Spotlight: Leslie Jung
From a very young age, Leslie Jung knew she wanted to act and sing. She grew up overseas due to her father’s work and took every opportunity she could to be on the stage there.
“Every opportunity I had to be in a play, musical, or concert, I auditioned. And, luckily, in a lot of instances, I got a part or sang in the choir.”
After graduating high school in Belgium in 1971, her and her family moved back to the states to Solon, OH. She struggled to find a place to continue learning and engaging in the performing arts, until a neighbor suggested that she check out Fairmount.
“I enrolled in several classes, and the rest, as they say, is history!”
Leslie was thrilled to find a place close to her new home where she could continue to grow artistically, but there was something different about Fairmount that she noticed right away.
A promotional poster for Fairmount’s production of Gallow's Humor
“It became clear very quickly that although everyone was welcoming, this was serious,” she says. “I had never worked with actors/teachers so dedicated, talented, imaginative, hardworking, supportive . . . I’m running out of adjectives!”
The theater program at the time was like a well-oiled machine producing new shows every couple months. Performances included improv, dramas, musicals, original works, comedies, satire, and more, and took place in the second floor studio space set up as an intimate black box theater.
“You were expected to show up and give it everything. Those were the teacher’s expectations, and the students’ as well . . [It] was serious business, but you were taught by caring, encouraging, nurturing, supporting teachers and colleagues.”
To Leslie, the best part of her experiences at Fairmount was the strong bonds she made with her teachers and fellow students. These friendships have stood the test of time and are still prevalent to her today.
“There are 33 of us that have stayed in touch all these years - actors, dancers, teachers, office workers. And the love and respect for one another has grown over the years.”
“We are family, regardless of where we live or how far away. . . All because of a little school in Novelty, Ohio.”
Leslie is now retired, but works as a School Crossing Guard and enjoys keeping up with her Fairmount family.
Leslie shared this sketch of our arts castle circa 1970s. It’s artist is unknown, but it is a fun representation of Fairmount during Leslie’s time as a student and she has held onto it since. How serendipitous is it that our alumni group is now called Fairmount Forever?!
