TU 2018 Distinguished Alumnus Julius Tennon (BFA ’78) loves to tell a good story. While at TU, he played roles like Othello on the theatre stage, and on the football field, his stories consisted of great friends and a few touchdowns. Now he produces stories featuring under-represented voices as the President of JuVee Productions in LA. Tennon took the time to answer some entertaining questions.
What is your favorite memory from TU?
The friendships established, the Drama department and my teammates
What’s your favorite role you have ever played?
Emperor Jones from the “Emperor Jones” play by Eugene O’Niell
If you could have a super hero power, what would it be?
Healing
What book would you recommend everyone read?
The Audacity of Hope – by President Barack Obama
How did you know Viola Davis was the one?
I knew she was the one because I just knew she was special as a human and thoughtful in her spirit. I could roll with that.
What is your dream role?
Fredrick Douglas
What is something on your bucket list?
To travel to Egypt
Where is your favorite place you have traveled?
Italy
What advice would you give to theatre students?
To love it because you can’t see yourself doing anything else. It is the journey, not the destination. Don’t put the horse before the cart.
What does being a TU Distinguished Alumnus mean to you?
It means my peers saw fit to honor my life and what I have accomplished to this point. It gives me extra fuel to live a life bigger than myself and to continue to shine a light on the work we all do. I want to leave the world better than the one I came into.