Open Forum

Good morning all!

  I know that this topic has been addressed probably in a variety of ways here.  But I wanted to see what advice or tips those of you on this forum during the summer could offer.  I've been directing for seventeen years at a school in Michigan.  We became a theater troupe over five years ago.  I am so proud of the growth and success of this group.  We done a little competing a few years back and returned to a wonderful theater festival in Februrary (Mid-Michigan Theater Festival) where I realized that I want to keep pushing this group to grow.  We typically do two plays and a musical each season.

  I'm looking to do more...return to One-Act competition (MIFA), continue attending theater festivals, challenge the drama club with diverse plays and musicals.  In order to do this, we need to look to fundraise. I've gotten some WONDERFUL ideas here.  But here is the issue, my administrator, while VERY supportive and encouraging, is concerned about burnout.
 
  I, too, pretty much collapse when June and July arrive, and then begin planning events/shows for the next season.  Two questions:

1) What are you tips for balance? Balancing that passion to see your theater troupe grow and get better but also maintaining sanity as many of us are full-time teachers (I teach ELA).

2) What are general tips/advice that have MADE your drama troupe become something wonderful?

Thank you to all that offer advice. I truly appreciate it.

------------------------------
James McCulloch
Drama Director of Mariner Drama
Marine City, Michigan
jmcculloch@ecsd.us
------------------------------

This will be a pot/kettle conversation, because I'm often overextending myself, but here are my two cents:

1.)Put a cap on the number of musicals you will produce and stick to it. Doesn't matter how many, just don't add to the number. You will be able to count the days until the end of your season, and make your plans to recuperate, which will relax you.

2)Find activities that other professionals can lead like competitive high school improv leagues. In Texas that would be ComedySportz. Here in Las Vegas it's Jesters. That will increase both the total number of productions, and your total fundraising events without taxing anything but your time. You can sit back and relax while the coaches do the work.

3) Go dark in between EVERY production for at least 3 days. Here's the kicker; GO HOME AFTER CLASSES ALL THREE DAYS. Better yet, go dark on Friday, leave directly after class and do not under any circumstance, come in on the weekend. The kids will appreciate the break too, though initially they will complain.

4) Make sure you are taking care of your basic needs while in production. Drink enough water. Bring healthy snacks. Make sure you pack a lunch. Bring a sweater. Schedule breaks into rehearsal. Have a few minutes of time in between end of class and rehearsal. Make sure you have a stock of aspirin, EmergenC, and other recuperative first aid items.

After making this list, I realize the planning it takes to do all of the things makes it seem like MORE stress, but once you have a care system in place, it really does seem to help.

Hope this helps. Cheers to you , and break a leg!

------------------------------
Rebecca Fahning
Desert Pines High School Theatre/ Tech Director
ITS Troupe 6125, Troupe Director
Las Vegas NV
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2018 10:50
From: James McCulloch
Subject: Tips for Balance and Success

Good morning all!

  I know that this topic has been addressed probably in a variety of ways here.  But I wanted to see what advice or tips those of you on this forum during the summer could offer.  I've been directing for seventeen years at a school in Michigan.  We became a theater troupe over five years ago.  I am so proud of the growth and success of this group.  We done a little competing a few years back and returned to a wonderful theater festival in Februrary (Mid-Michigan Theater Festival) where I realized that I want to keep pushing this group to grow.  We typically do two plays and a musical each season.

  I'm looking to do more...return to One-Act competition (MIFA), continue attending theater festivals, challenge the drama club with diverse plays and musicals.  In order to do this, we need to look to fundraise. I've gotten some WONDERFUL ideas here.  But here is the issue, my administrator, while VERY supportive and encouraging, is concerned about burnout.

  I, too, pretty much collapse when June and July arrive, and then begin planning events/shows for the next season.  Two questions:

1) What are you tips for balance? Balancing that passion to see your theater troupe grow and get better but also maintaining sanity as many of us are full-time teachers (I teach ELA).

2) What are general tips/advice that have MADE your drama troupe become something wonderful?

Thank you to all that offer advice. I truly appreciate it.

------------------------------
James McCulloch
Drama Director of Mariner Drama
Marine City, Michigan
jmcculloch@ecsd.us
------------------------------

Fees, this is hard, but if you don't take care of your own mental well-being, you aren't your best for your kids. 

Find something NOT theatre related and PLAN time once a month (or more) to do this-not time to just squeeze it in, but plan it from the outset. Plan your rehearsals around it. And really the kids don't need to know why the schedule is that way if you don't want them to because it's that way when you release your rehearsal schedule. For instance, I really enjoy hockey games and when the NHL schedule comes out, I sit down and plan which games I will attend. Of course, I don't go to ones on show weekends, but I definitely look for ones the week/weekend after a show-and I have even planned to attend ones during the early stages of our two week tech week schedule.   Honestly, the games get me out of my head with work, and yes, there have been times when I question or think why did I plan on doing this now. But, I usually come back ready to attack the job.  And, if I plan it during tech week, we get out of the theatre on time and without lingering too much, and I think parents and kids also get a bit of a mental break too. But the key is to PLAN from the beginning. And, make sure it is different from theatre- then you have something away from work to look forward to.

Another possibility is what our marching band director does. He has absolutely no practices on Tuesdays. Nothing, nada. Not only does it give a mental break, but it has cut down on absences for dentist/ doctor appts, because parents know they can easily plan those types of things on Tuesday and kids won't miss practice.

just a few ideas. Hope it helps.

------------------------------
Holly Thompson
Worthington OH
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2018 10:50
From: James McCulloch
Subject: Tips for Balance and Success

Good morning all!

  I know that this topic has been addressed probably in a variety of ways here.  But I wanted to see what advice or tips those of you on this forum during the summer could offer.  I've been directing for seventeen years at a school in Michigan.  We became a theater troupe over five years ago.  I am so proud of the growth and success of this group.  We done a little competing a few years back and returned to a wonderful theater festival in Februrary (Mid-Michigan Theater Festival) where I realized that I want to keep pushing this group to grow.  We typically do two plays and a musical each season.

  I'm looking to do more...return to One-Act competition (MIFA), continue attending theater festivals, challenge the drama club with diverse plays and musicals.  In order to do this, we need to look to fundraise. I've gotten some WONDERFUL ideas here.  But here is the issue, my administrator, while VERY supportive and encouraging, is concerned about burnout.

  I, too, pretty much collapse when June and July arrive, and then begin planning events/shows for the next season.  Two questions:

1) What are you tips for balance? Balancing that passion to see your theater troupe grow and get better but also maintaining sanity as many of us are full-time teachers (I teach ELA).

2) What are general tips/advice that have MADE your drama troupe become something wonderful?

Thank you to all that offer advice. I truly appreciate it.

------------------------------
James McCulloch
Drama Director of Mariner Drama
Marine City, Michigan
jmcculloch@ecsd.us
------------------------------

I cannot force myself to do fundraising.  Life is too short to be as miserable as car washes, candy sales, etc., would make me.

Have you thought of switching out one of your musicals each year with a public domain work?  Three years ago, we started producing an adaptation I wrote of A Christmas Carol in early December as a fundraiser for money to go to the International Thespian Festival.  Now that we have the costumes and props for the show, it costs us nothing.  We clear between $1500 and $2000 each year with 4 performances in our 150 seat theatre.

Ditto with Shakespeare.  Since we have a good variety of platforms, stairs, etc.--the building blocks of a set for Shakespeare--the shows are really inexpensive to perform.  I abridge each play down to 2 hours max, print scripts at school, and boom!  Money in the account.  An added bonus is that Shakespeare allows me to cast my transgender and gender-non-conforming students easily in parts they love.

I don't know whether you teach playwriting in your classes, but I encourage you to get some sort of training and incorporate that, if you don't already.  We do an annual collection of short plays that pays for our hotel rooms for our NC Thespian Festival.  Most of the plays start in a theatre class playwriting unit.  (Students used to select published plays, but they have discovered the joy of performing their own work, as well as the thrill of banking what used to be spent on scripts and royalties.)  Members of our Thespian troupe select or write plays, cast them, and direct them.  We call the annual collection Quixotica, and it is the production most likely to sell out every year.  We have had to move to two weekends.

Good luck! 



------------------------------
C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2018 10:50
From: James McCulloch
Subject: Tips for Balance and Success

Good morning all!

  I know that this topic has been addressed probably in a variety of ways here.  But I wanted to see what advice or tips those of you on this forum during the summer could offer.  I've been directing for seventeen years at a school in Michigan.  We became a theater troupe over five years ago.  I am so proud of the growth and success of this group.  We done a little competing a few years back and returned to a wonderful theater festival in Februrary (Mid-Michigan Theater Festival) where I realized that I want to keep pushing this group to grow.  We typically do two plays and a musical each season.

  I'm looking to do more...return to One-Act competition (MIFA), continue attending theater festivals, challenge the drama club with diverse plays and musicals.  In order to do this, we need to look to fundraise. I've gotten some WONDERFUL ideas here.  But here is the issue, my administrator, while VERY supportive and encouraging, is concerned about burnout.

  I, too, pretty much collapse when June and July arrive, and then begin planning events/shows for the next season.  Two questions:

1) What are you tips for balance? Balancing that passion to see your theater troupe grow and get better but also maintaining sanity as many of us are full-time teachers (I teach ELA).

2) What are general tips/advice that have MADE your drama troupe become something wonderful?

Thank you to all that offer advice. I truly appreciate it.

------------------------------
James McCulloch
Drama Director of Mariner Drama
Marine City, Michigan
jmcculloch@ecsd.us
------------------------------

Good afternoon,

Great topic. I was just chatting with a former director and mentor on this subject last week. He said that the key is to surround yourself with people you trust and have certain skills and delicate.

We all have tried the one person show. I ended up in the hospital with pneumonia because I didn’t listen to my body.

At our school I am the resident lighting and sound designer. We have a scenic designer who gives ideas to the technical director to build. We have a choreographer and at times welcome a guest director. This allows our producer to do what she does best, teach and produce.

This limits burn out, guaranteed.



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



Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2018
From: James McCulloch
Subject: Tips for Balance and Success

Good morning all!

  I know that this topic has been addressed probably in a variety of ways here.  But I wanted to see what advice or tips those of you on this forum during the summer could offer.  I've been directing for seventeen years at a school in Michigan.  We became a theater troupe over five years ago.  I am so proud of the growth and success of this group.  We done a little competing a few years back and returned to a wonderful theater festival in Februrary (Mid-Michigan Theater Festival) where I realized that I want to keep pushing this group to grow.  We typically do two plays and a musical each season.

  I'm looking to do more...return to One-Act competition (MIFA), continue attending theater festivals, challenge the drama club with diverse plays and musicals.  In order to do this, we need to look to fundraise. I've gotten some WONDERFUL ideas here.  But here is the issue, my administrator, while VERY supportive and encouraging, is concerned about burnout.
 
  I, too, pretty much collapse when June and July arrive, and then begin planning events/shows for the next season.  Two questions:

1) What are you tips for balance? Balancing that passion to see your theater troupe grow and get better but also maintaining sanity as many of us are full-time teachers (I teach ELA).

2) What are general tips/advice that have MADE your drama troupe become something wonderful?

Thank you to all that offer advice. I truly appreciate it.

------------------------------
James McCulloch
Drama Director of Mariner Drama
Marine City, Michigan
jmcculloch@ecsd.us
------------------------------

1. Connect with other theatre teachers. Together you can plan activities/events that leave you taking turns or at the very least you have a sounding board and support system for when it gets overwhelming. Sometimes it also feels better to just have someone else who understands. 
2. Make your students do cost/benefit analysis for EVERY fundraiser idea. Remember your time and their time has a $ value and encourage them to figure out what that is before planning a fundraiser that in the end doesn't pay off. For instance we don't sell items like wrapping paper or cookie dough because it 1) has nothing to do with theatre or the business of theatre, 2) is a pain in the butt time consumption that doesn't pay off. Instead our biggest fund development opportunities are in soliciting local businesses and individuals to sponsor our season (just like a non-profit/regional theatre might do) and in writing grants (which I teach the kids how to do and they even teach each other now, and I just become the editor).
3. Learn to use the excuse "I have an appointment," as a way to set up time for yourself and the things that you want/need to do just for you. For those of us like me who have a hard time saying "no" this can work wonders. Family activities, social events that aren't school related, and an evening bath or Sunday brunch with friends can all be appointments. Mark out time on your calendar the way you schedule everything else and make it a priority. It's important you feel in control of the time, and think of what you will need in advance of getting in over your head and drowning in it. We as a society glorify overworking and it's not healthy. It's important to model this for your students too. They have to learn balance as well. 
4. Sleep, eat real food, drink water, repeat. If you aren't doing it, how do you expect your students to do it, and we all know how important it is. Model this behavior too and show how you value and make time for it. It will help you and you are teaching them.
5. I often say "I get paid to do paperwork." The rest of my job I would probably do as a volunteer. I have to remind myself that when I'm sitting late at school or home doing things that I'm too tired or too grumpy and overworked to do. I say "would you do this for free?" and then tell myself to drop it and leave if the answer is "no." At the end of the day, absolutely nothing about what you are doing is life and death and can't wait. What gets done, gets done, and you won't ever get to everything, so be okay with that. 

We all struggle with this. There isn't one right way to handle it, and many of us aren't doing a good job. As long as the joy outweighs the stress, I say go for it, but set up time to take your temperature throughout and if it's not more joyful than stressful, reassess and make changes for moving forward.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2018 10:50
From: James McCulloch
Subject: Tips for Balance and Success

Good morning all!

  I know that this topic has been addressed probably in a variety of ways here.  But I wanted to see what advice or tips those of you on this forum during the summer could offer.  I've been directing for seventeen years at a school in Michigan.  We became a theater troupe over five years ago.  I am so proud of the growth and success of this group.  We done a little competing a few years back and returned to a wonderful theater festival in Februrary (Mid-Michigan Theater Festival) where I realized that I want to keep pushing this group to grow.  We typically do two plays and a musical each season.

  I'm looking to do more...return to One-Act competition (MIFA), continue attending theater festivals, challenge the drama club with diverse plays and musicals.  In order to do this, we need to look to fundraise. I've gotten some WONDERFUL ideas here.  But here is the issue, my administrator, while VERY supportive and encouraging, is concerned about burnout.

  I, too, pretty much collapse when June and July arrive, and then begin planning events/shows for the next season.  Two questions:

1) What are you tips for balance? Balancing that passion to see your theater troupe grow and get better but also maintaining sanity as many of us are full-time teachers (I teach ELA).

2) What are general tips/advice that have MADE your drama troupe become something wonderful?

Thank you to all that offer advice. I truly appreciate it.

------------------------------
James McCulloch
Drama Director of Mariner Drama
Marine City, Michigan
jmcculloch@ecsd.us
------------------------------

I like to think of the theater offerings I provide my students as those which are most educationally valuable and will enhance my theatre program overall.

If I feel we need more acting training then I seek out opportunities to develop their acting. If they need more technical development, then I seek out those activities.

It is easy to get caught up in trying to do it all.  Also, once you do something my students think because we did it once it is a "tradition" and we "have to do it" every year.  Avoid that trap.

I prioritize my year around those things I have to do (ex: the musical, the play) verses those that I enjoy doing but are not required (ex: festival, one act competition, forensic, field trips, and workshops).  Then I consider my personal life and try to find time for me and my family verses the time I spend with my students. I am not always successful in balancing them, but I do try.

Another way to think of it is like a make your own sundae bar.  If you start with ice cream (the required item) what toppings will really make for the best treat?  If you simply add them all it will probably be a mess. It's fun to make different combinations of sundaes, right? So, each year I think of the year as a new possible sundae.  Keeping in some of my favorite toppings, but then mix it up a little each year and change somethings.  It also helps keep it fresh.

There is no 'best sundae" for your students. So, feel free to mix it up.  

Good luck.

------------------------------
John Rutherford
Groves Performing Arts Company
W.E. Groves High School
Beverly Hills MI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-28-2018 17:16
From: Kathleen McNulty Mann
Subject: Tips for Balance and Success

1. Connect with other theatre teachers. Together you can plan activities/events that leave you taking turns or at the very least you have a sounding board and support system for when it gets overwhelming. Sometimes it also feels better to just have someone else who understands. 
2. Make your students do cost/benefit analysis for EVERY fundraiser idea. Remember your time and their time has a $ value and encourage them to figure out what that is before planning a fundraiser that in the end doesn't pay off. For instance we don't sell items like wrapping paper or cookie dough because it 1) has nothing to do with theatre or the business of theatre, 2) is a pain in the butt time consumption that doesn't pay off. Instead our biggest fund development opportunities are in soliciting local businesses and individuals to sponsor our season (just like a non-profit/regional theatre might do) and in writing grants (which I teach the kids how to do and they even teach each other now, and I just become the editor).
3. Learn to use the excuse "I have an appointment," as a way to set up time for yourself and the things that you want/need to do just for you. For those of us like me who have a hard time saying "no" this can work wonders. Family activities, social events that aren't school related, and an evening bath or Sunday brunch with friends can all be appointments. Mark out time on your calendar the way you schedule everything else and make it a priority. It's important you feel in control of the time, and think of what you will need in advance of getting in over your head and drowning in it. We as a society glorify overworking and it's not healthy. It's important to model this for your students too. They have to learn balance as well. 
4. Sleep, eat real food, drink water, repeat. If you aren't doing it, how do you expect your students to do it, and we all know how important it is. Model this behavior too and show how you value and make time for it. It will help you and you are teaching them.
5. I often say "I get paid to do paperwork." The rest of my job I would probably do as a volunteer. I have to remind myself that when I'm sitting late at school or home doing things that I'm too tired or too grumpy and overworked to do. I say "would you do this for free?" and then tell myself to drop it and leave if the answer is "no." At the end of the day, absolutely nothing about what you are doing is life and death and can't wait. What gets done, gets done, and you won't ever get to everything, so be okay with that. 

We all struggle with this. There isn't one right way to handle it, and many of us aren't doing a good job. As long as the joy outweighs the stress, I say go for it, but set up time to take your temperature throughout and if it's not more joyful than stressful, reassess and make changes for moving forward.

------------------------------
Kathleen McNulty Mann
mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

Program Director
Arnold High School Theatre
Thespian Troupe 6371
Panama City Beach, FL

District 10 Chair & State Logistics
Florida State Junior Thespians

Board Member
Membership Committee Chair
Florida Association for Theatre Education

Original Message:
Sent: 07-25-2018 10:50
From: James McCulloch
Subject: Tips for Balance and Success

Good morning all!

  I know that this topic has been addressed probably in a variety of ways here.  But I wanted to see what advice or tips those of you on this forum during the summer could offer.  I've been directing for seventeen years at a school in Michigan.  We became a theater troupe over five years ago.  I am so proud of the growth and success of this group.  We done a little competing a few years back and returned to a wonderful theater festival in Februrary (Mid-Michigan Theater Festival) where I realized that I want to keep pushing this group to grow.  We typically do two plays and a musical each season.

  I'm looking to do more...return to One-Act competition (MIFA), continue attending theater festivals, challenge the drama club with diverse plays and musicals.  In order to do this, we need to look to fundraise. I've gotten some WONDERFUL ideas here.  But here is the issue, my administrator, while VERY supportive and encouraging, is concerned about burnout.

  I, too, pretty much collapse when June and July arrive, and then begin planning events/shows for the next season.  Two questions:

1) What are you tips for balance? Balancing that passion to see your theater troupe grow and get better but also maintaining sanity as many of us are full-time teachers (I teach ELA).

2) What are general tips/advice that have MADE your drama troupe become something wonderful?

Thank you to all that offer advice. I truly appreciate it.

------------------------------
James McCulloch
Drama Director of Mariner Drama
Marine City, Michigan
jmcculloch@ecsd.us
------------------------------