Open Forum

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Good evening,

Are you starting the recruiting in Middle School. We always find ways to include middle school kids in our productions. We also do JR. shows. By getting them in the productions early they are excited in high school.

Also during middle school open house we have a table.

---------------------------------
Crit Fisher
Lighting/Sound Designer
New Albany High School
---------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Hi,
Recruitment is something so many of us struggle with.  I'm not sure if these ideas will help, but sometimes anything is worth a shot!
1. Ask your admin to get kids out of study halls.  Kids need credits to graduate and study halls don't help with anything.  Kids think they need them, but more often than not, they're using their time for something other than what they are intended.
2. Get any state test scores from your school and compare the theatre kids against the school average.  When my school was looking to cut my compliment, I did just this and found that my theatre kids scored above the school average in every category that's tested!  If kids are at an academic advantage for being in a theatre class, counselors, parents, and kids just might seek it out!
3. Offer a backstage tour of your musical to middle school students.  When we did Annie, we had about 50 kids the night we offered it!  If middle school kids can see what high school kids are doing, they might be swayed that it's the "cool" thing to do and picture themselves participating :)
4.  Consider making the intro class a pre-rec to the musical theatre class?
5. Only do shows you are passionate about.  Kids will see your fire and want to be around it.  Find what gets you excited in the classroom and share that with your students.  
Thank you so much for doing what you're doing!  We're all pulling for you :)

------------------------------
Lisa Dyer
Henrico VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 21:47
From: Crit Fisher
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Good evening,

Are you starting the recruiting in Middle School. We always find ways to include middle school kids in our productions. We also do JR. shows. By getting them in the productions early they are excited in high school.

Also during middle school open house we have a table.

---------------------------------
Crit Fisher
Lighting/Sound Designer
New Albany High School

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

If the musical theatre class has full enrollment, I'd start by talking with the kids in that class: Why are they in it? What are they getting out of it? Do they want to go forward with the subject? And go from there.

You'll get some useless answers, but you may get some really good ones. Then apply those to the other classes.

------------------------------
George F. Ledo
Set designer
www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
www.georgefledo.net
http://astore.amazon.com/sdtbookstore-20
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-18-2018 06:57
From: Lisa Dyer
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Hi,
Recruitment is something so many of us struggle with.  I'm not sure if these ideas will help, but sometimes anything is worth a shot!
1. Ask your admin to get kids out of study halls.  Kids need credits to graduate and study halls don't help with anything.  Kids think they need them, but more often than not, they're using their time for something other than what they are intended.
2. Get any state test scores from your school and compare the theatre kids against the school average.  When my school was looking to cut my compliment, I did just this and found that my theatre kids scored above the school average in every category that's tested!  If kids are at an academic advantage for being in a theatre class, counselors, parents, and kids just might seek it out!
3. Offer a backstage tour of your musical to middle school students.  When we did Annie, we had about 50 kids the night we offered it!  If middle school kids can see what high school kids are doing, they might be swayed that it's the "cool" thing to do and picture themselves participating :)
4.  Consider making the intro class a pre-rec to the musical theatre class?
5. Only do shows you are passionate about.  Kids will see your fire and want to be around it.  Find what gets you excited in the classroom and share that with your students.
Thank you so much for doing what you're doing!  We're all pulling for you :)

------------------------------
Lisa Dyer
Henrico VA

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 21:47
From: Crit Fisher
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Good evening,

Are you starting the recruiting in Middle School. We always find ways to include middle school kids in our productions. We also do JR. shows. By getting them in the productions early they are excited in high school.

Also during middle school open house we have a table.

---------------------------------
Crit Fisher
Lighting/Sound Designer
New Albany High School

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

I agree with what's been said so far, especially with the idea of recruiting in middle school, if possible. I've been teaching drama at the same private school for three decades and the only time my numbers dropped significantly was when I lost touch with the middle school by moving exclusively to high school.  The middle school numbers continued to be okay without me, as the students connected to the new drama teacher there, but they didn't know me, so didn't sign up for drama in high school. I solved the problem by opening casting to grades six-twelve. It made everyone happier and my cast sizes increased and so did my revenue. Of course, we do original plays, so I have creative freedom in cast size (often 50+ students). Since you're talking about getting kids in your classes and not just your plays, definitely the most important things to do are to build familiarity and trust and to convince students that taking theater classes has a practical positive outcome for life. And the best way to do that last bit is through testimonials from well respected theater students, past and present, especially if they can talk about how theater helped them get a job and be successful, or do well in college. The biggest reason kids avoid arts classes is because they just don't think it's practical in the long run. And if parents have any say in the matter, it's important to do all of the above for them as well. Sometimes parents are the ones telling kids to take the "practical" path. Everyone knows theater is fun, so that's likely not the problem.

------------------------------
Robert St. John
Theater Teacher
Le Jardin Academy
Kailua HI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

You might try making the program progressive. Anyone Advanced Acting or Musical Theatre have to have taken Intro before advancing. Same with Technical Theatre, they have to take Intro. You can't design for the theatre if you don't know what theatre is all about.

------------------------------
John Perry
Retired Theatre Teacher
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Very glad you began this discussion as I found myself in a similar situation when I began at the school last year. Our school is not Title I, but very close to being designated as such. Decreasing student numbers in classes caught up with the previous teacher and the position was down-graded from full-time to part-time beginning September 2017. When he left, I was hired and began during the fourth week of school, inheriting a program in decline. Over the past year, I discovered that there was not prior contact between the high school and middle school programs and a recent history of productions to which families did not feel comfortable bringing their students. Reversing those two matters alone brought an increased interest in the theatre program: more students auditioned for the shows; more people attended the productions.

However...

Class numbers are still low and the position remains part-time. Some of this is due to a large number of rising freshman attending the county's performing arts academy rather than my school. The auditions and acceptances were done before I had a chance to connect with the middle school drama club, so I am hoping that the collaboration the middle school drama director and I have begun will be helpful when auditions come up again in the fall.

Other things I hope to do this year to increase numbers:

Advocacy - We offer a progression of classes from Theatre 1-4 as well as a Musical Theatre class (for which students are eligible if they have been in a theatre or choir class). There is a strong core of students continuing through the progression, however, a number of them are not returning to the courses in lieu of "real classes". I have found in conversation with these students that they face pressures from a variety of sources to move into another elective, or pursue a class that may be "more attractive to colleges". I find that our state requirements of only 1 year of visual & performing arts credits also plays a part and some students adopt a "one and done" approach to the arts, a field in which they have many options.

Cross-Curricular Ties - I have already begun this by reaching out to the English department to discuss ways of bringing theatre to their curriculum. Luckily, the English department at my school is very welcoming to this idea; administration is working to find similar in-roads to other departments.

Cultural Shift - I am building a culture of structure and discipline for the theatre program, two things which were lacking when I arrived. I am approaching this with a coaching mindset to both establish a routine and systematic way of working, but also to demonstrate the similarities in the ways in which theatre students prepare, rehearse, and perform to the methods employed by the athletic team.

Competitions - We had a trio of students compete at county and then state drama festival; I plan to get the students involved in other statewide competitions and festivals to elevate the image of the program.

Documentation - The theatre program had multiple social media accounts, but a look back through their history showed they were largely student-run and catered to the students alone. I have shifted the focus of these accounts as modes of publicity for both productions and classroom projects. This has helped connect our work with parents and raise excitement about the great work the students are doing. I have a group of Thespians eager to get to work on this, too, and I can't wait to unleash them on publicity projects in the fall.

I have no idea how well these things will do as far as increasing classroom numbers. My philosophy is that you need quality before quantity, so as long as our work brings up the quality of the shows, I think the numbers will follow suit. It may take another year, but here's to hoping I can at least get one more theatre class together for 2019-2020 than I have on the books for September.

------------------------------
Jim DeVivo, Ph.D.
Theatre Teacher/Director
Lacey Township High School
Lanoka Harbor NJ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

I should add to this discussion that my chief area of advocacy, and that for which I am known, is for devised, original work over producing published plays. When I started in 1990, I began with a group of about 20 middle school students and they were the ones who chose this method, given all of the possible options in starting a drama program in a school where one did not exist before. I had the means to deliver it, since I have an MFA in creative writing as well as background in theater, but I was entirely open to doing theater in any manner the students wanted. Very, very rarely does any student advocate for anything else at our school. Granted this may be true because we have built such a successful tradition of devised work. And when we initially started, there were no drama classes. Those were an outgrowth of the successful extracurricular program. Still, I strongly recommend considering the empowering influence of devised work as a way to build numbers in class settings. Yes, I teach classic stuff in my classes--Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, and at the higher levels, Ionesco, Beckett, Brecht, all of that--but underpinning everything is how to make up new stuff and stage it. And eventually, our school became part of the International Baccalaureate system; and I was pleased to see that it backed me up. The Diploma Program in the IB (that's the 11th and 12th grade part) requires students to devise original theater. So if all they've ever done is other people's stuff, they'd be at a distinct disadvantage (which I hear a lot from other IB teachers, in fact). 


------------------------------
Robert St. John
Theater Teacher
Le Jardin Academy
Kailua HI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-19-2018 13:38
From: James DeVivo
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Very glad you began this discussion as I found myself in a similar situation when I began at the school last year. Our school is not Title I, but very close to being designated as such. Decreasing student numbers in classes caught up with the previous teacher and the position was down-graded from full-time to part-time beginning September 2017. When he left, I was hired and began during the fourth week of school, inheriting a program in decline. Over the past year, I discovered that there was not prior contact between the high school and middle school programs and a recent history of productions to which families did not feel comfortable bringing their students. Reversing those two matters alone brought an increased interest in the theatre program: more students auditioned for the shows; more people attended the productions.

However...

Class numbers are still low and the position remains part-time. Some of this is due to a large number of rising freshman attending the county's performing arts academy rather than my school. The auditions and acceptances were done before I had a chance to connect with the middle school drama club, so I am hoping that the collaboration the middle school drama director and I have begun will be helpful when auditions come up again in the fall.

Other things I hope to do this year to increase numbers:

Advocacy - We offer a progression of classes from Theatre 1-4 as well as a Musical Theatre class (for which students are eligible if they have been in a theatre or choir class). There is a strong core of students continuing through the progression, however, a number of them are not returning to the courses in lieu of "real classes". I have found in conversation with these students that they face pressures from a variety of sources to move into another elective, or pursue a class that may be "more attractive to colleges". I find that our state requirements of only 1 year of visual & performing arts credits also plays a part and some students adopt a "one and done" approach to the arts, a field in which they have many options.

Cross-Curricular Ties - I have already begun this by reaching out to the English department to discuss ways of bringing theatre to their curriculum. Luckily, the English department at my school is very welcoming to this idea; administration is working to find similar in-roads to other departments.

Cultural Shift - I am building a culture of structure and discipline for the theatre program, two things which were lacking when I arrived. I am approaching this with a coaching mindset to both establish a routine and systematic way of working, but also to demonstrate the similarities in the ways in which theatre students prepare, rehearse, and perform to the methods employed by the athletic team.

Competitions - We had a trio of students compete at county and then state drama festival; I plan to get the students involved in other statewide competitions and festivals to elevate the image of the program.

Documentation - The theatre program had multiple social media accounts, but a look back through their history showed they were largely student-run and catered to the students alone. I have shifted the focus of these accounts as modes of publicity for both productions and classroom projects. This has helped connect our work with parents and raise excitement about the great work the students are doing. I have a group of Thespians eager to get to work on this, too, and I can't wait to unleash them on publicity projects in the fall.

I have no idea how well these things will do as far as increasing classroom numbers. My philosophy is that you need quality before quantity, so as long as our work brings up the quality of the shows, I think the numbers will follow suit. It may take another year, but here's to hoping I can at least get one more theatre class together for 2019-2020 than I have on the books for September.

------------------------------
Jim DeVivo, Ph.D.
Theatre Teacher/Director
Lacey Township High School
Lanoka Harbor NJ

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Original Message------

I should add to this discussion that my chief area of advocacy, and that for which I am known, is for devised, original work over producing published plays. When I started in 1990, I began with a group of about 20 middle school students and they were the ones who chose this method, given all of the possible options in starting a drama program in a school where one did not exist before. I had the means to deliver it, since I have an MFA in creative writing as well as background in theater, but I was entirely open to doing theater in any manner the students wanted. Very, very rarely does any student advocate for anything else at our school. Granted this may be true because we have built such a successful tradition of devised work. And when we initially started, there were no drama classes. Those were an outgrowth of the successful extracurricular program. Still, I strongly recommend considering the empowering influence of devised work as a way to build numbers in class settings. Yes, I teach classic stuff in my classes--Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, and at the higher levels, Ionesco, Beckett, Brecht, all of that--but underpinning everything is how to make up new stuff and stage it. And eventually, our school became part of the International Baccalaureate system; and I was pleased to see that it backed me up. The Diploma Program in the IB (that's the 11th and 12th grade part) requires students to devise original theater. So if all they've ever done is other people's stuff, they'd be at a distinct disadvantage (which I hear a lot from other IB teachers, in fact). 


------------------------------
Robert St. John
Theater Teacher
Le Jardin Academy
Kailua HI
------------------------------

I would recommend creating specific performance opportunities for those classes. Have an evening of One Act plays performed specifically by the students in those classes. They cold even write or direct them. Or, take those kids performing for lower grades at different schools or competitions.

Good luck!

------------------------------
DJ Queenan
Director of Fine Arts
Savannah GA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Hello all,

I wanted to add that for 40+ years our school puts on a “mini musical” and take two days to tour and perform at the local elementary schools. It has paid off not only for the kids and getting them excited about theatre, it hooks them as an Audi ent member too. We did Annie a few years back and had over 175 3rd-8th graders audition. Now we see these kids in the high school program with 5 full classes a day of performance and technical theatre.

---------------------------------
Crit Fisher
Lighting/Sound Designer
New Albany High School
---------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Find a particular strain/aspect of theatre that you are dead passionate about, and knowledgeable (or could learn about efficiently/effectively). Push that aspect out and offer it from within those classes that are struggling with numbers, and wait for the word of mouth to get around that 'Hey, this is a cool class. You need to sign up for it.' 

This is basically on the same lines as the other suggestions here; it could be devised theatre is the thing that you're passionate about and want to share with your students. It could be stage combat (which was one of the strategies that increased my own numbers, and brought more boys into the program). It could be some element of dance/physical theatre (another strategy that worked for us). It could be hosting summer camps for middle schoolers led by your high school students and you (another strategy that worked for us). Or it could also be Improv (it's own potential show schedule, zero budget, 100% profit on ticket sales...another strategy that worked for us). Or it could be about expanding out from Advanced acting, or Intro to Drama, and swapping one of those out (initially) for or adding Technical Theatre (a suggestion given by Bob already, which I followed, and was another strategy that worked for us...you may sense a pattern beginning to emerge...)

Essentially, it takes time to build a program and it's numbers. It is slow at first, but like anything else, that growth becomes exponential after a little while as students spread positive word of mouth, see your passion for things theatre and thrive off it, and bring their friends along because, 'Hey, this is cool, I think you'll like it too.' To say nothing about being a warm, safe environment that is like family yada yada blah blah. 

Good luck!

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Chapter Director, Ontario Thespians

Etobicoke ON
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

I agree with Mr. Goodchild, absolutely.  My personal passion is about devised theater, but yours could be anything. It's always best to build any program onto your own personal passion for a subject, regardless of what subject you're teaching. I have seen so many master teachers thrive, in the arts or not, based on this approach. If students trust you, and like being around you because you treat them with respect, they will follow your personal passion, regardless of where it specifically takes them. It's not really about the destination, it's about the journey and the guide. So many students figure this out in college, and that's why they change their majors so much.

------------------------------
Robert St. John
Theater Teacher
Le Jardin Academy
Kailua HI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-28-2018 20:54
From: Phillip Goodchild
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Find a particular strain/aspect of theatre that you are dead passionate about, and knowledgeable (or could learn about efficiently/effectively). Push that aspect out and offer it from within those classes that are struggling with numbers, and wait for the word of mouth to get around that 'Hey, this is a cool class. You need to sign up for it.'

This is basically on the same lines as the other suggestions here; it could be devised theatre is the thing that you're passionate about and want to share with your students. It could be stage combat (which was one of the strategies that increased my own numbers, and brought more boys into the program). It could be some element of dance/physical theatre (another strategy that worked for us). It could be hosting summer camps for middle schoolers led by your high school students and you (another strategy that worked for us). Or it could also be Improv (it's own potential show schedule, zero budget, 100% profit on ticket sales...another strategy that worked for us). Or it could be about expanding out from Advanced acting, or Intro to Drama, and swapping one of those out (initially) for or adding Technical Theatre (a suggestion given by Bob already, which I followed, and was another strategy that worked for us...you may sense a pattern beginning to emerge...)

Essentially, it takes time to build a program and it's numbers. It is slow at first, but like anything else, that growth becomes exponential after a little while as students spread positive word of mouth, see your passion for things theatre and thrive off it, and bring their friends along because, 'Hey, this is cool, I think you'll like it too.' To say nothing about being a warm, safe environment that is like family yada yada blah blah.

Good luck!

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Chapter Director, Ontario Thespians

Etobicoke ON

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Thank you everyone for your feedback! 

This is my 3rd year at this school, 8th year teaching. There have been a couple of teachers in the position before me, this senior class will be the last class having had a different teacher their freshman year. 

The administration has put  a lot of pressure on me this year to make sure my numbers match having me full time. Something new this year is that I will be teaching at the middle school for one class. 

Intro, acting and tech are the weakest enrollment wise. This year I am going to focus more on teaching skills in my tech class instead of rushing through with the ones that already know how to work on the upcoming production. I feel like I struggle with time management with the acting and intro class. I feel that I let them work on their scenes and monologues for too long, they waste class time, etc. How do you structure scene work in your classes?

This has been incredibly helpful and I am excited about the upcoming year.

------------------------------
Brooke Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2018 16:48
From: Robert St. John
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I agree with Mr. Goodchild, absolutely.  My personal passion is about devised theater, but yours could be anything. It's always best to build any program onto your own personal passion for a subject, regardless of what subject you're teaching. I have seen so many master teachers thrive, in the arts or not, based on this approach. If students trust you, and like being around you because you treat them with respect, they will follow your personal passion, regardless of where it specifically takes them. It's not really about the destination, it's about the journey and the guide. So many students figure this out in college, and that's why they change their majors so much.

------------------------------
Robert St. John
Theater Teacher
Le Jardin Academy
Kailua HI

Original Message:
Sent: 07-28-2018 20:54
From: Phillip Goodchild
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Find a particular strain/aspect of theatre that you are dead passionate about, and knowledgeable (or could learn about efficiently/effectively). Push that aspect out and offer it from within those classes that are struggling with numbers, and wait for the word of mouth to get around that 'Hey, this is a cool class. You need to sign up for it.'

This is basically on the same lines as the other suggestions here; it could be devised theatre is the thing that you're passionate about and want to share with your students. It could be stage combat (which was one of the strategies that increased my own numbers, and brought more boys into the program). It could be some element of dance/physical theatre (another strategy that worked for us). It could be hosting summer camps for middle schoolers led by your high school students and you (another strategy that worked for us). Or it could also be Improv (it's own potential show schedule, zero budget, 100% profit on ticket sales...another strategy that worked for us). Or it could be about expanding out from Advanced acting, or Intro to Drama, and swapping one of those out (initially) for or adding Technical Theatre (a suggestion given by Bob already, which I followed, and was another strategy that worked for us...you may sense a pattern beginning to emerge...)

Essentially, it takes time to build a program and it's numbers. It is slow at first, but like anything else, that growth becomes exponential after a little while as students spread positive word of mouth, see your passion for things theatre and thrive off it, and bring their friends along because, 'Hey, this is cool, I think you'll like it too.' To say nothing about being a warm, safe environment that is like family yada yada blah blah.

Good luck!

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Chapter Director, Ontario Thespians

Etobicoke ON

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

------------------------------
Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
------------------------------

Regarding scene work, one thing that you can do to use time more effectively is to separate how you assess formative versus summative assignments so that the formative assessments are of a work in progress and require little practice. They also "count less" or even not at all. Then the process to improve becomes incremental. It takes the pressure off of being perfect right off. Also, allow everyone to give feedback, and spend time on teaching students how to give respectful and non-threatening feedback up front, and also how to take feedback and not feel a need to respond to it (unless asked by you). This helps in building classroom trust and teamwork. You can even assess students on the quality of their feedback (that is, give less credit for feedback that has already been said and more credit for something that is insightful and especially helpful). This encourages more participation in the process. Some students are especially gifted at giving respectful feedback. But again, you have to emphasize the fact that the object is to lift everyone, not to serve egos. In a theater environment, anything that you can do to build a respectful community is good.

------------------------------
Robert St. John
Theater Teacher
Le Jardin Academy
Kailua HI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-30-2018 14:57
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Thank you everyone for your feedback!

This is my 3rd year at this school, 8th year teaching. There have been a couple of teachers in the position before me, this senior class will be the last class having had a different teacher their freshman year.

The administration has put  a lot of pressure on me this year to make sure my numbers match having me full time. Something new this year is that I will be teaching at the middle school for one class.

Intro, acting and tech are the weakest enrollment wise. This year I am going to focus more on teaching skills in my tech class instead of rushing through with the ones that already know how to work on the upcoming production. I feel like I struggle with time management with the acting and intro class. I feel that I let them work on their scenes and monologues for too long, they waste class time, etc. How do you structure scene work in your classes?

This has been incredibly helpful and I am excited about the upcoming year.

------------------------------
Brooke Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA

Original Message:
Sent: 07-29-2018 16:48
From: Robert St. John
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I agree with Mr. Goodchild, absolutely.  My personal passion is about devised theater, but yours could be anything. It's always best to build any program onto your own personal passion for a subject, regardless of what subject you're teaching. I have seen so many master teachers thrive, in the arts or not, based on this approach. If students trust you, and like being around you because you treat them with respect, they will follow your personal passion, regardless of where it specifically takes them. It's not really about the destination, it's about the journey and the guide. So many students figure this out in college, and that's why they change their majors so much.

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Robert St. John
Theater Teacher
Le Jardin Academy
Kailua HI

Original Message:
Sent: 07-28-2018 20:54
From: Phillip Goodchild
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

Find a particular strain/aspect of theatre that you are dead passionate about, and knowledgeable (or could learn about efficiently/effectively). Push that aspect out and offer it from within those classes that are struggling with numbers, and wait for the word of mouth to get around that 'Hey, this is a cool class. You need to sign up for it.'

This is basically on the same lines as the other suggestions here; it could be devised theatre is the thing that you're passionate about and want to share with your students. It could be stage combat (which was one of the strategies that increased my own numbers, and brought more boys into the program). It could be some element of dance/physical theatre (another strategy that worked for us). It could be hosting summer camps for middle schoolers led by your high school students and you (another strategy that worked for us). Or it could also be Improv (it's own potential show schedule, zero budget, 100% profit on ticket sales...another strategy that worked for us). Or it could be about expanding out from Advanced acting, or Intro to Drama, and swapping one of those out (initially) for or adding Technical Theatre (a suggestion given by Bob already, which I followed, and was another strategy that worked for us...you may sense a pattern beginning to emerge...)

Essentially, it takes time to build a program and it's numbers. It is slow at first, but like anything else, that growth becomes exponential after a little while as students spread positive word of mouth, see your passion for things theatre and thrive off it, and bring their friends along because, 'Hey, this is cool, I think you'll like it too.' To say nothing about being a warm, safe environment that is like family yada yada blah blah.

Good luck!

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Phillip Goodchild
Chapter Director, Ontario Thespians

Etobicoke ON

Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

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Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
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Kaeli, I wonder if the issue with low numbers in classes other than Musical Theatre may be that the performance opportunity (or lack of such) is driving enrollment.

If your Intro to Theatre class doesn't have a performance for the public, you might try adding a brief writing unit, perhaps short monologues.  

Does your Advanced Acting class do a production?  If not, you might try that.  I think most high school students would consider that a progressive step up from doing scene work, since they would get an audience for the play.  It would mean you would have to choose plays that have a flexible number of cast members, but there are plenty of those.  I teach a class of different levels combined each spring, and we start with a brief audition unit and auditions.  That class of three courses is always full.

As far as the Technical Theatre class goes, it is possible to have students read the play together, then design and build a set as you are teaching concepts and skills.  When students are really proud of owning a set, they talk about it.

As a general rule, I would advise you to make sure you have units that are clearly defined in all the classes.  If students cannot articulate what they learned in a theatre class, they aren't as likely to sign up for another.   

And don't be afraid to teach something else too on the days students are rehearsing for scenes.  I rarely give students more than 15 minutes daily to rehearse scenes in class.  In my experience, teens generally don't have the tools to stay motivated and engaged longer than that.

I use a rubric for daily grades.  The participation/rehearsal grades mean a really talented student who memorizes easily can't skate and cause trouble, then be saved by a performance grade. 

One last thing: Where are you teaching theatre history?  Those lessons, combined with acting or design opportunities, can have big impact on your whole school as students start speaking up in World History, foreign language, and English classes.

Good luck building your numbers!             







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C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2018 11:23
From: Brooke Evans
Subject: Building Enrollment Numbers

I am a high school theater teacher at a Title 1 school in Georgia. I am struggling to build my class numbers, specifically in Intro, Advanced Acting and Technical Theater. Musical Theater is the only class that has full enrollment. Any suggestions on how to structure the classes to get higher numbers?

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Kaeli Evans
Drama Teacher
Gainesville GA
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