Kirby Jambon
Play Writing • French Theatre
A native of Lafourche Parish, Kirby Jambon is a teacher, poet, actor, and activist. His love for young people and his childlike spirit have been evident in his work as an educator for over thirty-five years, including the past twenty-six years as a French immersion teacher at Prairie Elementary School in Lafayette. His love for children's theater began in his early teaching career and has led him to work as a director and/or assistant director in over forty performances. Kirby has performed in various theatrical productions in Louisiana and Nova Scotia, including portraying Jean Valjean in a production of the French musical, Les misérables, and Jacob Marley and Fezziwig in An Acadiana Christmas Carol. Currently he is also the voice of Boudini in
Télé-Louisiane's animated series, Boudini et ses amis. Kirby has worked as a board member and/or officer in organizations such as the Louisiana Consortium of Immersion Schools, Le Théâtre Cadien, PFLAG-Lafayette and the Lafayette Parish Association of Educators. In 2014, he was awarded Volunteer of the Year by the Festival International de Louisiane for his work in coordinating bilingual stage presenters. Kirby is also an award-winning poet who has poems published in revues, journals and anthologies in four countries. The author of three books of Louisiana French poetry, he has presented his poetry at numerous events, festivals, and universities. In 2014, he was honored by the Académie française in Paris, making him the first Louisiana writer to receive an award for literature from the prestigious French Academy, and in 2020, he was named the Poet Laureate of French Louisiana. He loves spending time with his loving wife, daughter and Maltipoo, as well as listening to music, watching Science Fiction, sharing a laugh with friends, and of course, teaching at Wonderland.