Dr. Ric Watkins, Founder, (1957-2019)
Cedric Bridges, Producer/Music Director, holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Master of Fine Arts with a specialization in opera performance from Tulane University. He made his professional debut with Houston Grand Opera in 1989 and has appeared with other companies including New Orleans Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre as well as soloist with the New Orleans Philharmonic and Baton Rouge Symphonies. He was the 1991 district winner of the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions and still does solo recitals in the New Orleans metropolitan area. Currently he is on faculty at Covington High School where he serves as Associate Director of Choral Activities and Senior Class Sponsor. Working with Dr. Watkins, he has been with the CLAPS program since it’s inception. In addition to his teaching position he also serves as cantor at Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church in Mandeville and is a member of the professional choir at Temple Sinai in New Orleans.
Gary Mendoza, Director/Technical Director, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with an emphasis in Theatre from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of New Orleans. Some regional credits include work as either a performer, director or a stage technician for Six Flags New Orleans, Tulane Summer Lyric, Cutting Edge Theatre and Slidell Little Theatre where he has won several Ginny Awards for acting and lighting design. He has been the Talented Theatre Teacher at Covington High School since 2005 and was voted teacher of the year in 2013. He has had students compete in New York City for the National Shakespeare Competition as well as Washington D.C. for the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Competition. In the summer of 2016 he studied at The Globe Theatre in London for three weeks as part of a fellowship through the English Speaking Union of the United States and the Globe’s Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance Program. He was also named the 2016 Performing Artist of the Year for the St. Tammany Parish President’s Arts Awards. He wants to thank his amazing wife Stephanie and their equally amazing boys, Riley and Reese, for their love and support, and especially for understanding why he is never home during the month of June. He also needs to thank his fabulous crew, without whom you’d all be looking at a dark and empty stage right now!
Joseph B. Riles IV, Director/Designer, was a student of the CHS Theatre, Musical Theatre, and CLAPS programs. A vocal student of Cedric Bridges and Scharmal Schrock, he started his educational journey at Southeastern Louisiana University’s musical theatre program in the Fall of 2005. After one amazing year of juries and performances, Mr. Riles made the choice to change his path and became a Visual Arts & Art History Major. He studied Art & Art History here and abroad and graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with his Bachelors of Art in Studio Art with a Minor in Art History in 2009. Mr. Riles went on to earn his Masters of Arts in Teaching with a Focus in Visual Art K-12 from Xavier University New Orleans. Riles served as Director of the St. Thomas Regional Catholic High Schools Theatrical Arts Program from 2014-2018 Directing A Christmas Carol, The Odd Couple, Twelfth Knight, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, John Lennon and Me, and several other shows during his time STA. Then after years in the field of Art and Theatre Education, Mr. Riles received the honor of returning to Covington High School’s hallways and stage. He will always want to thank his family for their support. With a very exceptional thanks going out to his Family: Finn, Genee’, & Tawnya. You are amazing and make every day better and more exceptional than the last. As of this publication Mr. Riles holds no exceptional awards or accolades for his work in the Fine Arts … but just you wait.