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 next spotlight is Ellen O’Reilly-LaSalle, the Theatre Teacher and ELA Department Head at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in North Dighton, Massachusetts. Ellen also serves as troupe director for Thespian Troupe 8193 and has earned Bronze Most Valuable Member status for the fantastic questions and advice she has been contributing over the last several years.
What was the best day of your career?
The best day of my career was the day that I found out that I had become a National Board Certified Teacher. I am certified in English Language Arts/Adolescence and Young Adulthood.
What resource do you most recommend to fellow theatre educators?
The resource that I would recommend to teachers is to make contacts with theatre professionals in your community. People in the theatre community are often willing to contribute their time and expertise to high school theatre. My students have been able to attend shows and have artists visit their classroom. They have also benefited from professionals helping with their productions. As a result they have experiences and make real world connections that I could not give them in the classroom.
Do you have any tips for new theatre teachers?
My tip for new teachers is to plan your lessons using best practices. Do not underestimate the amount of work and time it will take to run a successful program. Realize that everything you do should relate to teaching and learning. I always ask, “Will this make teaching or learning better?”
What was the first production you ever saw?
The first professional production I remember seeing was A Chorus Line on Broadway. It was a school trip and the first time that I saw a Broadway show. I recognized one of the dancers walking down the street later and thought he had the best life.
What playwright would you love to have lunch with? Tell us a question you’d ask them.
The playwright I would most like to meet is Shakespeare. I read everything about him that I can find. I have spent years wondering how he was able to write about the human condition in such a compelling way. It amazes me that his plays are still so relatable to people. I have several questions for him. Starting with, “How does your thought process work?” “Were you trying to write a timeless classic?” “Or were you really just trying to sell tickets?”
What is unique about your program?
My program is made up of our Thespian Troupe, classes, and an after school program. We have one class called Drama Workshop that is an intro to theatre class. And another that is an Advanced Theatre Arts Honors class. The advanced class stages two plays a year. We also do other performances that support our school community. For example, we wrote and staged a show about the effects of bullying.
Guest speakers visit the students in the advanced class. We have had both performers and people who work in the technical side of theatre. In addition, speakers who work in the administrative area have visited us. We participate in a playwriting contest. Students in the advanced class stage their own one act plays. In the past, we participated in field testing the assessments for the National Core Art Standards.
The after school program stages two main productions a year. A play in the fall and a musical in the spring. I direct every aspect of the shows. The students take on roles that, in some schools, would be hired adults. For example, my students choreograph dances, sew costumes, and build the set and props.
What does a typical day look like for you?
One thing that I love about education is that every day is never the same. In addition to being the theater program director, I am also the ELA Department Head. I teach both theatre classes and English classes. After school, I go to rehearsal.
How do you relax after a busy day?
How I relax is that I go to yoga nearly every day. I also read and grow roses.
If you enjoyed Ellen’s interview as much as we 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.