Open Forum

As you plan for your 2022-23 season, consider involving admin, teachers, and/or support staff in your shows when possible. Offer a small or cameo adult-age role to a school adult! The students will enjoy working with them and including them, and the adults will have eye-opening experiences.

When we did FAME many years ago, I asked teachers and staff members to portray the teachers. We did the same in FOOTLOOSE and UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE. Two beloved teachers who could sing wonderfully played Olive’s parents in SPELLING BEE, and my principal’s favorite role was when we flew him in as God!

I was always super flexible with rehearsals, asking only for whatever they needed as well as tech week. And, it really doesn’t matter if they are fabulous actors! You can work with them, and it will be great anyway!

As a result, the adults gained understanding of the work and the process we do. They are also quite tired during tech week! My assistant principal said, “You’re just like a coach!” (no kidding!), and decided we needed a water fountain in the scene shop as well as other requests I had suggested. Not to mention how much more open the principal always was to my future needs and requests. Ticket sales went through the roof, and the audiences LOVED it!

Side note - get the kids involved with asking and even persuading the adults. They have a way of making the adults feel wanted and safe.

I have also asked school adults to help with publicity, make up, and props as well as being “safety adults” backstage and in our Green Room. (At our school, teachers have to do 3 “adjunct” activities, and these could count for that.) They get to see and be a part of the show, too!

I hope you can relax a little and enjoy the end of the year shows and awards: it will all be over (too) soon!

And consider becoming “friends” with graduates (that you are comfortable with) on social media. You will love to see how their life journeys continue!

As you plan for your 2022-23 season, consider involving admin, teachers, and/or support staff in your shows when possible. Offer a small or cameo adult-age role to a school adult! The students will enjoy working with them and including them, and the adults will have eye-opening experiences.

When we did FAME many years ago, I asked teachers and staff members to portray the teachers. We did the same in FOOTLOOSE and UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE. Two beloved teachers who could sing wonderfully played Olive’s parents in SPELLING BEE, and my principal’s favorite role was when we flew him in as God!

I was always super flexible with rehearsals, asking only for whatever they needed as well as tech week. And, it really doesn’t matter if they are fabulous actors! You can work with them, and it will be great anyway!

As a result, the adults gained understanding of the work and the process we do. They are also quite tired during tech week! My assistant principal said, “You’re just like a coach!” (no kidding!), and decided we needed a water fountain in the scene shop as well as other requests I had suggested. Not to mention how much more open the principal always was to my future needs and requests. Ticket sales went through the roof, and the audiences LOVED it!

Side note - get the kids involved with asking and even persuading the adults. They have a way of making the adults feel wanted and safe.

I have also asked school adults to help with publicity, make up, and props as well as being “safety adults” backstage and in our Green Room. (At our school, teachers have to do 3 “adjunct” activities, and these could count for that.) They get to see and be a part of the show, too!

I hope you can relax a little and enjoy the end of the year shows and awards: it will all be over (too) soon!

And consider becoming “friends” with graduates (that you are comfortable with) on social media. You will love to see how their life journeys continue!

As you plan for your 2022-23 season, consider involving admin, teachers, and/or support staff in your shows when possible. Offer a small or cameo adult-age role to a school adult! The students will enjoy working with them and including them, and the adults will have eye-opening experiences.

When we did FAME many years ago, I asked teachers and staff members to portray the teachers. We did the same in FOOTLOOSE and UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE. Two beloved teachers who could sing wonderfully played Olive's parents in SPELLING BEE, and my principal's favorite role was when we flew him in as God!

I was always super flexible with rehearsals, asking only for whatever they needed as well as tech week. And, it really doesn't matter if they are fabulous actors! You can work with them, and it will be great anyway!

As a result, the adults gained understanding of the work and the process we do. They are also quite tired during tech week! My assistant principal said, "You're just like a coach!" (no kidding!), and decided we needed a water fountain in the scene shop as well as other requests I had suggested. Not to mention how much more open the principal always was to my future needs and requests. Ticket sales went through the roof, and the audiences LOVED it!

Side note - get the kids involved with asking and even persuading the adults. They have a way of making the adults feel wanted and safe.

I have also asked school adults to help with publicity, make up, and props as well as being "safety adults" backstage and in our Green Room. (At our school, teachers have to do 3 "adjunct" activities, and these could count for that.) They get to see and be a part of the show, too!

I hope you can relax a little and enjoy the end of the year shows and awards: it will all be over (too) soon!

And consider becoming "friends" with graduates (that you are comfortable with) on social media. You will love to see how their life journeys continue!