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 Holly Thompson, drama teacher and troupe director at Worthington Kilbourne High School in Columbus, Ohio, Troupe 5039. Holly is a seasoned theatre educator with a wealth of experience. She’s been at Worthington Kilbourne for her entire career, building a theatre program from the ground up.
Ginny: Why do you believe theatre is important?
Holly: I believe theatre is important because it emphasizes our humanity, helps society examine itself, provides an escape, and can send a message. It is fun, but also hard work, and that hard work is satisfying. Studying theatre is important because it can combine so many areas of education (math, science, English, psychology, social studies, math, etc.) in a practical way that allows students to see the outcome as a true product that others value, (I often feel I should be multiply certified!) and learn real world skills. I’ve taught students to use a screw gun, to analyze how someone says something and what they really mean, to ask questions, to sweep a floor, to do laundry, and even to make a sandwich. I hope I’ve emphasized how history affects us and why it’s important to understand what has happened before our time and what that might mean for the future. There are skills such as team work and communication, joining together for a common outcome—which others would argue are the value of team sports, and I would agree. But I also feel that sports are not for everyone. Theatre, and the arts in general, allow students who are not interested in sports to learn those skills. One of my former students said it best when he said (and I paraphrase), “I don’t like to sweat, and I am not real coordinated, but theatre allows me to be a part of something where I belong.”
Ginny: What inspired you to become a teacher?
Holly: I missed the birthday cutoff date for starting kindergarten, so my friends started school and I was left behind. My mother gave me a choice of either ballet or piano lessons. I chose ballet lessons. Before second grade we moved from Minnesota to Worthington, Ohio and it was there that I was inspired to become a teacher. Mrs. Payne, my second grade teacher, was stern and had her rules, but she also challenged me and made sure I knew I belonged. I couldn’t put my finger on it then, but I knew when I grew up, I wanted to be a teacher. I played “school” all the time with my friends. Fast forward to middle school, I had a fantastic English teacher, Mr. Rousculp, who told great stories of his World War II experiences, and I was entranced—not as far as the teaching aspect, but more from the storytelling part. I figured at least I could work with stories throughout my life if I was an English teacher. He also put on the middle school play—so I thought maybe I could do some of that as well. Meanwhile, I was deeply entrenched in dance—ballet, tap and jazz lessons (hip-hop wasn’t a thing), taking classes practically every night after school for several hours and all day Saturday and Sunday. Then I reached high school. I came upon a course called Theatre Arts Survey, taught by Mrs. Bronwynn Hopton, and realized I can teach THEATRE!! What could be better than a job where it was so much fun to create and perform in a show? This is the way my high school brain looked at the job, but later, of course, I realized how special this can be for kids in so many different ways. I am privileged to help them find and develop all of the aspects of this art. Along the way, so many people asked me if I was going to be a dancer when I grew up. Or if I wanted to act professionally. I must admit, my answer was always no. I knew I didn’t have the body for a professional dancer, and my brain and emotional makeup was not set for the lifestyle of the actor who was always looking for the next job. I wanted something steady, with health insurance. Teaching was actually the best of both worlds in my mind—I have the opportunity to share and educate about an art form, run my own theatre company with security and not have to continually worry about grants or funding. It didn’t hurt that my hometown opened a new high school 26 years ago, and I was lucky enough to be chosen to be the theatre director to open the building (I’m still there and will most likely retire from that school). Overall, it was a combination of practicality and inspiration that led me into the role of theatre educator.
Ginny: What is the most important advice you can offer to new theatre teachers?
Holly: Unfortunately, there is so much involved in running a theatre program that is not covered in methods courses. The business side is completely ignored. I would actually not have been aware of royalties or marketing without my mentor. I would suggest that a new theatre teacher find someone who can give them the “practical” advice of running a theatre program.
Also, unrelated to theatre, but to your personal wellbeing, and no one ever tells you, is when you start teaching, make sure to set up a retirement account. It’s important to understand the need to contribute and increase it annually. I must have spent the first 10 years of my teaching career with almost nothing set up, and it’s nearly impossible to catch up. No one tells you about this in enough detail that you might need, unless you seek out the information. Ask some of the older teachers in your building if they can recommend a financial advisor, get several names of people, investigate them all, and make a good choice. If done well, the company or advisor will see you into comfortable retirement.
Ginny: What is the resource you most recommend to other teachers?
Holly: The best resource I would recommend to other teachers is EDTA. We are often the only one doing what we do, or perhaps, if we are lucky, maybe one of two in our building who actually understands what it takes. We don’t always fit into the “normal, classroom, educational” model that administrators want to put us in. Because of this, having someone to bounce ideas off of, get a new perspective from, someone who we can commiserate with and “gets it” is so incredibly helpful. I was lucky to have my high school theatre teacher as my mentor when I started teaching and I knew I could call her, but having the Forum is great because it gives so many different views—and I can reach out in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep. I don’t think my mentor would appreciate a 3:00am phone call. Suggestions from those on the forum have helped in finding resources (I’ve probably doubled what I have spent on resources because of those suggestions), I can find out how others run their programs and what pitfalls to avoid when doing certain shows. It’s great to realize that not all programs are like mine, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and how we can best use those to serve our students.
Ginny: What is your favorite musical (or play)? What makes it so special?
Holly: My students are well aware that my all-time favorite play is The Curious Savage by John Patrick. The message overall is so subtle throughout, you don’t realize it until the end. Understanding others and acceptance of the gentle characters, who society sees as “flawed,” the idea that caring isn’t always shown with words. I have only done this show three times over my 28+ years of teaching, but each time the phrase, “Take an umbrella, it’s raining,” has taken on special meaning and the kids often quote it to each other or to me to mean, “Thank you, you are special.” Often the phrase lasts well beyond the four year tenure of those who performed it and newbies may ask about it. I will hand them a copy of the script and let them know it’s “in there.” Matter of fact, when my seniors left last year, (they did this show during their freshman year) they presented me with an umbrella that they all signed.
My all-time favorite musical to direct with my students has been The Boyfriend by Sandy Wilson. A close runner up has been Seussical. When I announced these as the musical for the year, both were greeted with groans—The Boyfriend because no one knew it and, when they watched the movie, they thought it was pretty weak, and Seussical because it was perceived as a “children’s show” that should be performed by middle schoolers. Once we had performed each, and students started to understand the satire in Boyfriend and realized the deeper meaning in Seussical, they were loving them and singing the music four years later in the dressing rooms while getting ready for other shows. I absolutely love Boyfriend because of the sense of fun and over-the-top live campiness, as well as the happy, upbeat dancing and music. It is just a “happy” musical. I don’t think we’ve laughed so hard in rehearsals as we did while working on this show.
Ginny: What was the first play you ever saw?
Holly: The first play I ever remember clearly was a production of the Wizard of Oz as a kindergartener in Minnesota. The high school was next door to the elementary, so we all walked across the parking lot and were seated on the floor in the gym. The high school had rigged up a sheet on a cord across one end of the gym as their curtain. The part I remember the best, though, was the representation of the tornado— a student in a suit of strips of fabric, who moved across the stage, turning quickly to represent the tornado. I can’t remember if my mother had taken me to other productions in the area so my expectations were higher (perhaps the Guthrie children’s productions), but even to my kindergarten-self, this just seemed off in some fashion. As a theatre teacher now, I truly appreciate the experiences and lessons that unknown theatre teacher was giving to those high school students and my kindergarten class, and I applaud her for creating something with very limited resources, but it also made me aware of how these experiences are viewed and critiqued by audiences—even young ones. In this era of children and adults being exposed to so much visual stimuli in movies and on the internet, I remember the thoughts my kindergarten-self had. To this day, those thoughts influence my choice of shows when it comes to special effects and technical requirements.
Ginny: Name something on your bucket list.
Holly: I have two major things on my bucket list which I hope to accomplish once I retire (whenever that may be), just because they take a huge amount of time. My first is to volunteer my time with an animal shelter as a dog walker and perhaps to raise a puppy for Canine Companions, or in some way volunteer for that organization. Animals are such a mystery and so talented in what they can do. I looked into both options this summer and realized that with my rehearsal schedule, I really couldn’t start something right now that I wouldn’t be able to follow through with during the school year.
My second major thing is to attend a hockey game in every single NHL arena in a single year. Right now, that would be 30 different trips between October and April. By the time I am able to do this, it will be at least 31, or may be 32, as the NHL is expanding. A related dream is to attend a full season of hockey games for the Columbus Blue Jackets—and I mean a full season—all 82 home AND away games.
Ginny: If you could have a different career, what would you choose?
Holly: I honestly don’t know, as I’ve wanted to be a teacher since 2nd grade. But since my undergraduate focus was actually in costume design and construction, I’ve thought of how I could possibly put my sewing skills to work. I think I would enjoy being a stage manager. I’m also pretty good at organizing events, so perhaps a planner of some sort. I’d like working with a construction/remodeling company to help people figure out how to adapt homes for disabilities so that they can “age in place” and stay in their homes as long as possible.
Ginny: Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of theatre?
Holly: My biggest hobby is also my biggest escape from the busy-ness of creating theatre. I absolutely love ice hockey. Attending either a Columbus Blue Jackets game or one of our high school games is a few hours where my brain thinks of nothing but what is happening on the ice. For whatever reason, it just takes me away from everything. The fast pace, grace, determination, and dedication just fascinate me. Outside of watching a game, I am often fascinated about the coaching aspect, and I find I draw parallels in my mind about how similar coaching is to directing, even though the “content” is so different.
Ginny: What is your favorite part of the day?
Holly: One of my favorite parts of my day actually happens on performance days. I get to the theatre rather early, usually just to double check things or have some silent time to set up tickets in the box office. I stop in the quiet, uninhabited theatre and just sit. The quiet really isn’t so quiet, as I seem to be able to hear all of the productions that have taken place and all the feet that have crossed the boards. If I don’t get that moment before the show, I might take the time for a few minutes when I am closing up for the night. Both times there just seems to be the feeling of magic and what can and will be—it’s almost a different place, insulated from the outside world.
Ginny: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Holly: I really would live right where I do. It’s comfortable and homey. However, there are so many places I would like to visit. I’ve been to Great Britain, Turkey, Russia, and Greece for lengthy exchange trips. I’d like to visit Australia. More places right here in the U.S. are on my list too. The Northwest, Alaska, New England, the Southwest (Taos, the Grand Canyon, Texas), and Hawaii. I’m not a sit-on-the-beach-and-read kind of person. It’s nice to see and visit new cultures and find out more about the history of the area, but in the end, I really like my own piece of the world.
It sounds like Holly has found a wonderful, supportive home in Columbus and thoroughly enjoys her career and the students she teaches. If you enjoyed Holly’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.