Open Forum

I think I know the answer already, but I'll go ahead and ask - in part because I would love to see this happen.

Our spring play will be student-directed, and students are able to suggest what play they want to direct. A senior wants to do Our Town. She's very capable and would do a great job as director. However, there will be only six weeks of rehearsals, which means, if we're lucky and there are limited conflicts with the schedule, 20 rehearsals before the show (and no chance of delaying the show or starting rehearsals early).

My immediate reaction is that this just isn't possible and that I would setting her and the cast up for failure - or at least a mediocre show. Heck, I don't think I could put together a good production of Our Town in six weeks.

So, does anyone who has directed the show want to try to talk me into this? Or am I right to think doing this in six weeks is a pipe dream?


------------------------------
Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Theater kills ignorance
------------------------------

I am doing the show in 16 rehearsals.  AH!   I plan to do it like a flipped classroom.  I will send blocking and notes that students will need to know before the rehearsal.  That way our time together will be very focused.  

The bigger concern for me is the amount of memorization the students will have to do in a shorter time period.  Yikes!

------------------------------
Amy Learn
Ballwin MO
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-17-2018 12:39
From: Kenneth Buswell
Subject: Our Town in Six Weeks?

I think I know the answer already, but I'll go ahead and ask - in part because I would love to see this happen.

Our spring play will be student-directed, and students are able to suggest what play they want to direct. A senior wants to do Our Town. She's very capable and would do a great job as director. However, there will be only six weeks of rehearsals, which means, if we're lucky and there are limited conflicts with the schedule, 20 rehearsals before the show (and no chance of delaying the show or starting rehearsals early).

My immediate reaction is that this just isn't possible and that I would setting her and the cast up for failure - or at least a mediocre show. Heck, I don't think I could put together a good production of Our Town in six weeks.

So, does anyone who has directed the show want to try to talk me into this? Or am I right to think doing this in six weeks is a pipe dream?


------------------------------
Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Theater kills ignorance
------------------------------

I did the show in 6 weeks several years ago.  It can work because of the limited set.  Also, I split the Stage Manager character into 2 people so that the memorization was not as difficult.  Another factor that you have to consider is the dedication of the students.  I was lucky enough to have very dedicated students in the show.  They bought into the sense of emergency and did their homework to get the job done. 

I will be honest, one more week would have been better.  Since you have a student director there are several other factors to consider as well. If the student director is competent and the actors will work with her that will rid some of the "drama" that can slow down the production.

It may be stressful, but not completely impossible.

------------------------------
Andrew Fisher
Canon City CO
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-18-2018 09:11
From: Amy Learn
Subject: Our Town in Six Weeks?

I am doing the show in 16 rehearsals.  AH!   I plan to do it like a flipped classroom.  I will send blocking and notes that students will need to know before the rehearsal.  That way our time together will be very focused.

The bigger concern for me is the amount of memorization the students will have to do in a shorter time period.  Yikes!

------------------------------
Amy Learn
Ballwin MO

Original Message:
Sent: 01-17-2018 12:39
From: Kenneth Buswell
Subject: Our Town in Six Weeks?

I think I know the answer already, but I'll go ahead and ask - in part because I would love to see this happen.

Our spring play will be student-directed, and students are able to suggest what play they want to direct. A senior wants to do Our Town. She's very capable and would do a great job as director. However, there will be only six weeks of rehearsals, which means, if we're lucky and there are limited conflicts with the schedule, 20 rehearsals before the show (and no chance of delaying the show or starting rehearsals early).

My immediate reaction is that this just isn't possible and that I would setting her and the cast up for failure - or at least a mediocre show. Heck, I don't think I could put together a good production of Our Town in six weeks.

So, does anyone who has directed the show want to try to talk me into this? Or am I right to think doing this in six weeks is a pipe dream?


------------------------------
Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Theater kills ignorance
------------------------------

Unless it's a musical, we do all our shows with a six week process, rehearsing three times a week till we start nightly rehearsals the four days leading up to opening night.

It's completely doable, in fact you don't really need more time than that. The only 'hurdle' in my mind is that it is student directed, but if you have students you trust with that responsibility and are willing to stay on them during the process, they will be up to the task.

------------------------------
Josh Kauffman
Teacher
Winfield AL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-17-2018 12:39
From: Kenneth Buswell
Subject: Our Town in Six Weeks?

I think I know the answer already, but I'll go ahead and ask - in part because I would love to see this happen.

Our spring play will be student-directed, and students are able to suggest what play they want to direct. A senior wants to do Our Town. She's very capable and would do a great job as director. However, there will be only six weeks of rehearsals, which means, if we're lucky and there are limited conflicts with the schedule, 20 rehearsals before the show (and no chance of delaying the show or starting rehearsals early).

My immediate reaction is that this just isn't possible and that I would setting her and the cast up for failure - or at least a mediocre show. Heck, I don't think I could put together a good production of Our Town in six weeks.

So, does anyone who has directed the show want to try to talk me into this? Or am I right to think doing this in six weeks is a pipe dream?


------------------------------
Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Theater kills ignorance
------------------------------

I would echo others responses in that this is quite doable in 6 weeks.  Our standard production time as well is 6 weeks.  I would also echo, to keep things pretty simple with 2 tables, four chairs, two ladders and some benches.  A lot can be added to the effectiveness of the show through lighting and pantomime, so if you wanted to support your student director, perhaps take some of those technical concerns off the plate-- have the student focus on blocking, movement, character, voice, etc and take on the roles of lighting designer and scenic for yourself and perhaps your classes and or production teams depending on how things are organized at your school.

There are some pics of our approach on page 17 of our Flickr Account
Trinity High School Theater

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Trinity High School Theater Explore Trinity High School Theater's 1,818 photos on Flickr! View this on Flickr >

Hope that helps,

------------------------------
Michael Johnson
Trinity NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-18-2018 10:54
From: Josh Kauffman
Subject: Our Town in Six Weeks?

Unless it's a musical, we do all our shows with a six week process, rehearsing three times a week till we start nightly rehearsals the four days leading up to opening night.

It's completely doable, in fact you don't really need more time than that. The only 'hurdle' in my mind is that it is student directed, but if you have students you trust with that responsibility and are willing to stay on them during the process, they will be up to the task.

------------------------------
Josh Kauffman
Teacher
Winfield AL

Original Message:
Sent: 01-17-2018 12:39
From: Kenneth Buswell
Subject: Our Town in Six Weeks?

I think I know the answer already, but I'll go ahead and ask - in part because I would love to see this happen.

Our spring play will be student-directed, and students are able to suggest what play they want to direct. A senior wants to do Our Town. She's very capable and would do a great job as director. However, there will be only six weeks of rehearsals, which means, if we're lucky and there are limited conflicts with the schedule, 20 rehearsals before the show (and no chance of delaying the show or starting rehearsals early).

My immediate reaction is that this just isn't possible and that I would setting her and the cast up for failure - or at least a mediocre show. Heck, I don't think I could put together a good production of Our Town in six weeks.

So, does anyone who has directed the show want to try to talk me into this? Or am I right to think doing this in six weeks is a pipe dream?


------------------------------
Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Theater kills ignorance
------------------------------

I agree. You might not have the same creative process time you would like, but it can most certainly be done in 6 weeks. I would add a caveat which is that your Stage Manager needs to be a strong actor who can handle memorization of the many lines he/she needs to speak in the short rehearsal period. I did the show three years ago with a very strong Stage Manager who was really challenged with memorization and her busy academic schedule, but she did a fantastic job. 

Good Luck!

------------------------------
Jennifer Jordan
Director of Theater and Dance
Miss Hall's School
Pittsfield MA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-17-2018 12:39
From: Kenneth Buswell
Subject: Our Town in Six Weeks?

I think I know the answer already, but I'll go ahead and ask - in part because I would love to see this happen.

Our spring play will be student-directed, and students are able to suggest what play they want to direct. A senior wants to do Our Town. She's very capable and would do a great job as director. However, there will be only six weeks of rehearsals, which means, if we're lucky and there are limited conflicts with the schedule, 20 rehearsals before the show (and no chance of delaying the show or starting rehearsals early).

My immediate reaction is that this just isn't possible and that I would setting her and the cast up for failure - or at least a mediocre show. Heck, I don't think I could put together a good production of Our Town in six weeks.

So, does anyone who has directed the show want to try to talk me into this? Or am I right to think doing this in six weeks is a pipe dream?


------------------------------
Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Theater kills ignorance
------------------------------