Open Forum

Seneca Valley’s Spring 2016 production of Ax of Murder

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 Amber Hugus, a theatre teacher and troupe director at Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, Pennsylvania, home to Troupe 2094. Amber’s program includes a large number of students, interested in both acting and tech roles, which allows her to contribute a variety of useful ideas about providing opportunities and recognition.

Ginny: What inspired you to become a teacher?

Amber: I was inspired to become a teacher by the many great educators that I had as a student. One of my drama teachers really stands out as my greatest inspiration. She was very dedicated to the theatre community, directing our fall play and tech directing our musical. As a student, I knew that I wanted to be her when I grew up, and now I am! She recently passed away, and I sincerely hope that she is proud of me!!

Ginny: As a new theatre teacher, what could you use the most help with?

Amber: I could use the most help with writing my curriculum. I don’t have any formal training in the theatre arts. All of my teaching is coming from reference books and personal experience. Sometimes, I really feel like I have no idea what I am doing! I have to recreate my curriculum due to a course change, and I am very nervous doing so because I want it to be amazing for my students!

   Closing night of Joseph, Amber, stage director Stephen, and students.

Ginny: What is your greatest challenge currently?

Amber: My greatest challenge currently is balance. I am currently teaching English 10 Honors, as well as Theatre I and Advanced Theatre (alternating semesters). I run our Thespian troupe, producing a small play in the fall; stage manage our winter musical; and both produce and direct our spring play. I am also a mom of three boys. So finding the balance between school, extra-curricular activities, and home life is my challenge. I *think* I am succeeding, at least I hope I am, but I sometimes feel as if I am falling short.

Ginny: What does a typical day look like for you?

Amber: My day is pretty busy. I have to get up early, get my family ready for the day, go to school, alternate Theatre classes in the auditorium and English classes in my regular classroom (where I lose my keys somewhere along the way at least twice a week), rush home, get my family settled in, wait for my husband to come home from work, rush back to school for musical rehearsal or spring play practice, then go home and fall into bed exhausted (after I eat dinner at 9:30 at night)! I really look forward to May, when theatre activities are mostly over for the year so I can just be a mom!

Ginny: What was the first play you ever saw?

Amber: My first experience with a play was one that my best friend signed up for and I didn’t. It was Up The Down Staircase. I regretted that decision every day when she had rehearsal and I went home alone. We were in tenth grade, which was the year in my district you could begin participation in our theatre program. After that show, and watching her perform, I never missed another!! I have since produced and directed the show twice myself. It is a personal favorite! I got to see Phantom of the Opera my junior year at the FABULOUS PANTAGES THEATER IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO with my family (my first real show and musical) and it changed my life.

Amber’s first group of inductees under her leadership.

Ginny: What is your “dream” show? The one that you would love to direct at your school if there weren’t any obstacles?

Amber: I adore Drowsy Chaperone, but our school always has a large cast and ensemble, and we feel the show doesn’t have enough room for a large ensemble. I also adore Crazy For You, but we haven’t had much tapping talent around here recently!

Ginny: Everyone has at least one good theatre story. Tell us yours!

Amber: As stage manager of the musical, I run the show from backstage. Our student director calls the cues so that I am available if something goes really wrong. In eleven years of shows, I haven’t had to deal with much more challenging than a missing prop, a malfunctioning costume or a random parent showing up backstage (I was so angry!). However, the worst ever was during a run of Beauty and the Beast. We had a “Rain Curtain” that shut, open, shut, then opened again during “Be Our Guest.” Well, the curtain got stuck. Shut. STUCK SHUT!!!!! Amazingly, our Cogsworth was a brilliant actor and he hit the stage with Belle and improvised a complete tour of the castle without being on a script. He saved my butt!! Somehow, after about two minutes of random tugging, pulling, pleading, and praying, the curtain popped back on to the rail and I was able to get it open. It was awful!!

Ginny: Tell us about a student that you’ll always remember and why.

Amber and student, Kristin.

Amber: Kristin Carmella. Kristin was a die-hard theatre girl. She had been involved in productions since her childhood. She was one of our leads all four years of high school. She had an older sister, who I knew a bit, and a younger sister, who grew to become another of my closest students. But Kristin was special to me. Kristin’s mother passed away during her tenth grade year of school. I was fairly close with her already, having worked with her freshman year. I was her English teacher in tenth grade, and her mom passed in October. I felt very strongly that I was called to be her school-mom. Having only boy children of my own, I develop very strong bonds with my female students. Kristin was no exception. I will never forget opening night of Little Shop of Horrors, Kristin’s sophomore year and first major show without her mother’s presence. I was able to help Kristin feel that her mom was proud of her and watching over her as she went out on stage that night. Kristin and I remained close that year and that continued into her junior and senior years. I got to see her as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and I think that was her proudest high school moment. I directed her as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, and it was one of my proudest moments. She and I keep in touch to this day.

Ginny: If you could have a different career, what would you choose?

Amber: Stage Manager. I wish that I had known how much theatre would mean to me and how much I would enjoy the professional stage. I am a self-taught stage manager at the high school level, but I wish that I had training in the job. I would LOVE to manage an actual show at a professional theater.

Ginny: What is your proudest accomplishment?

Amber: When my cast gave me a pin! Our school has a long standing pin tradition. On opening night, the directors present a “pin” to the member of the cast who is the most exemplary student actor or technician: exhibits leadership, is helpful, works hard, is an example to the rest of the cast, positive attitude, etc. That cast member passes the pin the next night to the cast-mate or technician that they feel has all of these qualities, and it is passed every night until closing. One spring show, my seniors (12 of them total) presented me with a pin. And they each took a turn explaining why I deserved it. I felt, at that moment, that I had really touched their lives and created a program that was something we could all be proud of. I still have my “pin.” Coincidentally, it was a production of Up the Down Staircase…

Ginny: Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of theatre?

Amber: I read a lot, hang out with my boys, do Zumba as frequently as I can. And my family is obsessed with the beach!

Ginny: What is something we would be surprised to learn about you?

Amber: I am secretly obsessed with dancing, but I am a terrible dancer!! I love listening to hip-hop music and wish I could dance!!

Amber is clearly an inspiration and cheerleader for her students. If you enjoyed Amber’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.