The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Erin Gregory
“Every child should have the chance to be on stage.” –Jean Randolph Lewis
This quote is one that Jamey Coutant lives her life by, as she believes that everyone should be able to have his or her time in the spotlight. Jamey grew up in Danville, and when she was only a few months old, her military family moved back to the small city. Her parents were born and raised in Danville, and they were even married in the Kathryn Randolph Theater when it was a church, so it is safe to say Jamey has a close tie to the theater. Jamey fondly acknowledges that she has a second family in the theater community of Danville. Her kids were involved in the Red Mask program and now her grandkids are beginning to participate in the theater.
Jamey has been a part of the Red Mask and Danville Light Opera (DLO) Theatre boards, and now she is the Secretary at DLO and she directs shows at Red Mask. Her volunteer work goes further as she also is the toddler Sunday school teacher at the Danville First Church of the Nazarene. She enjoys working with the children and watching them grow which is why she is directing the next show at Red Mask. Jamey says, “I want to see the kids grow into confident humans that can shine however they choose.”
Jamey has created a strong theater community here, but that is not the only reason she loves Danville so much. She loves the many opportunities in the Danville area including exploring the outdoors and the Arts. “If someone wants to explore the arts, Danville is a great place to do it.” She grew up on the east side of Danville, and while there may be a negative outlook, Jamey believes Danville is the best place to live. She says that she absolutely loves to see Downtown Danville coming back to life and she enjoys going window-shopping in the shops in downtown. The Summer in the City concerts at Temple Plaza and Lainey’s Ice Cream are two of her favorite things to go to in Downtown.
Jamey says her purpose is to “Be a positive light in a world full of negatives.” She actively tries to make her world better by helping kids find confidence to stand on stage and perform, and she pushes people to be the best versions of themselves. When things get hard for Jamey, the community she has built stands behind her and supports her. She says, “We need to support each other and support the arts in Danville to keep them going.”
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
