Academy of the Performing Arts
Sylvia S. Haynie
Academy of the Performing Arts
478-737-9155
Sylvia Haynie, co-owner of the APA has served as a theatre director, instructor, actor and workshop leader for a wide variety of arts organizations. For the APA and in conjunction with Macon Little Theatre she co-directs the newly named FAMILY SERIES as well as the education program of three the summer theatre camps for MLT. With her guidance, APA students have auditioned for and been cast in regional and national touring theatre shows, regional television and film productions and radio/voice over opportunities.
From 1986 until her retirement in summer of 2022, she was involved with the theatre department at one of the area independent schools serving for 6 years as choreographer, followed by two different stints as artistic director (from 1993-2004 and 2011-2022) Under her direction, that school’s theatre program has won 12 first place region awards and 6 first place state one-act competitions. Thos academy years consisted of three or four shows annually and always included a huge cast winter musical featuring casts of more than 100 students in grades 1-12.
Starting in 2004, Ms. Haynie has also served as a guest director for Macon Little Theatre, directing no less than three shows per season. Show titles range from contemporary hits Legally Blonde, Hairspray and Wedding Singer to classics such as Wizard of Oz, The Sound of Music, Annie and Showboat. The great relationship between the APA and MLT allow for many of the APA shows to be presented on the stage of the little theatre with full theatrical lighting and special effects.
Haynie served for 30 consecutive years as choreographer for a local chatiry production on the stage of The Grand Opera House. She was proud to volunteer with the local Alzheimer’s Association as the stage director for 2012 and 2013 “Dancing with the Central Georgia Stars” at Macon’s City Auditorium. She has twice directed for Theatre Macon’s Youth Actors Company and served as music director for area shows, reviews and church productions. In years past she served as artistic director for the Chamber of Commerce in its presentation of local performing arts organizations. As a playwright, her adaptations and original works have been produced by high schools, touring companies and professional children’s theatre troupes.
Starting with directing Wizard of Oz as a camp counselor while in college, Haynie counts this as her 44th year in the theatre business. Both Haynie’s children are pursuing professional theatre careers. Her older son, JP completed his master’s degree in Musical Theatre in 2008 and has worked on projects like Men In Black, 3 and Board Walk Empire and two seasons on The Good Wife. Beginning in 2019, JP Haynie became the Artistic Director of Macon Little Theatre. JP and wife Ashlee have one daughter, Luminara Eisley Haynie born in 2022. Lumi made her stage debut as "Baby with Lady" in the recent production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast at MLT. Haynie's younger child is a 2008 graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University and has numerous regional and Broadway credits (WICKED, HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and Heart of Rock & Roll in 2024.) F also appeared as OLAF in the National Tour of FROZEN! Both JP and F are members of Actors Equity Association and the Screen Actor’s Guild.