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 Cassy
Maxton-Whitacre, an EdTA professional member and the Theatre Department
Coordinator for Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School in Fishersville, Virginia.
Cassy only recently began actively participating in the Community, but in just a
few short months she’s become a reliable contributor, providing thoughtful
questions, encouragement and solid advice.
Ginny: What is your greatest
challenge currently?
Cassy: Currently my biggest
challenge is not having the facilities and resources that I really need to make
my program effective. We don't have an auditorium or stage, and we have to rent
rehearsal and performance space from a community theater. On days when I have
visiting guest artists and multiple classes happening simultaneously (which is
once a week), we have to move off-site. We also don't have a music department,
so I have to hire a musical director and musicians when we do a musical. It's
challenging, but I have great students who are really adaptable, so we all
manage to be pretty resourceful.
Ginny: What is your favorite
musical (or play)? What makes it so special?
Cassy: I have a lot of favorites! Les
Misérables is one of my favorite musicals because it is one of the first
musicals that drew me in just from listening to the CD. I finally got to
perform in it a few summers ago when the amateur rights became available. We
had an amazing director and our cast reflected talent from all over the
Shenandoah Valley, so it was a very special experience. As a director, I loved
working on Urinetown with my students. It's clever and quirky and
timely, and my kids got so much out of it. My favorite plays are Almost,
Maine, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Crucible, These Shining Lives,
and Still Life With Iris.
Ginny: What playwright would
you love to have lunch with? Tell us a question you’d ask them.
Cassy: Aaron Sorkin. I love the
way he uses language. I'd probably ask him to write a play that feels like The
West Wing and has lots of strong, smart, well-developed female
characters. Can you imagine a whole play of CJ Cregg types? How awesome would
that be?
Ginny: What was the most
difficult element of a production you’ve ever had to manage?
Cassy: We had aerial silks for Pippin a
few years ago, which presented some challenges. Fortunately, we had done a
workshop at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts on a field trip, so a lot of
the kids learned how to use them there. We have really good tech people at the
theater we rent, so they figured out how to rig them. They looked amazing in
the show, but the biggest challenge was probably that I couldn't possibly give
every kid who wanted to the chance to perform on them. I did let everyone try
it out in rehearsal, though (including me, my student teacher, and my
choreographer).
Ginny: What is unique about
your theatre program?
Cassy: My program is unique
because it's a half-day pull-out program. I have students from seven different
high schools all morning for only theatre classes (they also take humanities
here with a different teacher), and then they go back to their regular schools
in the afternoon. It's an audition-only program, so I really do have the most
motivated kids, which is awesome. Because it's such an intensive program, we
really have the time to dig deeply into theatre history, dramatic literature,
Stanislavski technique and other topics. I also have a great guest artist
program where theatre practitioners come in and teach for several weeks on specialized
subjects such as stage makeup, stage combat, dance, and voice.
Ginny: What is the weirdest
stage food you’ve ever made or eaten?
Cassy: I was in this 60's jukebox
musical where the script called for all kinds of really specific food and drink,
like Bugles and Snowballs. We were also supposed to be drinking margaritas and
tequila shots for the whole first act, so we were chugging limeade and apple
juice. By intermission, our throats were so coated with sugar we could barely
sing!
Ginny: Name something on
your bucket list.
Cassy: Appear on a TV show (I've
been in a B-horror movie and a local commercial, so I want to round out the
list!).
Ginny: If you could have a
different career, what would you choose?
Cassy: Travel/food writer or young
adult novelist.
Ginny: How do you relax
after a busy day?
Cassy: I have a one-year-old, so
there isn't much relaxing in my life right now! HGTV or Gilmore Girls on Netflix is about as close as I get.
Ginny: What is your proudest
accomplishment?
Cassy: Taking my students to the
Virginia Theatre Association one-act competition with our low-budget,
bare-bones production of Almost, Maine and advancing to the state
finals from over 50 competing schools. I had a really special cast, and I was
so proud of them.
Ginny: What is something we
would be surprised to learn about you?
Cassy: I've worked for both USA
Hockey and the National Hockey League.
Ginny: Tell us about the
best day of your life.
Cassy: After a year of fertility
challenges, seeing my baby's heartbeat on the ultrasound for the first time.
See, it would have been predictable if I had said the day she was born,
wouldn't it? :-)
Cassy’s theatre program
sounds an adventure, and she and her students seem to embrace its challenges
and think outside of the box in order to maximize their educational experience.
If you enjoyed Cassy’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.