A non-profit organization founded in 1978 by Dennis G. Assaf and Hannah Cunningham, Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) is dedicated to the artistic and cultural enrichment of the Gulf South. Its mission is to support, produce and promote the performing arts in Jefferson and the surrounding areas. JPAS has a over 32 years experience producing, promoting and supporting the performing arts in Jefferson Parish. JPAS is unmatched in diversity and quality of arts programing in Jefferson Parish and is an arts leader in the state. JPAS lobbied and secured the initial funding for this new facility. JPAS has the experience, the knowledge and the passion to make this new performing arts center a place for the people of Jefferson grow culturally and artistically as a community.

The Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) is capable. uniquely qualified and has earned the right to manage the new Jefferson Performing Arts Center.

• JPAS currently manages three theatre spaces in Jefferson Parish - the Jefferson Performing Arts Center, The Westwego Performing Arts Theatre, Teatro Wego! Theatre.
• JPAS annually produces more than 150 performances of varying performing arts genres across its three theatre spaces.
• JPAS has a $5 million economic impact in Jefferson Parish.
• JPAS was asked to manage the Westwego Theatre facilities in 2004 without a call for an RFP. Senator John Alario (then Representative Alario) recognized JPAS' abilities, accomplishments and leadership and asked JPAS to manage the two new facilities in Westwego
• JPAS has a reach beyond Jefferson Parish, regularly touring their productions to other cities in Louisiana and Mississippi, including the Northshore of Louisiana and Biloxi, MS.
• JPAS is one of our state's largest arts organizations offering some of the most diverse programming of any arts organization in the sate.
• JPAS created the cultural climate in Jefferson when it was formed in 1978 by Dennis Assaf and Hannah Cunningham.
• JPAS' mission these 32 seasons has been "to promote, produces and support the performing arts and to be the catalyst to build a new arts center for Jefferson". JPAS is still committed to this mission.
• JPAS under the leadership of Dennis G. Assaf, lobbied and secured a written $15 million pledge from the state legislature with the help of Senator Ken Hollis and the late Senator John Hainkel in 1999 for the building of the new performing arts center in Jefferson Parish - No other organization or entity in or out of government has devoted as much time, energy and resources to the construction of the new performing arts center than JPAS.
• JPAS recommended the site for the new theatre in the LaSalle Park.
• JPAS has been performing in the East Jefferson High Auditorium since 1987. Despite this auditorium's many short-comings as a theatre space, JPAS has managed to become one of the most successful and community-driven arts organizations in the state, attracting artists throughout the nation and the world. In this space, JPAS constructed the second largest orchestra pit in the metro area (even larger than the new theatre in LaSalle Park), installing new seats and new sound and lighting equipment.
• JPAS has amassed an amazing record of artistic successes in the past 32 years including:
  • The premiere of Grand Opera in Jefferson in 1994 with international and nationally acclaimed artists;
  • Presenting internationally acclaimed artists and performances to Jefferson Parish like such artists as Ope ra Diva Frederica von Stade, for which we won the Big Easy Award for Best Classical Performance; Violinist Pinchas Zuckerman; the Vienna Choir Boys; Moscow Boys Choir; Alvin Ailey; numerous Japanese NOH Theatre Companies; dance companies like Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, The Ohio Ballet with an Indian Dance company from Madras, India, David Taylor Dance Company, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Lula Washington Dance Company; Freddie Cole (brother of Nat King Cole) performed with our Jazz Orchestra;Theatre and Puppet artists from China and Korea; the Irish Band the Chieftains with a then unknown Michael Flatley (creator of Riverdance); and the 105 member Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra from Sofia, Bulgaria. Recently we co-presented comedian Eddie Izzard at Tulane University and offered the US Premiere of Scandalous! (currently Broadway-bound) with an international cast.
• JPAS has a history of success and acclaim with its community programming and outreach:
  • 6,752 local school children served through our arts education programs in the 2008-2009 season
  • The JPAS Symphony Chorus has performed in Carnegie Hall twice.
  • Prior to Katrina, JPAS had eight children choirs. Today, JPAS continues to cultivate young voices in its Children's Choir and JPAS Jam & Jive Show Choir.
  • JPAS educational outreach programs serve children in four parishes. Our "Cultural Crossroads" program for At-Risk Youth is making positive educational accomplishments in test scores and student drop out rates. Other arts outreach like Stage Without A Theatre connect artists with educators and students to enrich learning experiences and educational aptitudes.
  • JPAS Summer Youth Musical Theatre Programs annually give hundreds of children and teens the opportunity to participate in large-scale, fully staged musical productions.
  • JPAS Theatre Kids! offer low-cost, often complimentary theatre experiences for young people throughout each season.
  • JPAS Arts Adventure series offers deeply discounted student tickets to school groups for special kid-friendly matinees throughout the season. JPAS also offers FREE coordinating study guides that coordinate with every Arts Adventure Performance.
  • JPAS annually extends over 1200 student tickets to public schools and organizations that do not have the financial means to attend performances including the Magnolia School, We Care for Special People, DAWN - Disabled Adults with Needs and STARC - St. Tammany Association for Retarded Citizens. JPAS has also provided free tickets to Head Start Programs and the Jefferson Parish School District

This is just a short list of what JPAS has accomplished and continues to do each year for the past 32 years. For more about JPAS visit www.jpas.org.