Open Forum

I attached theatre and choir 6-12 at a mid-sized private school. The school is highly focused on academics and athletics. Does anyone have any tips on how you retain students year to year at the hs level? I have a core group but they seem to get discouraged when they have to battle the juggling act of arts, heavy hw loads and athletics which of course gets pushed much harder.
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Charlene Thomas

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Oops! It should have read I teach theatre

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Charlene Thomas

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2014 12:40
From: Charlene Thomas
Subject: Retention

I attached theatre and choir 6-12 at a mid-sized private school. The school is highly focused on academics and athletics. Does anyone have any tips on how you retain students year to year at the hs level? I have a core group but they seem to get discouraged when they have to battle the juggling act of arts, heavy hw loads and athletics which of course gets pushed much harder.
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Charlene Thomas

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I had a similar problem.  In my experience there are no quick fixes, but here's some things I've done that are improving the situation...

Awards. Don't underestimate the power of bling.  We can stand on principal all day long about intrinsic values, but the fact of the matter is Sports (and other groups like S&D, Band or Choir) have many opportunities to win trophys, medals & letters.  We always had a nice Induction ceremony but those pins for more advanced awards and scholar recognition are rather tiny.  My solution.... when they are inducted I also give them a white recognition medal and put the pins on that as they earn them.  They bring them back each year, I add the new pins and then hang it around their neck again at awards night.  Every year, every kid has the opportunity to have a medal placed around their neck and it's become very important to them.  I give my officers the blue and gold one.  So some kids have multiple medals by the end of their high school career.  Costs a little more, but well worth it.

Bonding.  I no longer just rely on shows for bonding of the group.  We have fun events across the year as a whole team.  Back to school night - we BBQ and have a theme and games.  Halloween - dress up fun.  Game night.  Just a few hours of fun that is unrelated to any production goes a long way. My officers plan and execute the entire thing.  I have especially noticed how this has helped blur the actor/techie lines which makes productions run so much smoother.

Pictures.  I am working on having headshots of all my Seniors hung in our classroom space with a list of their high school accomplishments both in and out of drama, what their future plans are and a memorable quote.  Many of us already put this in our programs, but again the more visible the better.  The pictures give them a sense of ownership and the underclassmen something to look forward to.

Hand Prints.  I have a large area in the hallway outside our performance space with the logo of our Troupe.  At the end of the year, graduating Seniors in good standing with the troupe get to leave their mark by putting their hand print on the wall around the logo.  They write their name and their graduation year.  Someday I hope our entire hallway is filled with these hand prints!


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Amy Learn

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2014 12:40
From: Charlene Thomas
Subject: Retention

I attached theatre and choir 6-12 at a mid-sized private school. The school is highly focused on academics and athletics. Does anyone have any tips on how you retain students year to year at the hs level? I have a core group but they seem to get discouraged when they have to battle the juggling act of arts, heavy hw loads and athletics which of course gets pushed much harder.
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Charlene Thomas

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Great ideas Amy! Thanks! I definitely will swipe some of these ideas! ------------------------------------------- Charlene Thomas -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 03-28-2014 16:32 From: Amy Learn Subject: Retention I had a similar problem. In my experience there are no quick fixes, but here's some things I've done that are improving the situation... Awards. Don't underestimate the power of bling. We can stand on principal all day long about intrinsic values, but the fact of the matter is Sports (and other groups like S&D, Band or Choir) have many opportunities to win trophys, medals & letters. We always had a nice Induction ceremony but those pins for more advanced awards and scholar recognition are rather tiny. My solution.... when they are inducted I also give them a white recognition medal and put the pins on that as they earn them. They bring them back each year, I add the new pins and then hang it around their neck again at awards night. Every year, every kid has the opportunity to have a medal placed around their neck and it's become very important to them. I give my officers the blue and gold one. So some kids have multiple medals by the end of their high school career. Costs a little more, but well worth it. Bonding. I no longer just rely on shows for bonding of the group. We have fun events across the year as a whole team. Back to school night - we BBQ and have a theme and games. Halloween - dress up fun. Game night. Just a few hours of fun that is unrelated to any production goes a long way. My officers plan and execute the entire thing. I have especially noticed how this has helped blur the actor/techie lines which makes productions run so much smoother. Pictures. I am working on having headshots of all my Seniors hung in our classroom space with a list of their high school accomplishments both in and out of drama, what their future plans are and a memorable quote. Many of us already put this in our programs, but again the more visible the better. The pictures give them a sense of ownership and the underclassmen something to look forward to. Hand Prints. I have a large area in the hallway outside our performance space with the logo of our Troupe. At the end of the year, graduating Seniors in good standing with the troupe get to leave their mark by putting their hand print on the wall around the logo. They write their name and their graduation year. Someday I hope our entire hallway is filled with these hand prints! ------------------------------------------- Amy Learn -------------------------------------------
Original Message: Sent: 03-28-2014 12:40 From: Charlene Thomas Subject: Retention I attached theatre and choir 6-12 at a mid-sized private school. The school is highly focused on academics and athletics. Does anyone have any tips on how you retain students year to year at the hs level? I have a core group but they seem to get discouraged when they have to battle the juggling act of arts, heavy hw loads and athletics which of course gets pushed much harder. ------------------------------------------- Charlene Thomas -------------------------------------------

Charlene,

I feel your pain. I am the HS Drama Director (8-12) at  K-12 school, and I experience everything you go through, with one addition: we have an exquisitely good Elementary  (4-7) drama program, so I watch the talent being developed, recruit them, talk up the HS, and then WHAMMO-their athletic opportunities open up in 8th grade, and they're gone.

Let me start by giving an "Amen" to what Amy said. I do most of what she mentions. Here's what I would add.

In an entrenched environment, it's tough to win the head-to-head battle with athletics. So, I tend to think in terms of counter-programming. Same concept behind why during NFL Sundays, ABC shows ice skating while CBS & FOX are running football. They know the male sports audience is taken, why not go for the folks not being served?

I keep my show rehearsal environment fun and funky. My school went through a stretch of 5 directors in 5 years. I am now entering year #3, and I have built a reputation as the guy that's fun to be with. 

I make sure the stress load is as low as possible. Marathon rehearsals and a "Dance Moms" attitude may work in a high-pressure program that's geared to grooming professional performers, but for my situation, no way. We still turn out great shows. Just finished GODSPELL, and the overwhelming review was "That was a College-level show."

I cook for my kids. Really. It's amazing how far a little homemade snack goes after school. My ribs are legendary.

I give out locker magnets that recognize when someone has both acted and done tech. These wind up being a proudly displayed badge of honor.

I also recognize EVERY senior at Senior Recognition Night (the closing night of our Spring show) who ever so much as sniffed the stage. If you ran spotlight once in 10th grade, you're as much a part of the family as the kid who had three straight lead roles, and was involved in all 10 MainStage productions, and went to every ThesCon and OneAct from 8-12. The "troupe" is the core. The "department" goes beyond that. I desperately fight against the formation of the "theatre clique." Yeah, it will always be there, but word is spreading-all are welcome.

Finally, I continue to build community by sending the graduating Seniors away with an "Alumni ticket." They get 5 free admissions to upcoming shows. This lets the come back, encourage those they were mentoring, and stay in touch. 

Hang in. It's tough. But the ones you are serving will thank you for it. 

Scott

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Scott Piehler
Drama Director

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2014 12:40
From: Charlene Thomas
Subject: Retention

I attached theatre and choir 6-12 at a mid-sized private school. The school is highly focused on academics and athletics. Does anyone have any tips on how you retain students year to year at the hs level? I have a core group but they seem to get discouraged when they have to battle the juggling act of arts, heavy hw loads and athletics which of course gets pushed much harder.
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Charlene Thomas

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Do you plan one of your shows so that not every actor must be there every day except the very first days for a reading and the end rehearsals?  Do you do a show of 10-minutes where kids can practice in school or on their own?  Do you do one show where it is cast mostly freshmen (camaraderie)?  On the negative, do you punish a student for choosing a sport by not casting them again?  Do you take students to perform a short play at an elementary or a senior citizen center during the day? 

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Vicki Bartholomew
Playwright

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2014 12:40
From: Charlene Thomas
Subject: Retention

I attached theatre and choir 6-12 at a mid-sized private school. The school is highly focused on academics and athletics. Does anyone have any tips on how you retain students year to year at the hs level? I have a core group but they seem to get discouraged when they have to battle the juggling act of arts, heavy hw loads and athletics which of course gets pushed much harder.
-------------------------------------------
Charlene Thomas

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My solution is we do exceptionally high quality shows that make kids want to be a part of them (they do come with a hard rehearsal process).  I also engender an atmosphere of "family".  The drama family is a place where we accept everyone for who they are.  The kids also know I will do anything and everything to help them, everybody's "extra-dad", so they want to be part of that family.  
In my school - a very high achieving public school - we have a huge tension between the arts, athletics, and academics.  We tend to achieve in all three areas.  But the arts - as always - are overlooked.  A problem I face, and I bet you do too, is guidance Councillors trying to push kids into more academic classes instead of arts, or language or whatever they think would look good on a Princeton app.  I nipped that in the bud by checking in with kids if they scheduled my class, and if they tell me their councilor tried to talk them out of it, or wouldn't give them it, I go down and have a friendly (emphasis on friendly) conversation with them  explaining why that kid should be in my class.  I did this a lot at first, now, once or twice a year as kids tell me that when they request my class the councillor says "Well we better get you in there, I don't want Mr. Davis paying me a visit!".  - It also helps that I visit the councillors regularly when I see or hear something going on with a kid.  They know I care about the kids and have their best interest at heart.  Hope that helps.
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Jeffrey Davis

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-29-2014 10:41
From: Vicki Bartholomew
Subject: Retention

Do you plan one of your shows so that not every actor must be there every day except the very first days for a reading and the end rehearsals?  Do you do a show of 10-minutes where kids can practice in school or on their own?  Do you do one show where it is cast mostly freshmen (camaraderie)?  On the negative, do you punish a student for choosing a sport by not casting them again?  Do you take students to perform a short play at an elementary or a senior citizen center during the day? 

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Vicki Bartholomew
Playwright

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Original Message:
Sent: 03-28-2014 12:40
From: Charlene Thomas
Subject: Retention

I attached theatre and choir 6-12 at a mid-sized private school. The school is highly focused on academics and athletics. Does anyone have any tips on how you retain students year to year at the hs level? I have a core group but they seem to get discouraged when they have to battle the juggling act of arts, heavy hw loads and athletics which of course gets pushed much harder.
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Charlene Thomas

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