Starting June 1, Robert Connor will step into the role of coordinator of the Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts (CCCEPA) at Pebblebrook High School, Principal Dr. Dana Giles announced Wednesday.
Connor, who has 40+ years of experience in the professional world of arts and entertainment, has served more than two decades as an arts educator.
“We are ecstatic to have Mr. Robert Conner as part of the tremendous legacy of leadership for the Cobb County Center for Excellence in Performing Arts,” praised Pebblebrook’s principal. “His reputation as a resourceful, creative, and impactful leader is evidenced in his decades of experiences in successfully leading and growing various Performing Arts programs in Metro Atlanta and other states, coupled with his work with several local theatres and productions.”
He has worked with some of the best performing arts programs in the country, including the Tri-Cities High School Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, and the Fine Arts Magnet Education program at New Manchester High School.
As a professional performer, Connor has appeared in a variety of stage productions, like 110 in the Shade, Once on this Island, Camelot, Crowns, The Club, Urinetown, Queen of the Blues, Higher Ground, Come out of the Rain, Tyler Perry’s I Know I’ve Been Changed, and Jezebel. His directing credits include: In The Heights, Chicago, Cinderella, Hairspray, Jar the Floor, Dreamgirls, The Amen Corner, Romeo & Juliet, Execution of Justice, Black Nativity, Hairspray, Miss Saigon, and the world premiere of the amateur production of The Color Purple.
Some of the seasoned educator’s film and television credits include: Star on FOX, Greenleaf (OWN), A Different World, The Cosby Show, the film Glory, and Showtime at the Apollo. As a musician, Robert can be heard on the two-time Stellar award-winning soundtrack to Greenleaf (Season 2) and has recorded and arranged vocals for a variety of artists, jingles for national and international products, and has sung with a variety of artists, including Michael Buble, Gladys Knight, Barry Manilow, Byron Cage, and Cassi Davis.
CCCEPA’s new coordinator holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College and a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Georgia with an emphasis on Dramatic Media.
What makes Pebblebrook’s new coordinator so impressive, according to Dr. Giles, is his connections with major colleges, universities, and programs within performing arts that will often contact him personally seeking his students because they know of his reputation in producing quality candidates.
“We are excited about the opportunity to ensure that our students will continue to be exposed and invited to top tier programs for advanced learning opportunities and experiences to both hone their skills within Performing Arts and develop into competitive performers in their chosen fields,” Dr. Giles added.
The Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts (CCCEPA) is a coeducational public magnet school housed on the campus of Pebblebrook High School in Mableton, Georgia, just west of Atlanta. CCCEPA offers unparalleled training in dance, vocal music, drama, and technical theatre, complemented by a robust and innovative academic curriculum.
