The Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts (CCCEPA) began in the mid-1980s as the District's very first magnet program. It has grown steadily since then to become THE destination in Cobb County for outstanding stage plays, vocal performances, musicals, and much more.
Robert Connor is the current Director of CCCEPA. He took over for Frank Timmerman, who retired in 2021 after 28 years with the Center.
During his tenure with CCCEPA, Mr. Timmerman teamed up with Elisabeth Jonas, whose company, Encore Fundraising, helped the Center to raise funds and increase visibility in the Cobb community. Ms. Jonas had an extensive arts background and became a huge fan of CCCEPA and its work to promote and teach drama and theatre.
Tragically, Ms. Jonas died in early November 2023 after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Despite all of her health challenges in the final years of her life, Ms. Jonas never lost her love for the arts or CCCEPA. She included the Center in her will, and in October of 2024, it was announced that CCCEPA would be receiving a fantastic gift from her: a check for $150,000!
"What an incredible and unexpected gift!" Director Connor said. "This donation speaks to the impact that the CCCEPA has had on our community for many, many years. This legacy gift will impact the futures of so many gifted students in our program. We are grateful to Elisabeth Jonas and her family!"
"Pebblebrook was one of the first schools she worked with, and she was always so impressed with what was happening here. She attended many shows over the years and helped them raise quite a bit of money by selling cheesecakes, cookie dough, candles, and much more," said Elisabeth's sister, Janet Jonas Mann, and daughter-in-law Karen Roderique.
Elisabeth's donation is one of the largest individual gifts given to Cobb Schools and will be put to work immediately. Theater productions are expensive and involve many different costs, but the generosity shown by Elisabeth Jonas will have a lasting impact on CCCEPA for many years to come. Thank you, Jonas Family!
