Open Forum

I was chatting with a high school drama teacher a few years back, and she mentioned that professional theatre never came up in her training, i.e., her training was totally geared towards high school theatre. To say I was surprised would be putting it very mildly.

Some of the recent threads brought this up again, so I'm curious as to how many of you bring up professional theatre in your programs. Another way to put the question would be: how many of you treat theatre in your school as a possible path to a professional career?

This is interesting to me for a couple of reasons. Some of you have mentioned that "other kids" bully or otherwise show no respect for the kids in drama programs. Many many professional actors started out in high school theatre (among them, Darren Criss from Glee graduated from my high school, and Joe Spano from NCIS graduated from our "rival" school), just like most NFL, NBA, MLB, and others, played in high school. Yet, many people can't seem to see the connection.

Also, in my own case, my first job after grad school wasn't even in theatre. I was hired by the architectural department of a huge computer company mostly because I knew how to create space and to draft, both skills I learned in my set design education. This led to a fifteen-year career in architecture before I came back to entertainment design. 

So I'm curious as to how many of you treat high school theatre as a path to a career.

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George F. Ledo
Set designer
www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
www.georgefledo.net
------------------------------

Hi George,

As a professional teaching artist, I was already a working actor long before I became a full-time classroom teacher.  Therefore, I spend a great deal of time teaching my kids about professional career options.  When possible, I even have my agent, manager, and other friends in the business give master-classes to my students regarding the industry (my students LOOVE to hear these "war stories" from my salad days).

In their senior year, advanced drama students can sign up for the section of Drama IV we call "Arts and Entertainment Careers."  In that class, students work on the same standards outlined in the Drama IV "Advanced Acting" curriculum, but there is a practical focus on post-secondary theatre programs and potential career paths.

I've had several students earn scholarships, graduate college programs, and then build careers in film, TV, and theatre.  The majority of them have gone the Stage Management/Production/Business route, even though we spend the bulk of our time in high school on performance and cross-curricular applications.

Like you, I am concerned at how many of my former students have gone into Theatre Education right out of college, with little or no practical experience in the industry.  While this does not necessarily weaken them as teachers or school theatre directors, it can limit their scope as educators.

I have found the same backlash you describe, especially given our rural locale.  Therefore, I make certain that the students and their parents understand that I do not advocate for anyone to pursue a career in theatre or the arts unless they are fundamentally driven to do so.  Instead, I focus on the practical and universal applications offered by a theatre arts education.

Thank you so much for bringing this up!

I was chatting with a high school drama teacher a few years back, and she mentioned that professional theatre never came up in her training, i.e., her training was totally geared towards high school theatre. To say I was surprised would be putting it very mildly.

Some of the recent threads brought this up again, so I'm curious as to how many of you bring up professional theatre in your programs. Another way to put the question would be: how many of you treat theatre in your school as a possible path to a professional career?

This is interesting to me for a couple of reasons. Some of you have mentioned that "other kids" bully or otherwise show no respect for the kids in drama programs. Many many professional actors started out in high school theatre (among them, Darren Criss from Glee graduated from my high school, and Joe Spano from NCIS graduated from our "rival" school), just like most NFL, NBA, MLB, and others, played in high school. Yet, many people can't seem to see the connection.

Also, in my own case, my first job after grad school wasn't even in theatre. I was hired by the architectural department of a huge computer company mostly because I knew how to create space and to draft, both skills I learned in my set design education. This led to a fifteen-year career in architecture before I came back to entertainment design. 

So I'm curious as to how many of you treat high school theatre as a path to a career.

------------------------------
George F. Ledo
Set designer
www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
www.georgefledo.net
------------------------------

I was chatting with a high school drama teacher a few years back, and she mentioned that professional theatre never came up in her training, i.e., her training was totally geared towards high school theatre. To say I was surprised would be putting it very mildly.

Some of the recent threads brought this up again, so I'm curious as to how many of you bring up professional theatre in your programs. Another way to put the question would be: how many of you treat theatre in your school as a possible path to a professional career?

This is interesting to me for a couple of reasons. Some of you have mentioned that "other kids" bully or otherwise show no respect for the kids in drama programs. Many many professional actors started out in high school theatre (among them, Darren Criss from Glee graduated from my high school, and Joe Spano from NCIS graduated from our "rival" school), just like most NFL, NBA, MLB, and others, played in high school. Yet, many people can't seem to see the connection.

Also, in my own case, my first job after grad school wasn't even in theatre. I was hired by the architectural department of a huge computer company mostly because I knew how to create space and to draft, both skills I learned in my set design education. This led to a fifteen-year career in architecture before I came back to entertainment design. 

So I'm curious as to how many of you treat high school theatre as a path to a career.

------------------------------
George F. Ledo
Set designer
www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
www.georgefledo.net
------------------------------

I was chatting with a high school drama teacher a few years back, and she mentioned that professional theatre never came up in her training, i.e., her training was totally geared towards high school theatre. To say I was surprised would be putting it very mildly.

Some of the recent threads brought this up again, so I'm curious as to how many of you bring up professional theatre in your programs. Another way to put the question would be: how many of you treat theatre in your school as a possible path to a professional career?

This is interesting to me for a couple of reasons. Some of you have mentioned that "other kids" bully or otherwise show no respect for the kids in drama programs. Many many professional actors started out in high school theatre (among them, Darren Criss from Glee graduated from my high school, and Joe Spano from NCIS graduated from our "rival" school), just like most NFL, NBA, MLB, and others, played in high school. Yet, many people can't seem to see the connection.

Also, in my own case, my first job after grad school wasn't even in theatre. I was hired by the architectural department of a huge computer company mostly because I knew how to create space and to draft, both skills I learned in my set design education. This led to a fifteen-year career in architecture before I came back to entertainment design. 

So I'm curious as to how many of you treat high school theatre as a path to a career.

------------------------------
George F. Ledo
Set designer
www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
www.georgefledo.net
------------------------------