Who is school theatre for?

Back in March, I wrote a post exploring my initial thoughts about the role of a school theatre program within the larger school community. A few weeks later, I created a brief survey that I sent to the membership of my high school drama club to gain insight on students' perspectives of the program and its function. About 20% of the students who received the survey provided a response. The results were generally what I expected:

students participated in their school theatre program as a creative outlet and because it was a place where they felt comfortable to be themselves

Those within the drama club frequently refer to it as a "family". I've only been at the school for two years, but what I've seen supports the kind of inclusion you might assume when you read or hear that word.

On the flip side, families can be exclusive groups, too. The next logical step is to explore the perception of the program from those who are outside the family... or is it?

Who is school theatre for? The quick and obvious answer is it is for the students who are active members; however, the primary function of the club is to present stories that are seen by those who exist outside of the family. It is an interesting tight rope to maneuver. That dichotomy also makes school theatre an incredible training ground for collaboration, empathy, and leadership.

More on that in a future post. In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts on this. How do you balance the need for school theatre to serve its students members and the community audience? Is there a point where one may take precedence over the other?

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Goodbye is Bittersweet

Yesterday was the last day of the school year and I said "goodbye" to students (and a colleague) with whom I had the honor of working these past two years. We've been through some unusual and emotional moments together, most of them Covid-induced, but also that's the nature of doing work in the theatre:

the people you work with become like family.

Saying goodbye has always felt bittersweet; although I think that's only become a recent revelation for me. More often it feels sad and uncertain. I could see that in the seniors as they teared up, or had the first moments of uncertainty as they talked about what lies ahead. Graduation is a celebration of what has been accomplished, but Commencement is the beginning of something totally new. The 8th graders embraced that change as they join a family they've been destined for. The seniors are leaving the nest for things unknown.

One thing that I've found comforting in my "advanced age" is the ability to offer my students the assurance that while leaving high school (and everything they've ever known) can feel sad, there's a whole new world of possibilities waiting for them.

I can't wait to see what they do next.

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What Makes a "Good" School Theatre Program?

The end of the school year is awards season; my relationship with awards is complicated. Before entering the classroom full-time, I ran a youth playwriting competition and adjudicated forensics and dramatics festivals for middle school and high school for many years. My thoughts on the many sides of these experiences is fodder for another post; this is about how a recent awards show has led me to marvel at the culture and consistency within a handful of local high school theatre programs.

Two common things I've noticed are significant student involvement and the presence of a Thespian troupe. These likely go hand-in-hand as Thespians includes a variety of service initiatives and performance festivals to feed hungry theatre students' appetites. Then I wonder about each of those students... what draws them to theatre, or drama club? What is the motivator for putting in so much time and energy to these projects? And then I take a view from the other side: does having so many students involved in a drama club mean it is a "good" one? I'm not normally one for subjective terms like "good" or "bad", but the subjectivity is what is interesting. What makes a theatre program and/or drama club a "good" one for students?

Just the other day, one of the Honors Acting students asked what first got me into theatre. I told the old story about being an 11 year old working with his uncles in summer stock, but then took a moment to really think about why I kept going back. What made me invest so much into the theatre that over 30 years later I'm still so drawn to it and so passionate about it?

It was the one place where I felt like I belonged.

It was the one place where I felt like I was really good at something.

That would be my answer to the student's question, but also may answer my question: what makes a "good" high school theatre program. But is it really that simple? I'd love to hear what you think.

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Milestones

Logged in today to begin tinkering with an idea for a blog post and noticed that with 13 posts already this year I have tied my previous record of 13. This post will surpass that.

On the one hand, I'm glad to be having such a "prolific" year just five months in. On the other hand, wow, I really didn't write much before!

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Musical Chosen!

This week, I put in a licensing request for the winter musical at the high school. It is an unconventional choice that will surprise the students and challenge them to work on things they haven't in a long time. I'm excited by it and looking forward to beginning the work.

Unfortunately, that work must wait. I've learned from experience to get the final confirmation that we're good to go before getting to far ahead. In the meantime, I will binge on the soundtrack and make notes as they come along.

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"Make Up Your Mind, Make Up Your Mind, Laurey!"

A few weeks ago, I posted about engaging my theatre students in a conversation about their ideas for next year's winter musical. The email I initially sent spawned some great email exchanges and eventually we met for a "face-to-face" conversation over Google Meet. I was hoping the talk would give me some insights into their ideas about what makes a good musical (which it did), while also leading me toward a solid decision about next year's show (which it did not).

Their ideas about what to do varied widely. They seem to want more "serious" material; there was also a lot of talk about shows like Mamma Mia! and Shrek. I don't know that you can get a wider span from "serious" to Shrek. One thing I enjoyed seeing was how seriously they took the conversation and that they acknowledged how difficult it could be to select something that met so many factors. I'm a proponent of being open in my process so they can learn these things. I just wish it had brought me closer to a definite selection.

The choreographer and I have some ideas, so I am confident that we will choose a show soon. I wanted to get the students' input in order to build interest and increase participation in a program that was in decline when I began there last school year. In that sense, this was a "win" for us as a program. I loved how invested they were in some new ideas like drama club swag and smaller projects between shows. Those will be interesting ideas to continue exploring as we start the new year.

For now, I'm back to the drawing board... but leaning closely toward some more "classic" shows. They haven't done many of these in a while and I think there are a few that offer more "serious" fare than the more modern titles they threw around. One title mentioned in an email did not come up in conversation the way I thought it would. It seems a revival of an R&H standard piqued some interest, which I loved because I'm a proponent of R&H's work as experimental and darker musical fare. It was fun to hear it discussed that way. I will be adding the show to my ever-expanding and eclectic perusal list.

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Student Voice and Musical Choice

Last weekend (April 22-24), we wrapped up our winter musical production of Disney's The Little Mermaid with an online streaming performance. My students worked tirelessly to make it happen and while we all preferred sharing with a live audience, the experience of watching the show with their families and friends made it even more special. I'm proud of the work they did and deeply appreciated the support, excitement, encouragement, and congratulations sent by teachers and peers to the cast and crew. It is the sum of the experience that will have the greatest impact; it is why I love doing this work so much.

Unfortunately, I can't publicly share the whole show, but here is a sneak peek video that I put together ahead of the performance last week. You can also see the "tribute" video for last year's production of Into the Woods, which we weren't able to produce because of Covid.

Those who know me will find it no surprise that I am already working on the musical for next year (I can't rest, but I also love doing this so much). I'm also reflecting on the drama club as a whole and exploring ways to expand its work and elevate its visibility within the school community. To my joy and surprise, the students are thinking about these things, too.

Last week, I sent out a student survey to get some insight from the entire drama club membership. Of the 72 students listed, only 20 have replied so far, but I also noticed these responses were from students who were not actively involved. I followed up with the cast and crew of the most recent show and openly asked for their ideas about what show to do. I gave them some factors that I consider when making a selection and encouraged them to do the same. Those factors were:

• who is/may/may not be involved?
• what are the strengths of that group?
• what provides a new experience, or challenge for the group?
• do we have the technical capability/time/interest?
• variety (for example, following comedy one year with tragedy the next)
• what will an audience come to see?*
• what is appropriate for both audience and actors?

This lead to some interesting email exchanges and I was encouraged by how deeply students were thinking about their choices. Then one of our graduating seniors wrote to me as the representative from a group that had been discussing this in a group chat. And the play titles were very interesting. So, I asked the student to meet with me and the dance teacher to talk further. I'm so glad that I did!

What the conversation revealed is that the theatre students have an profound desire to do more serious work. Their choice of a classic, golden era musical was particularly intriguing. The dance teacher and I are using this insight to explore other titles we originally felt might be uninteresting. We also have a conversation with a larger group of students planned for Tuesday. I think this is an incredible opportunity for us to build and grow together by holding each other accountable.

We do a lot of talk about student-driven work, student voice, student inclusion. If this has taught me anything it is how important those things can be when they are put into action.

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No Rest for the Weary

Because I can't rest, my first hours of spring break have been consumed with what musical to do next year. Mind you, we haven't even finished post-production on the video for this year's show.

I love what I do and can't wait to get back into action. Even the planning process excites me so much!

What to do? What to do?🤔

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Mentionable and Manageable

Two years ago, I shared this quote with the TYA class and it became a touchstone for students throughout the year. With Mr. Rogers as our guide, we began to feel more comfortable with the idea of exploring life questions with young people. I did not think to include it in class this past fall, but the sentiments permeated the course and the thoughts and projects generated by the students were similarly contemplative of what can be explored through children's theatre.

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Struggle in Children's Entertainment

What if rather than 18,000 mini-adventures solved in under 30 minutes, there was a longer narrative arc? What would this tell the show's viewers? I don't think PAW Patrol is the cause of all the childhood anxiety we might see, but I do wonder how it may play a part.

Many television shows for young children unfold within the time allotted for each episode. From Sesame Street to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse to PAW Patrol, adventures for the youngest viewers are small and contained. Rarely, if ever, does the adventure extend beyond the end credits. Shows for the next age bracket - Dora the Explorer, Elena of Avalor, Liv and Maddie, Danger Force, etc. - also keep the journeys within the confines of each episode.

If we consider the "if you see it, you can be it" mantra of representation in children's media, what would happen when children see their 2D heroes battling over a series of episodes rather than tie up problems in a neat little bow each day?

Does anyone remember Liberty's Kids? It has been a while since I've watched, but I remember narrative arcs longer than just one episode. The characters were on an extended journey where each episode involved a smaller quest that may or may not have implications for the next step. A better example may lie in the narrative structure of video games. Each level works as a new episode in the world of the character. While the landscape and bad guys may change, the hero character is still on a journey to get to the end. Super Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, even something as simple as Subway Surfers, keep the story going until the absolute end is reached.

I'm a bit out of my element with these musings. My background is in children's theatre, but I've seen plenty of child-centered television while raising my three kids. Please let me know if I am overlooking anything there, or clarify any misconceptions I may have. However, on a meta scale, I think it would be fascinating to see how well children would digest an entire season of a show that really challenges it characters to get to the end of the road. How might that influence their creative and critical thinking? What changes might they make when solutions don't quickly solve a problem? What influence would that have on their self-perception?

The Role of Theatre in Schools

March 12 is a dubious date in my school theatre program. There are two reasons for this distinction:

1. March 12, 2020 - opening night for our winter musical, Into the Woods, which was postponed due to Covid just minutes before the end of the school day
2. March 12, 2021 - the final day of filming our Covid-restricted winter musical, Disney's The Little Mermaid

There may be many things to say about redemption and tenacity when you look at those two dates together like that. It was certainly the message that I repeated to the students as we pushed toward the end of filming through a variety of Covid-, and non-Covid-, related delays and hiccups and issues and roadblocks. But what I think is more interesting, and likely more important, is the influence those experiences will have on the students who lived them. The past two years have been difficult, which makes it easy to view them negatively; however, there is strong positive flip-side to that story. I'm curious how it will be perceived by my students and how it will play a role in their futures.

That leads me back to a question that I love to explore: "what is the role of theatre in schools?"

School theatre saved my life; there are others who have told me the same thing. Participation in theatre programs has benefits within a student's future artistic life as well as within the "real world". That has been seen in research published in Youth Theatre Journal and in my own doctoral dissertation. Now I'm curious to learn how school theatre programs can play a role within the larger school community. What is the perception of these programs from participants and non-participants? How do school theatre programs influence the overall function of a school? What happens with theatre programs are not present, or suddenly seek to exist? How about when they are first built, or "revitalized" after a significant absence?

Looks like I have some reading to do... and surveying my students for their stories... uh oh! Is this another research project in the works?

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