalted Ruler for a year starting in April.
You might still be able to snag a ticket for one of the last three performances of "Forever Plaid" on March 7, 8, 9 – and see the fruits of Jack's labor.
