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Suzanne Katz

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RE: Undergraduate Theatre Methods Course Assistance

Posted By Suzanne Katz 03-28-2022 07:40
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Hi, Russ. I'd consider some 'cross talk' between their education courses and your class. For instance, in some EDU course, they likely have been taught to create cooperative groups. Expand on that to address what that looks like in a theatre classroom or a rehearsal process. Similarly, somewhere in ...

RE: Teacher evaluation based on play performance

Posted By Suzanne Katz 11-21-2021 08:58
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Sonja, It is an important part of the administrator role to be present at all forms of extra-curricular activities; thus, they should attend your plays just as they attend sports events, debates, concerts, etc.  Seeing your students perform in a show you have produced is part of demonstrating what ...

RE: Breaking the Stigma

Posted By Suzanne Katz 09-29-2021 08:08
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I know this problem well as I spent a decade as a middle school theatre teacher and started from scratch so I had to recruit all my students. For a year or two our ratio of girls to boys was 10:1.  I received a piece of advice from a colleague at another middle school ('Improve your production values... ...

RE: Black Stories/Social Justice Devising Material

Posted By Suzanne Katz 06-30-2020 07:33
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About this Collection | Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938 | Digital Collections | Library of Congresshttps://www.loc.gov/collections/slave-narratives-from-the-federal-writers-project-1936-to-1938/about-this-collection/ Also, check for narrative collections ...

RE: Musicals with tap numbers

Posted By Suzanne Katz 04-27-2020 05:37
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Singing in the Rain 42nd Street ------------------------------ Suzanne Katz Washington DC ------------------------------

RE: long distance Theatre lessons

Posted By Suzanne Katz 03-13-2020 08:42
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I turned in my two-week student learning packet on Wednesday evening.... which was just in time. We will be out from Monday through the 31st.  I teach elementary and our school-wide policy is to have *may do* and *must do* activities clearly labeled across grades and subjects.  PS, PK, and K activities ...

RE: Any Excellent Books on How to Teach Shakespeare out there?

Posted By Suzanne Katz 12-29-2019 09:11
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Get in contact with the education director at the Stratford Festival in Canada. They have outstanding materials that they use with their teacher outreach (K12) and in the schools.  While I haven't spent much time with it (and it is geared for parents, not teachers) it may be worth checking out Ken Ludwig's ...

RE: That dreaded discussion

Posted By Suzanne Katz 11-22-2019 08:11
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When it comes to education, one of my favorite words is, "yet." You are not right for the role yet.  At this time you are not right for it.  This does not mean the role won't be right at another time.... just not now.  "Yet" gives a nod to potential, to possibility, to what may be as our students continue ...

RE: Produce props

Posted By Suzanne Katz 11-06-2019 08:13
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I did this with middle school students in a tech class years ago.  The first step was for them to select a fruit or vegetable and really observe it.  I think the main questions I had them answer were, "What traits make your fruit unique from other fruits?" and "What has to be included to make it recognizable?" ...

RE: Brilliant Blog for Theatre Teachers - Current and Worthwhile

Posted By Suzanne Katz 10-31-2019 08:01
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Thank you, Rosalind. ------------------------------ Suzanne Katz Washington DC ------------------------------

RE: Activities for teaching Blocking

Posted By Suzanne Katz 10-24-2019 07:57
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To start blocking with my middle schoolers (this class was a 7th grade intermediate group), I used to give them blocking dictates from an 'old-school' textbook (1930s era). It contained "hard and fast rules" like enter on time and in character, cross only on your line, cross downstage of others when ...

RE: Social Issues on Stage

Posted By Suzanne Katz 09-23-2019 10:29
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In response to your second question, I don't think it is as easy as saying public, private, or arts school.  I have seen private schools (religious and secular) do any number of shows depending on the level of trust the community has in the the school and the program- as well as the mission of the school. ...

RE: Social Issues on Stage

Posted By Suzanne Katz 09-23-2019 07:51
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I think it is much more likely that our students will pick up a particular message about our belief in their abilities as actors and as human beings if we continually select the most sanguine of shows that do their best to avoid any sort of of 'social issue.'  ------------------------------ ...

RE: Need Help!

Posted By Suzanne Katz 09-12-2019 07:45
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Melissa, Have you considered doing an evening of one-acts?  That way you can find 2-4 strong one-acts that each have fewer players but, en masse, meet your needs cast-wise. If you go this route, there are tons of shows available that meet your requirements. I'd check with Youth Plays, Brooklyn Publishers ...

RE: How do you inspire students?

Posted By Suzanne Katz 09-11-2019 08:27
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David, When I started teaching at the middle school level I structured the program so that in-class work (with the exception of my tech class) was solely about skills building- and everyone did public showcase performance each semester. The after-school programs was audition only.  Our shows operated ...

RE: Declaration by Jonathan Dorf

Posted By Suzanne Katz 09-04-2019 09:11
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Mohammed, Since you know that this is a topic that the community is concerned about, might you bring the show to them as a way to publicly discuss that concern?  It should be possible to stage the show with a talk-back after that includes a member of the local law enforcement community, a school ...

RE: CKH Social Contract for Theatre Class

Posted By Suzanne Katz 08-27-2019 07:42
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Ryan, Does the program allow wiggle room to, say, begin with an activity as opposed to the document? If so, I suggest planning a first- day, large-group activity appropriate to the level of the class... or a bit above their competence and comfort. If possible record the experience. From the recording, ...

RE: Side coaching vs Audience Ettiquette

Posted By Suzanne Katz 06-06-2019 07:55
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Holy Moley, you are not the only one! I have found no perfect way to address this; however, I have-sometimes- been able to redirect the energy.  Here are some ideas: 1) Give a feedback form to students to fill out during classroom performances. For very young kids, a checklist with pictures will ...

RE: Teaching audience behavior

Posted By Suzanne Katz 06-05-2019 08:12
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Audience behavior is a cultural construct and in a lot of cases, teaching audience behavior is code-shifting.  Another way to look at this... I have been to religious services where one is expected to sit quietly. I have also been to religious services where call and response is the norm, and yet ...

RE: "A Few Good Men" with more women...?

Posted By Suzanne Katz 05-20-2019 07:48
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Even today, women only account for 8% of the Marines (and that is among officers- the number is lower when looking at the enlisted ranks.)  Further, a key part of the work is Jo's isolation- not surrounded or supported- by those in ranks with her.  In my opinion, adding women would lessen that impact. ...