Jonathan Sabo
New to the Northwestern community this year is Associate Professor of Theater and Speech Jonathan Sabo. Sabo will be taking on the position of technical director and scene designer. As part of his position, Sabo will deal with scene and costume design as well as teach classes in scene and costume design and stagecraft.
His 23 years of teaching have given him the opportunity to live in many different parts of the United States before coming to Orange City. Most recently he taught at Bethel College in Mishawaka, IN.
“I was looking to make a change and the ad that NW had posted caught my attention. It said something about someone who wanted to have fun — the word fun appeared in the ad and most places don’t include ‘fun’ in their ads. I thought, ‘Ok, I have to see what kind of theater department this is.’”
Upon interviewing, Sabo found he actually had a connection to NW. Both Sabo and theater professors Jeff and Karen Barker have ties to the Taproot Theatre Company based in Seattle. Sabo said he knew who the Barkers were but had never met them until the interview.
So far Sabo is enjoying both the NW and Orange City communities. He especially appreciates NW’s emphasis on the integration of faith and learning. “I’ve always functioned that way as a Christian educator,” Sabo explained, “but I’ve never experienced this intentionality.”
He is eager to tap into the department’s philosophy of using theater as an act of worship.
Outside of the classroom, Sabo says his favorite way to spend his time is with his wife Jennifer, who also is newly employed at NW. He is a licensed pilot, loves tennis and enjoys reading and learning about military aviation.
