Ollie's Interviews: Theatre Arts Faculty Member Yohance Myles

ASFA Theatre Arts Instructor Yohance Myles

Yohance Myles is a decorated actor of stage and screen with dozens of credits to his name. He also directs both films and stage productions. He holds an MFA in Acting from LSU and a BA in Performing Arts from Alabama State University and has extensive teaching experience at the college level. He rejoins the full-time faculty of the ASFA Theatre Arts department after a brief sabbatical last year. This year at ASFA, he's been busy directing Twelve Angry Jurors and teaching a variety of acting classes.

Ollie sat down with him to find out a little bit more about him and his various roles — as teacher, actor, director, and father.

Q. What made you initially decide to teach at ASFA, (and did your birthplace in Alabama have anything to do with it?)

I’m from Birmingham and would always see ASFA passing by on the highway, and I thought originally that it was just a place for visual artists. Because of the “School of Fine Arts,” I didn’t know that it was like music, dance, or acting. But full circle, I had just taught at the universities in Mississippi, taught at the community colleges. I’m a product of public schools, and moving back here I liked the discipline — the main focus of “I get to teach young students,” artists, creatives, what I have learned from the professional world. And I was able to become successful being a product of Birmingham. Now I get to teach students who actually are here.

Q. Was your previous experience with ASFA challenging, and did your work as an actor conflict with your work as a teacher?

No, I’ve never had any conflicts with my work as an actor. ASFA has allowed me to be here because of the professional work that I have done, so the challenge for me is to make sure that I am always at a place of knowledge and wisdom in a growing industry. So it’s one thing to teach, but it’s also important for me to know how much the industry is still changing so that the students can be better prepared as I am too.

Q. How would you describe your prior involvement with our student body– and what allowed you to be able to come back?

What’s beautiful about that is that (when I say leave, I’ll clarify that — I took a small sabbatical,) that sabbatical allowed me to realize that family is important too. It’s one thing to teach, and also it’s important for me to take care of my very own children who need my care and love — and they’re creatives too. But my sabbatical from ASFA actually allowed me to go and grow. But I still was teaching, I was still coming in and teaching. I’ve returned back to full time. It was more of an account of a partial break.

Q. On your IMDB profile it shows you’ve directed exactly one movie– what was it like directing your own movie after having been in a plethora of them before?

It should be because IMDB focuses on film, I have directed a lot of theater shows. IMDB is only for the film stuff. I actually technically have directed three movies. One movie that I directed last year unfortunately the young lady just recently passed away. But I actually have directed three movies, and it’s great because I’m an actor first, so directing a movie allows me to really appreciate the actors' process in front of the camera but also bring vision and light and collaboration in all the things behind the scenes.

Q. Is there anything that you’re thinking about doing differently with us this time, compared to your previous experience here?

One — it’s not necessarily different. I always want to continue to grow. But differently, I want to actually bring my professional work that actually got me here, I want to actually get more involved into my professional development as an actor. Two — I think the other thing is, have some more creative opportunities; maybe voice over acting podcasts, and more collaborations with others outside of the ASFA community.