Our Staff
The staff at the Highlander Auditorium is dedicated to providing quality service to our guests, clients, and performing groups. We pride ourselves on delivering the outstanding service you have come to expect. Our team is comprised of working professionals in all areas of the Entertainment industry. We have a part time staff of over 20 professionals that help produce all the art that is presented at the Highlander Auditorium. Below we invite you to get to know our Management and Resident Departments a little better.
Visit our History Page for more information about our facility.
Bill J. Cox, MFA - Manager
Mr. Cox has twenty five years of successful hands-on experience in all aspects of theatrical production and live entertainment management, including: Stage lighting and system design, rigging, scenic design and construction and special event projects. He has worked in Educational, Regional, and Community Theatre as well as Special Event Industrials. He has served as technical director to the Southern California Education Theatre Association and as the technical director to the Educational Theatre Associations -California State Thespians. Mr. Cox is experienced in project planning for permanent and temporary installations of rigging, lighting and live sound reinforcement systems having extensively worked in over 100 public assembly facilities and non-traditional venues, with involvement in over 3000 theatrical events, many across the continental United States. Mr. Cox is a graduate of Brooklyn College with a Masters in Performing Arts Administration and completed studies at IAAM's School for Public Assembly Facility Management.
Eric Mensen BA - Production Manager
Eric Mensen is the Production Manager for the Highlander Auditorium. His responsibilities include producing all of our clients events here at the Highlander. In addition to supervising, Eric maintains and schedules our 30 member part time staff. Eric prides himself on his professionalism and organizational skills. Prior to becoming the Production Manager in 2007, Eric was a stage manager for the Highlander Auditorium for the past 5+ years. Eric is a graduate of California State Polytechnic University with a B.A. in Technical Theatre & Design. Eric is also a freelance audio engineer and technician who works at many local venues including Cal Poly University Theatre, Mt. San Antonio College, and the Lewis Family Playhouse.
Scott Peterson Technical Director
Scott Peterson is the Technical Director for the Highlander Auditorium, where he has been lurking in the dark backstage since December of 1991. He is responsible for maintaining the technical systems in the Auditorium.
Scott also coordinates physical plant improvements and new equipment.
In the last 6 years Scott has survived 3 major renovation projects at The Highlander Auditorium, including Air Conditioning, Fire Alarms, Asbestos abatement, Ceiling replacement, new audio, speaker and control wiring installation, new seating, new lighting system, a new stage floor, handicapped access renovations and a lobby renovation.
Scott's real job is as a General Foreman stage technician at Disneyland. He has been there since 1995.
He has literally done it all. From running a followspot on Fantasmic, controlling the audio and lighting for parades, and even catching Tinkerbell. Scott was also on the Technical Design and Installation team for the Hyperion Theater at Disney's California Adventure from 1998 thru opening in 2001. He worked on shows there until early 2005.
Scott spent most of 2005 living and working in Hong Kong, supervising the technical systems for the Parkwide Audio, Lighting and Control systems for Hong Kong Disneyland. This culminated 3 years of design work where Scott worked for Walt Disney Imagineering.
Scott attended Citrus College for 2 years, and DeVry University for 1 year.
Scott still enjoys working at the Highlander Auditorium because It's become a part of me... It's pretty much a second home
Jamie Brown Resident Stage Manager
Ms. Jamie Brown has been with the Highlander Auditorium since 2002. As the Resident Stage Manager, Jamie is the glue that keeps the client, technical staff and performers connected; from the first rehearsal to the last curtain fall. She is responsible for keeping everyone on task and on time.
Apart from the Highlander Auditorium, Jamie is the Wardrobe Technician II at the Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga. She also serves as the Technical Coordinator for the California State Thespian Festival for high school students.
Jamie is a freelance technician and has her own costume design business. She has worked in many different theatres all over southern California such as The Pasadena Playhouse, The Carpenter Performing Arts Center, The Pasadena Civic Auditorium, The Long Beach Civic Auditorium and the Coast Playhouse.
Sam Euper Resident House Manager
Cameron Swenson Resident Lighting Designer
In 2005, Cameron Swenson arrived at the Highlander Auditorium, quickly progressing in staff ranks, to become the auditorium's second ever Resident Lighting Designer. Outside of working for the Highlander, Cameron also works as a freelance technician, most commonly being utilized for stage crew, programming and designing lighting, or occasionally as a video camera operator or photographer, for community and dance shows all throughout Southern California. He has also worked as an electrician in many instances, including being the Master Electrician for the California State Thespian Festival, held yearly, teaching technical theater students how to plan and execute staged productions. Cameron has worked alongside many industry leading technicians, in all fields of staging and events, learning much from his colleagues; many of which, have found a home, or some form of partnership, with the Highlander.
Anthony Batiste Master Electrician
Landon Johnson House Sound Engineer
Landon Johnson is the House Sound Engineer for the Highlander Auditorium, where he is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and training of others on the theatre's expansive sound installation. He received his Bachelor of Arts from USC's prestigious School of Cinema/Television, where he excelled so quickly that by his junior year he was teaching graduate students in tandem with tenured faculty. He now teaches as adjunct faculty, instructing graduate and undergraduate students on the nuances of production and post sound. With more than 8 years experience in both theatrical and cinematic sound, Landon Johnson has experienced exponentially growth since he began working in the entertainment industry. His development at the Highlander Auditorium stands out as an example of this tenacity and desire for growth. Beginning in 2002 as a production intern, he has continued to work and develop his talents in theatrical and cinematic sound, culminating in his promotion to Head of Sound for the Auditorium in 2009. Landon currently splits his time between theatrical and cinematic pursuits, mixing live shows and recording production sound on film sets. He considers himself incredibly blessed to have found a trade he is passionate to pursue, and is proud to call his co-workers at the Auditorium colleagues and friends.
Jessa Orr Resident Scenic Artist
Jessa Orr has been with the Highlander Auditorium for 14 years and has been the Resident Scenic Artist for most of that time. Jessa works as a freelance theatrical designer and scenic artist all over California and currently works for the Buena Vista Pictures Special Events Art Department and teaches Stage Technology at Claremont High School. No matter where she's working or who she's working with, the Highlander Auditorium will always be home, and it's staff will always be family.
Katie Donahue Head Usher
The Highlander Auditorium · 909.985.9462 · 909.982.2320 FAX Mailing: 390 N. Euclid Ave. Upland CA, 91786
Stage Door: 850 N. San Antonio Ave. Upland CA, 91786