Alabama Department of Transportation employee Jerrell Bowden is a man of unlimited talent.
From dance and acting to fencing and guitar, all while holding a second-degree level two black belt in taekwondo, Bowden’s schedule is nothing short of remarkable.
After hesitantly auditioning for a play while in college, he found an appetite for show production and graduated from the University of Alabama Department of Theatre & Dance in 2009. He was formerly a member of Theater Tuscaloosa and the UA Department of Theatre & Dance, but currently works with both The Rude Mechanical and The Collective in Tuscaloosa. He has been involved in countless musicals and plays, serving as Technical Director for productions such as Grease, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and Sound Designer for The Sound of Music.
Bowden’s professional journey with the state began in 2009 at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa. Bowden started at ALDOT 10 years ago. He is currently a Transportation Technologist in ALDOT’s West Central Region where he researches how road projects will affect traffic flow.
“I like this position at ALDOT because I get to do all of this stuff, get my work done, and still come home and chase the kids,” Bowden said.
A work-life balance is vital for Bowden to get what he needs accomplished. He gets his work done during the day and then goes home to his supportive family. He uses nights and weekends for his hobbies as he explores new outlets to be creative.
“That’s what I’m all about: Jesus, my wife and kids, playing worship music, ALDOT and plays,” Bowden said.
With each new production, Bowden eagerly embraces the challenges that come his way. Currently, he is deeply involved in a new production, William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where his children, Eli and Abigail, are cast as fairies. Bowden, working on lighting, is particularly excited about the puzzle-like process of setting up the lighting for each show. For A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he’s thrilled about the challenge of finding the perfect placement for the stars on the stage.
Bowden also was an extra on the set of The Patient, a recent movie that previewed at the Cannes Film Festival in France this year. Bowden met actor Ryan Phillippe from the 2004 movie Crash while on set for The Patient where he learned from the technical team and stuntmen during their time together in Birmingham.
Catch A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Allen Bales Theatre in Tuscaloosa from June 27 to June 29, 2024.
