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Photos courtesy of East Alabama Performing Arts<br />
CENTER STAGE<br />
Performance Series Director Phillip Preston<br />
By Ann Cipperly<br />
Celebrating its 36th season with stellar<br />
productions, the East Alabama Arts’<br />
Performance Series brings outstanding<br />
shows in music, theatre and dance to the<br />
community, with Phillip Preston as the<br />
director since the beginning. As he reflects<br />
on the early years and growth of the Series,<br />
this year is opening new doors. Three<br />
famous performing artists have invited<br />
local talent to join them on stage, and the<br />
EAA prepares for its first touring musical,<br />
“We’ll Meet Again.”<br />
“With East Alabama Arts and the Gouge<br />
Performing Arts Center,” says Phillip, “we<br />
have become ground zero for the performing<br />
arts in the state. We are a unique area in<br />
the state to cover all the genres in the arts.<br />
What is happening is a big concentration<br />
in this area between our two theaters more<br />
than anywhere else in the state.”<br />
As the upcoming season is announced,<br />
Phillip adds, “This year’s Performance<br />
Series is a coming together of this community<br />
more as an audience of participants<br />
18 EAST ALABAMA LIVING<br />
than as spectators. We are greeting artists<br />
who arrive here from throughout the<br />
nation and world to perform on a stage that<br />
is uniquely warm and welcoming, and celebrating<br />
the talent here.<br />
“The visiting artists are starting to feel<br />
that they need to have more contact with<br />
the community. The Canadian Brass has<br />
invited the EAA Community Band to join<br />
them on stage, The King’s Singers, who<br />
Photo by Ann Cipperly<br />
are world famous, have asked the EAA<br />
Civic Chorale to join them on stage, and<br />
Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez will include<br />
OHS Ovations and Theatre Society students<br />
in her performance. Now, we are opening<br />
new doors.”<br />
LOOKING BACK AT THE<br />
BEGINNING<br />
Phillip grew up in a family having a love<br />
of music, singing and playing instruments.<br />
At family reunions, the family would<br />
gather around the piano to sing. After two<br />
years of piano lessons, Phillip began playing<br />
the piano at age 10 at his father’s church<br />
in Tuscaloosa County.<br />
When Phillip was in the seventh grade,<br />
his family moved to Beauregard when<br />
his father became minister at Providence<br />
Baptist Church. He took piano lessons<br />
for two years in high school from Mary<br />
Slaton, a well-known pianist in Lee County.<br />
She assisted him in getting into Auburn<br />
University with piano as a major. After
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