One of the main goals
for our Theatre Education Community is to help theatre students and
professionals from all over connect and identify with each other in order to
build resources and support the theatre education field. We shine a spotlight
on a different member every other week by conducting a simple interview.
Our latest Spotlight
Member is Jeannie Brzovic, Troupe Director of Troupe 3627 at Mountlake Terrace
High School in Lake Forest Park, Washington. Jeannie helped us beta test the
Community and has been providing spot-on wisdom and advice ever since. She also
serves on the Washington State Thespians chapter board and is with us in
Nebraska this week for the Thespian Festival!
Ginny: Why do you believe theatre is
important?
Jeannie: We all would like to have award winning programs that are
recognized by the school, community and beyond…many high school have wide
spread respect and acknowledgement for the work they produce, however, even
more schools produce incredible works and receive little or no awards,
recognition or appreciation. It seems like the programs that “win” are the ones
that our communities value, whether that be sports, journalism, music or
theatre. My concern is the “trap” that can be unintentionally set by accepting
that awards determine the importance and quality of the programs. I fell into
that “trap.” I wanted to bring recognition to our theatre program by loading
our display case with trophies and certificates…and in doing so, I did acquire
a certain level of recognition, but there was a price. As the competitions
became more and more recognized by the community the expectation seemed to also
change and quality seemed to run hand in hand with quantity (of resources and
expenses). My little program, while know for quality, is not one that is known
for funding. Our program started to slip in the rankings of the competitions,
we just didn’t have the glitz and glamor that more affluent programs could
afford. I had lost perspective and allowed this change of expectation and
financial level of commitment to shake my confidence and to place the blame of
“failure to produce awards” on myself. As a one person department, I really
could only blame myself…I wasn’t good enough to get my students to the top of
the heap. After a few years of focusing on the awards I forced myself to
reevaluate my objectives for teaching theatre and redefine how it was
important. I searched within my own original philosophy and began to regenerate
my convictions. My focus was and is about teaching the arts and skills the
theatre embodies. I reminded myself that every student enrolled in a theatre
class must be able to take something of value from the class. While I had set
that as the foundation for my classes, I wasn’t really purposeful about it
anymore. I challenged myself to read articles, research and participate in
professional communities of Theatre educators. My focus has returned to a more
balanced, educationally sound and student growth centered approach. I strive to
understand each student and the challenges they bring to class and to help them
find confidence in themselves, to assist them to build their skills and enhance
their natural talents and abilities. I feel blessed to be able to develop the
relationships I have with my students. I know that the theatre classes offer me
a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with students and help each and every
one of them to find success, large or small. Though they may not all walk away
from our program with an armful of certificates, badges and trophies, they do
walk away with self-esteem, respect and empathy for others, interpersonal
skills, organizational skills, an affinity for creative thinking,
collaboration, quick thinking, problem solving, research and presentational
skills. I truly believe that well-designed theatre classes are the most
important classes a student can take in high school. The experience and
training students receive in a theatre arts program helps to prepare them for
all levels of education and job opportunities.
Ginny: What is the most important advice you
can offer to brand new teachers?
Jeannie: If I could be bold enough to offer advice to new and experienced
Theatre teachers, I would urge them to seek a community of theatre teachers.
The majority of high school theatre programs have one teacher who wears all the
hats of the production team. Our profession can lend itself to isolation, and
create distance from colleagues that cannot comprehend the challenges and
struggle unique to our work. I have several staff members at my school that I
am happy to call friends, but they simple have no clue about the work, hours,
skill set, frustration and pride that is encompassed in the high school theatre
program. They appreciate that it is “a lot of work,” but little more. It can be
disappointing and lonely. I spend lunches with students and after school hours
with students. If I don’t find ways to commune with colleagues, I find I slip
further and further into the solitude and isolation. The Educational Theatre
Association has provided many great resources, The International Thespian
Society in each state provides services and workshops, festivals and
competitions….use them/attend them! Meet teachers from around your state,
network and create resources that can be called upon as needed. Get involved in
community or local college theatre groups. Branch out and find a cohort of
people who “get you” and will support you through your successes, as well as
through those challenging periods. Having someone who can “go to bat” for you
with your principal, school board or district office when things get tough or
unequitable is amazing! Don’t go it alone!
Ginny: What is your favorite musical (or
play)? What makes it so special?
Jeannie: ARCADIA by Tom Stoppard stands out as one of my favorite plays to
date. While I love many new plays, such as WAR HORSE and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT
OF THE DOG AT NIGHTTIME, ARCADIA has a special attraction for me. Tom Stoppard
masterfully weaves the present and the past, classicism and romanticism,
feminism and sexism and science and art in to an intriguing and satisfying
mystery. I love a play that challenges me with complexity and forces me to pay
attention to every detail and then rewards me with a story that leaves me
amazed, amused and surprised. As a teacher of high school Theatre and History,
ARCADIA captured many of my own special interests. Sharing in a rich discussion
with my companions following the performance was a magical and thrilling
experience. Deconstructing the story as we shared our interpretation of the
events, symbolism and subtext of the play was a rare and stimulating
conversation provoked by this theatrical tale. For me, it didn’t stop there, I
then purchased the play and read it over and over again. I created lessons for
the play and have used them in both my Acting classes and my History classes.
If I were asked what playwright I would like to have lunch with, it is without
hesitation that I would be beside myself to sit across the table from Tom
Stoppard. However, I am quite sure I would have no idea how to get the
conversation started, and would end up looking like a starry-eyed groupie!
Ginny: Name something on your bucket list.
Jeannie: My dream is to someday travel to the National Theatres in
countries all over the world. In the best of all possible worlds, I would love
to see a production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, performed in a variety of
languages and styles as I travel. I look forward to traveling the world and
experiencing theatre, cultures and will be content to see a production or two
of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM! I am pretty excited about the London live
broadcasts of shows from the National Theatre – of course the timing hasn’t
work out for me to attend a broadcast event, but I will prevail!!!! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7NEml2xwAw - http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/about-us)
Ginny: If you could have a different career,
what would you choose?
Jeannie: I would like to utilize my storytelling skills as a member of a
script writing team that converts great literature and children/young adult
novels to film or stage. I love to read great works of literature and am often
so disappointed in the adaptations for screen. I would love to have a career
that would allow me to merge my love in new and challenging ways. I often think
that when I retire from teaching, I will spend my days writing stories and
scripts.
Ginny: What is something we would be
surprised to learn about you?
Jeannie: In 2008, my students and I approached Washington State Senator,
Christa McAuliffe, with a proposal for a bill that would fund
extra/co-curricular activities in high schools and middle schools across the
state. We were honored and surprised to find strong support from Senator
McAuliffe, who willingly represented our ideas and crafted SENATE BILL 6537
that proposed imposing an admission surcharge of one percent on every admission
charge to a professional live sporting or live entertainment event in
Washington. Moneys collected under this act would have been deposited in the
middle and high school activities funding account and equitably distribute the
fund across the state, which would be supervised by the office of the State
Treasurer. Soon after working on the bill, we were contacted and informed that it
was to be debated in committee and that we should make arrangements to attend.
Being naïve and inexperienced in such matters, we thought we would just be
presenting our ideas and concerns to the committee, but were amazed to find a
room full of adversaries and supporters of the bill…we didn’t even know that
anyone was aware of it! We met opposition from the Seahawks, the Mariners and
the Seattle Theatre Group, to name a few. We also had support of local artists
and community members who spoke on behalf of the bill. While the senators
expressed appreciation for the bill, they did not pass it. It was a great
lesson in civics, community and support for the arts. I am hopeful that as the
economy continues to improve and our communities once again place value on
education and the importance of extra/co-curricular activities and the impact
they have on developing well balanced and multi-experienced youth, we may have
an opportunity to resurrect the proposal…who knows!
Not many people can
say they’ve nearly had a bill passed through the Senate, what an incredible
learning opportunity! If you enjoyed Jeannie’s interview as much as I did, add
her as a contact in the Community!
Do you know someone
who deserves a moment in the Spotlight? Tell me their name and why at gbutsch@schooltheatre.org. Want to read more
Community Spotlights? You can find
them here.