Laurel Canan brings a wonderful range of experience and perspective to her new position with Center Productions Inc. She has  been successful both as a presenter (Janesville Performing Arts Center in Janesville, Wisconsin) and most recently as a booking agent (CMI Entertainment - Midwest representative).  

When Laurel served as the Executive Director of JPAC, she brought artists such as Tony Bennett, Donny Osmond, Christopher Cross, Thodos Dance Chicago,  Cantible-The London Quartet, Robin Spielberg, and two performances by Franc D’Ambrosio to the Center.   Laurel also programmed a wide variety of other programs and children’s theatre companies for the JPAC season rosters.  She has extensive experience in all facets of arts management, organization strategic planning, fundraising and development, and arts organization start-up.  

Laurel has participated in the Prairie Arts Management Institute at Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the Professional Arts Management Institute at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois.  She also attended the national conferences sponsored by Americans for the Arts.  She served as a State Captain for Arts Wisconsin working on arts advocacy issues around the state.  

Laurel holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, focus of study was Administrative Organizations and Management.  Laurel also holds undergraduate degrees (a Bachelor of  Science and Associates Degree) in Legal Administration and Paralegal Studies. 

In 2010 Laurel became a member of the Ohio Arts Presenters Network (OAPN) board .  She was also asked to Co-Chair of the 2011 OAPN Conference.

Jeff Maess joins Center Productions after having been the Executive Director of the Pike Performing Arts Center in Indianapolis. While at Pike, Jeff was responsible for the management and operations of the Center’s 1,400-seat proscenium theatre and 125-seat studio theatre, and the selection of programming for a subscription series of regional, national and international artists.

Jeff also programmed curriculum-based school matinee shows for the Center’s Linking Education and the Arts Program (LEAP) series, including a production of “Blues Journey,” presented as part of the prestigious Kennedy Center’s Theater for Young Audiences On Tour program.

Jeff is pleased to have presented a diverse series of performers, including Franc D’Ambrosio, Sam Harris, Avner the Eccentric, Quartetto Gelato and Riders in the Sky, along with dance companies BodyVox, Complexions and Tapestry Dance Company, among others. Jeff was also pleased to have presented the Kennedy Center’s Theater for Young Audiences On Tour program as part of his educational outreach efforts.

As the Executive Director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Indianapolis, Jeff secured the orchestra’s participation in Celebration II, a commemorative event put on by LucasFilm Ltd. to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of the motion picture, Star Wars. Jeff had the pleasure of working with the event’s emcee, Anthony Daniels, better known to many as his Star Wars character, C-3PO.

Jeff has been a member of the Indianapolis Consortium of Arts Administrators, League of Indianapolis Theatres and the Indiana Presenters Network. He has a BA in Economics and Business Administration from Alfred (NY) University.