Elijah Lowry
Winstaer Founder & Lead Steward
Co-Founder of Modern Abolitionist Society
I know, as Lilian Baylis, Samuel Phelps, and others before knew: those who have experienced great music and great drama, or who have enjoyed the true recreation that they provide, will never again accept shallow and weak entertainments that are quickly forgotten. Instead, they will continuously seek that higher form of entertainment: growth with joy
Elijah is a currently a Senior at Rockford University, studying Theatre Management, Education, and, unofficially, Religious Studies. He has been widely active in theatre as a performer and a technician, a Stage Manager and a Director, and as a playwright. He has written a few plays and directed staged readings for them, though he wants to revise them before giving them a full public release. He is the author of two published books and, along with his dad, is writing a TV show comedy and inventing games. Elijah is a madman of creativity and a whirlwind of passion Embracing his inner madman, Elijah plans to teach High School Drama/Theatre while he works on getting state licensed to teach every subject at every grade level He is an empath to the highest degree and tries to live life as the example of BAR Love, second only to Jesus Christ. Under God's ownership, Elijah hopes to lead Winstaer to being an Internationally recognized theatre for its Art and nationally respected theatre for it's Community advocacy and Training. He dreams of Winstaer being the world's best at using "Theatre as a Rehabilitation Tool" to help the homeless, drug-addicted, and sex-trafficked populations (among others) find restoration and empower them to enjoy healthy, brilliant lives. As if that dream was too small, Elijah envisions the theatre being able to fully fund an Arts-Based private school, so that every child can receive the power of theatrical training for FREE. Arts-Based is a step beyond Arts-Integrated and holds the belief that creativity is not simply a way of learning, but the way to change the world. He likes to reference Viola Spolin who brilliantly said, "We learn through experience and experiencing, and no one teaches anyone anything."
Theatrical Experience
*Only experience after 2020 is shown
Production | Author | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Puffs: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years At A Certain School of Magic and Magic | Matt Cox | Publicity Manager + Audience Experience Coordinator + Crew Lead | Auburn High School (Rockford, IL) |
KinderTransport | Diane Samuels | The English Organizer + Crew | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
The Addams Thread | Deborah Mogford | William | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
A Night at the Northpole | Caitlin Dennis + Cast | Co-Director + Stage Manager | West Side Show Room |
In The Heights | Lin-Manuel Miranda | Ensemble | RVC Starlight |
Art | Yasmina Reza | Director (Student project) | Rockford University, Cheek Theatre |
Exit The King | Eugène Ionesco | The Doctor | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
Sophokles Elektra | Translated by Ezra Pound + Rudd Fleming | Director | Auburn High School (Rockford, IL) |
Another Antigone | A. R. Gurney | Director (Student project) | Rockford University, Cheek Theatre |
These Shining Lives | Melanie Marnich | Audio Designer | Rockford University, Cheek Theatre |
Bullets Over Broadway the Musical | Woody Allen | Crew | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood | Adam Szymkowicz | Marketing Assistant | West Side Show Room |
Rockford New Words: Healing + Homage | Various | Submission Judge + Marketing Lead + General Assistant | West Side Show Room |
The Revlon Girl | Neil Anthony Docking | Audio Designer | Rockford University, Cheek Theatre |
Hands On A Hardbody | Doug Wright | Crew + Cameo | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
The Beaux' Stratagem | George Farquhar | Stage Manager | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
Covid Calvalcade | Jeff Hendry + Cast | Crew | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
Spoon River Anthology | Edgar Lee Masters | Crew | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
On The Verge: Or The Geography of Yearning | Eric Overmyer | Assistant Stage Manager + Crew | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
Doubt | John Patrick Shanley | Director (Student project) | Rockford University, Clark Arts Courtyard |
Stop Kiss | Diana Son | George | Rockford University, Cheek Theatre |
Legally Blonde the Musical | Heather Hach | Stage Manager | Rockford University, Maddox Theatre |
Educational Background
*Only formal education is shown
2020-2024
Theatre Management + ZTheatre Education,
Rockford University
I am working on my undergrad Theatre Management degree and a minor in Education to achieve Illinois state certification for PK-12 Drame/Theatre. I am also on track to graduate with a license to teach High School English Language Arts (ELA). ​ I have consistently audited classes above the technical full-time class limits, so I consider myself an unofficial Religious Studies minor as well. One semester, I was taking 18 credit hours and auditing an additional 18 credit hours, while Stage Managing a show. A couple of times, professors have asked me how they can achieve "the time-bending" powers as well Through the years at RU, I was the Vice-President of the Rockford Promise Club (which unfortunately died due to low membership) and on the board for other clubs such as Multi-Cultural Club (MCC). I also worked as a global ambassador for the Office of Global Affairs Additionally, I have worked as a technician, Stage Manager, Director, and performer. Outside of the Theatre department, I even stepped in as a playwright, writing academically accurate plays over a few topics, most notably religious studies Because of my RHET 102 class, I discovered Miss Carly's and became a regular volunteer, working my way up to Team Lead. As I packed my school schedule beyond the hilt, I had to spend less time at Carly's during the school year, but every summer I go back nearly full-time. And, this semester, I reduced my load specifically to spend more time there. Cliche's allowed, as much as I help out at Carly's they have been a bigger help to me. But most importantly, it was Carly's that gave me the Boldness to start Winstaer and finally move from Dreaming to Action. Because of the immeasurable value that they are able to provide to the community, I am honored to call them our first, and most important, Community Partner Most recently, I began work with Dr. Dibley to start the Modern Abolitionist Society (MAS) because we share the same heart for serving the world's most vulnerable populations
2016-2020
Auburn High School,
Rockford, IL
During my High School years (which were only slightly less packed than my college years), I continued with the Gifted/Renaissance program, joined JROTC as a Freshman, and added CAPA as a Senior. Unfortunately, Covid hit, so I did not get a full school year of theatre, but what I did receive before the world shut down was Divine confirmation that Theatre was my life's work and purpose. If you had told me that (live) performance played a part, I would have laughed at the implication that I could ever be comfortable on stage. Boy, was I wrong I also joined Key Club (see "Notable Work Experience" below for more information) and moved up a level from Rockford Robotics FTC (Team 8003) to FRC (Team 2039) RENAISSANCE I started the program in first grade and tracked all the way through High School. Because of that, many of my peers and I were very close even if we weren't necessarily friends, and that unique dynamic produced lasting impacts. Thank you to the class of 2020 (and all others I interacted with) for the deep influence you had over me and my development :) In this program, I took enough AP classes to start college an entire semester ahead of schedule and created my own little time-management magic JROTC As a Freshman, I received the Cadet of the Year award and became the Assistant S6 (Technology Officer) as a Sophomore. During junior year, I was the Special Projects Officer, and from Junior year into Senior year, I served as the Chief of Staff for our Battalion.​ Freshman year, I joined the Drill Team and Color Guard. In sophomore year, I added Marksmanship and replaced it in Junior year with Raiders. On all three teams, I was a leader CAPA While I only got a semester of a single tech theatre class, I discovered that the world of theatre was the perfect synthesis of everything that I was already interested in. It's a match made in Heaven! FIRST ROBOTICS (FTC & FRC) For those unaware, FIRST is an international robot-building competition. I was on Rockford Robotics' teams (FTC 8003 & FRC 2039) for six years(?). I primarily worked in design and fabrication with forays into programming (FTC only) and marketing. As various team leads over the years-- design, fabrication, testing, and marketing-- I helped to keep the subteams on task and on time. In 2017, we went to World's Competition in St. Louis