By Emily White
AMMON, Idaho—Meet Jorden Cammack, Ammon Arts Community Theatre’s leading lady. As AACT’s president and producer, as well as being an actor, director, teacher, and mother, her determination and hard work know no bounds.
Cammack’s love for theater started when she was in middle school. For her, theater was a place where everyone could fit in, something many actors can relate to. The dramatic arts became a more permanent part of her life throughout high school, where she fell in love with teaching after working closely with her theater teacher as an assistant.
She followed in the footsteps of her teacher and eventually became the theater teacher at Thunder Ridge High School in Idaho Falls, passing her knowledge of all things acting, technology, and special affects onto her students, in hopes of inspiring them the way her teachers did with her.
Full of drive and ambition, Cammack has always set the sky as her limit, and alongside the talented creative minds on the founding board of directors, started Ammon Arts Community Theatre, which was founded in 2019.
“When we began thinking about starting AACT, we wanted to create a group where anyone felt welcome and we could do the types of shows we wanted to do—shows that weren’t regularly performed in the area” she said, when asked about her inspiration and goals when starting the company. “It was about creating an inclusive environment with increased opportunities for actors of all ages and experience levels, as well as providing different kinds of shows.”
Their debut show, Seussical the Musical, was performed in the summer of 2020, putting their name on the map with a fun show everyone in the community could enjoy.
“I love the power theater has to teach and to help people grow in so many ways” Jorden says. “The board we currently have is so full of amazingly creative people who just want to bring more artistic opportunities to the community. We all have different backgrounds in the performing arts that help make our organization a very rich community.”
This season’s board of directors includes Zach Wixom as vice president, Phylicia Fife as secretary, Chandler Dye as public relations specialist, Thea Disney as fundraising manager, Abigail Emfield as youth committee chair, and Steve Rush as treasurer, all of whom have participated in Ammon Arts shows both on the stage and behind the scenes.
Lover of all things dramatic and theatrical, Fife has been on the board since its start in 2019 and played Aunt Spiker in the company’s production of “James and the Giant Peach.” She cited the long-lasting friendships she’s made by working with Ammon Arts and getting to share her love of theater with those in the community as some of her favorite parts about her experience with the company.
Similar to Fife’s sentiments, Dye’s favorite aspect of AACT is the people. The self-proclaimed theater nerd loves his role on the board and has been with the company for almost a year.
Ammon Arts evolves with each show and brings opportunities for new friends and connections.
Recent college graduate and mother of three, Disney is the company’s fundraising coordinator and occasional choreographer. When asked what she was most looking forward to with the new season, she said that “Little Shop of Horrors will be our first adults only musical, and I think it’s cool that we are giving opportunities for more adults to do theater. Kids have a lot of opportunities to do theater here, but there aren’t as many for adults, so I think it’s cool that we are providing this opportunity. Little Shop of Horrors is also not a show you would typically see in this area. I think it’s cool that AACT is willing to do shows that other theaters aren’t.”
Ammon Arts started off their third season this weekend with performances of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” with remaining performances Saturday, March 12, and Monday, March 14 at 7 p.m. at Thunder Ridge High School Performing Arts Center, 4941 1st Street in Idaho Falls. Tickets can be purchased here.
The cast and crew have had so much fun putting the show together and can’t wait for the public to see it!
“I’ve never enjoyed rehearsal this much. love their excitement” director Matt Larsen said.
Rachel Keppner who plays Miss Prism agreed, saying that “when you’re in the show it gets to be such a close-knit group of friends. We crack ourselves up all the time.”
The feeling is mutual throughout the cast members, who agree that the rehearsal process has been a blast and is sure to give the audience as good of a time as they have all had.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” is a hilarious play that has been elevated by Larsen’s directing and the talents of the rock star cast and crew. The costumes, set, and makeup design really bring everything together, and it is certainly an event you won’t want to miss.
As for future shows, “The Wizard of Oz” runs April 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and “Little Shop of Horrors” runs on October 20, 21, 22, 24, 25. An audition workshop will be hosted May 7. Information on auditions, workshops, and performances can all be found on the Ammon Arts Community Theatre Facebook page and will be regularly updated on their website, www.ammonartsct.com.
