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Educating administrators

  • 1.  Educating administrators

    Posted 10-27-2015 13:41


    Does anyone have any good strategies for a politically correct way to educate administrators and others as to what we do and how much is involved?

    I often have issues with extra things getting scheduled in the auditorium during my tech week or production week.  Plus, things get scheduled during my tech class and I don't have a separate shop for tech.  This often happens at the last minute, so it's difficult to plan for it.  Yesterday, I was told I needed to stop my tech rehearsal so the band could take a picture on the stage.  They didn't think it would be any big deal for me to strike the set, set up choir risers for them, let them take a picture, strike the choir risers, reset my set and pick up where we left off in rehearsals.  They don't even realize what it takes to set up the choir risers because my tech kids always do it for them.  They don't understand what is involved and I'm constantly asked to move or cancel rehearsals to accommodate others.  Although I understand that we share the space and I certainly respect and support all of the programs that use the auditorium, I don't think it's too much to ask that tech week and production week be off limits.  

    Does anyone know how to help very sports-minded people understand what is involved and why it is important that we have that time uninterrupted?

    Thanks!

     

    ------------------------------
    Jeana Whitaker
    Theatre Director
    Mesa AZ
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  • 2.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-27-2015 17:49


    I had to educate my admin when I arrived at my current school. Everything from the fact that the scene shop is not called a green room to the need to have tech into the late evening hours to the fact that the kids rehearse a stage kiss prior to performing it in front of an audience.

    Have you been able to have a sit down with your department head and the admin? It might be helpful to be able to discuss all the elements it takes to produce a show. You could also get a breakdown of how long other people spend on teching (without interruptions) so they can get a feel of how long it takes to actually accomplish from a variety of sources. I'd also associated it directly with football. It's the equivalent of having the field used for a dance concert during the final practices before playoffs.

    Here is my tech schedule:

    Tech Week:

    Monday - Friday 2:30-10pm (w/ an hour dinner break)

        lights, sound, music, mics, hair, make-up, costume, shifting, props

             - we also have our videographer and photographer come in during one of the dress runs to take pics and see the performance so the camera's can be placed for the best effect

    Show Week:

    Monday - Tuesday 2:30-6 pick-up

    Wednesday 2:30-4 cast party

    Call times for shows 5pm

    Good luck!

    ------------------------------
    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-28-2015 07:24


    One of the things we do at my school is that, I keep the theater calendar.  This came about during my first administration, who also helped me remodel the theater, so quite supportive-- but the calendar helps a lot.  The rationale is that the theater is my classroom and many times I'm aware of meetings and rehearsals that the admin and or general public does not know about.  

    In terms of being the school's tech resource, I think it helps just to let folks be aware that sometimes it is difficult and you would appreciate being asked ahead of time.  That being said, embracing those opportunities for service, can lift your program and your students up.  But I think being treated respectfully is a must.

    ------------------------------
    Michael Johnson
    Trinity NC

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-28-2015 08:13
    Who schedules the auditorium? THAT is the first step - getting control of the auditorium calendar. If the main secretary is doing that as part of the master calendar, she will probably greatly appreciate you scheduling the auditorium and then just informing her of the dates. I do spend time consulting the master calendar several times a year to avoid conflicts. (Depending on your school's size and conflict policy, you may have to make sure you do not schedule an event the night of a big home game, etc.) If you cannot gain control of the auditorium calendar, go see who does have it and add your important rehearsals to it so those dates are blocked out. Also schedule the period of your tech class for the entire year on the master calendar.

    Whether or not it is possible to control the auditorium calendar, I strongly suggest you create an "Auditorium Use" form that asks for basic info (event name & date, etc.) AND all the various options about what kind of lighting, number and kind of mics, curtain questions, area of the stage questions, etc. Insist that the form must be completed and given to you with AT LEAST one day's notice for "unexpected" events and at least a week for scheduled events. Explain that this is for the benefit of the people using the auditorium because you will be much better prepared for their events.

    Don't be a jerk with the form - but certainly include enough questions (to better serve their event) that EVERYONE who uses the space will get some idea of the process involved. This form helps you better serve their needs, but it will also be an eye-opener for those who simply do not understand. 

    Good luck!

    --
    Ann Hileman, M.A.
    State Chapter Director, Indiana Thespians
    Indiana Thespian Hall of Fame
     
    Maconaquah High School
    256 East 800 South
    Bunker Hill, IN 46914
    765-689-9131 x 5550 (phone)
    765-689-9528 (fax)
     



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-28-2015 08:53
    Put them in a show!

    --
    Chuck Miller
    M.A. Theatre Education
    Teacher/Director, Pinelands Regional
    President-Elect, STANJ
    (Speech and Theatre Association of New Jersey)

    "To thine own self be true." W.S.

    Pinelands Regional High School
    565 Nugentown Rd.
    Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087
    609-296-3106



    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-28-2015 08:54


    Put them in a show or get them involved somehow where they have to live the production for a bit. Until they see it with their own eyes and experience it, they'll never truly understand. Good Luck!

    ------------------------------
    Charles Miller
    West Creek NJ

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-28-2015 09:36


    This is a pretty common problem- it never gets better on its own.

    I'd start with educating your band teacher.

    People who never use a theatre - I understand their clulesness, but someone who runs another performing arts group doesn't have that excuse.

    Do you have a calendar of who is using the theatre and when? Create one, and get others in the habit of putting their events on it well in advance.

    You might have to say no at some point. If you let them wipe their feet on you, they will continue to think you're a doormat.

    Billy Houck

    Fremont High School

    Sunnyvale, CA

    ------------------------------
    Billy Houck
    Theatre Teacher
    Sunnyvale CA

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-29-2015 07:46
    Preaching to the choir. Some solutions have been to post the theatre use calendar on the door of the building. For some reason some people find it easier to walk down and look at this than to read the online calendar our secretary creates.in my old building we never did come up with a great solution to this. I just quit helping on events that were not performing arts related. Amazing how much less admin scheduled in when they had to start doing it themselves.
    In my new building, I have final say over any events scheduling. We had some snafus first year but have worked it out by simple kind communication and by picking my battles.
    Yes tech and production week should be sacred dates no one can touch.

    Scott Hasbrouck
    shasbrou@aol.com
    720-353-3227

    Sent from my iPhone


    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-28-2015 10:37


    Do you have a parent group or boosters? It may help to get the parents involved. Is your Department Chair able to help at all? 

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    Carolyn Kovar
    Florissant MO

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-29-2015 09:58

    As we are an arts school with many departments (theatre, dance, chorus, orchestra, and band) competing for the use of our two performance spaces, auditorium and black box, the performing arts chairs have a calendar meeting on one of the work days at the end of each school year for the following year.  There is a lot of negotiation involved, but we are respectful of each other and look for solutions that accommodate everyone.  We also solicit dates from academic teachers who may know of planned class trips; our testing coordinator, who knows the dates of AP exams, PSAT's, etc; and our administration, who often lends our performance spaces to other groups.  It takes a few hours, but we work it out and put it on a calendar, with each department color-coded.  We try to make economies of labor, e.g. if there is a band concert on a Tuesday evening, then we schedule the orchestra concert for that Wednesday or Thursday so that the band shells can be set up and struck once rather than twice.  The theatre department notes on the calendar when our sets go up, so that everyone understands events scheduled in those spaces after those dates will have to work around the set.  At the bottom of each month's calendar page, we also list each department's off-campus events, like competitions and performances. We then know, for example, not to schedule a musical cabaret the same weekend as State Honors Chorus, when many of our best singers will be gone.  It isn't perfect, and there are always surprise assemblies and the like, but our administration regards the calendar as an official document.

    ------------------------------
    Bonnie Fraker
    Northwest School of the Arts
    Charlotte, NC

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-29-2015 11:59
    I have a couple of suggestions:

    1.  Give the administration a full year calendar with every rehearsal with specific times etc by the end of Feb. for the next year.  Highlight or note some way the days you cannot clear the stage, like the last two weeks before you open.  

    2.  Talk to your performing arts department about your challenges and ask them to help you with solutions.  Involve them in the planning of your yearly calendar so that concerts, picture days, piano tuning etc are all planned out around each other.  

    There will still be things come up but this will help.

    3.  Talk to your activities director and brainstorm ways that you can have an auditorium usage form that is e-mailed to you  each month.  

    4.  In some schools I worked at the performing arts have a calendar party and then we took that calendar to any other departments such as National Honor Society, Student Council, FAC, and we worked together in the spring to make the next year run smoother.
    After a year or two, every one will know their spot or time on the calendar and it will get easier.

    5.  Invite your principal and activities director to your area for a tour providing them with a snack/coffee and have them brainstorm with you some of your challenges.  Let them help you come up with ideas.  Talk about how custodial staff might be helpful in set up and take down.  Provide snacks and /or notes to them on how much you appreciate their help.  

    BE PROACTIVE.  Talk to other before problems arise.  Make announcements in faculty meetings that you would love to help them with the use of the stage and to talk to you in advance so you can make it easier.  Ask them to always send a reminder to your a week in advance, so you might make it easier for them.  

    Hope this helps.
    Lee Hitchler 





    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-30-2015 10:08

    Hi Jeana,

    Be comforted by the responses of so many who have/had a similar situation. There is no simple answer to this problem, well actually problems. As I see it from your description these are the issues at hand:

    • the need to develop a culture of respect
    • calendar development and maintenance
    • use of theatre tech kids to support various activities and programs

    All of these issues are difficult ones to correct! The best way to educate administrators and others about the complexity of your program is to demonstrate it. You might consider using language they understand, and set up an "observation" of your teaching. Invite them to a tech rehearsal (one that is expected to go well). Expect that they will not stay for the entire rehearsal, so work to make your point in 30 minutes. Perhaps have a student who will take him/her from location to location during the rehearsal (more for the sake of safety - they can't do this on their own, they will become a distraction or an obstacle). Having a student escort the administrator will provide the opportunity for the Admin, to ask questions with out interfering with the process. This kinda of opportunity for an "observation" is a demonstration of the much desired teaching objective of student engagement and student leadership :) If you are able to make the "observation" happen be sure to set up a followup meeting. Letting your kids do the talking a demonstration allows them the opportunity to demonstrate their investment and ownership of the "project" or "team." Be sure to use sports analogies when discussing the observation. Perhaps they will better understand the situation is you describe the effect clearing the football field during a practice before homecoming so that the cheerleaders can run their halftime cheers. 

    Use of tech kids for events...I have been working on changing that culture at my school, as well. I actually just got a bit fed up with everyone just expecting the tech kids to jump in and run someone else's event without proper recognition or thanks (in some case there were even instances of blatant disrespect) and all for free. I have now started to "charge" groups that use the theatre techies a percentage of their ticket/admission sales. Holy Cow, did I get resistance and angry responses, but also a considerable amount of realization that a talent show or other performance can't really happen without trained tech support. We have bills to pay too, and this is now one of our ways of fundraising! The transition years were a little rocky, but are smoothing out. You sound very accommodating, for example we NEVER set up risers for our choir and band programs...their kids do it, as they should! I am old and grumpy and NO ONE would ever expect me to accommodate a stoppage of rehearsal for a photo op, especially if it was and impromptu request. Think about the message you inadvertently send...our program/preparation is not as important as the bands photo op! Political correctness is nice, but sometimes you just have to be a hard nosed director and as "sorry, but NO!"

    Change is hard and sometimes take a long time. Pick your battles and stand your ground. Prioritize what changes need to happen first and move slowly and purposely in that direction. Ask some of the drama directors at the other high schools how they deal with similar issues. If you like their ideas, institute them in your program and simply inform others that you are adopting policies established by other programs in your district in order to create a program that offer equity and compliance with the other schools.

    Good Luck (and sorry about the length of my reply...I know too well what you are up against and it gets me all feisty)

    Jeannie 

    ------------------------------
    Jeannie Brzovic
    Lake Forest Park WA

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 10-31-2015 17:35

    Thank you everyone for your responses & suggestions. It's so valuable to have this resource of people who have dealt with the same issues.

    We do have a calendar and an auditorium use form in place. It goes through one of admin assistants in the front office. The performing arts Dept has a calendar meeting in the spring and all of our events for drama, choir, band orchestra and dance are put on the calendar for the following year. Then I fill out the request forms and solidify all of my dates from auditions to strike and they are identified as tech/dress etc. So do all of the other performing arts teachers. The problem is when our dates & times overlap. The secretary will put them both in and we are double booked. We usually work it out, because I  am usually the one that accommodates everyone else and will move rehearsals into the drama room. This time the band teacher booked a photographer during my tech rehearsal and I told him NO and put my foot down, so he went to administration & complained & they came to me and asked me compromise. Eventually though the band teacher just had to wait until we finished. I won the battle. 

    My biggest issue is respect. There is not enough respect for me or my program and what I do. My predecessor produced crappy shows & pretty much phoned it in half the time, so that's what they expect me to do. I'm only in my second year at this school and it will take time to educate them. By producing quality shows my student involvement has exploded and the admin has taken notice & given me kuddos.

    I love the ideas of getting them involved somehow, I just don't know that there is enough interest or respect to get them to do it. At my first show last year, my principal was astounded with the set, so I took him on a tour & talked about what we did to build it. He said "wow, I had no idea how much work goes into this." Its a step in the right direction. This year we have a first year asst. Admin who is in charge of activities. He was a teacher & football coach at the school last year, so he is learning too. 

    Thanks again for all your words of wisdom.

    ------------------------------
    Jeana Whitaker
    Theatre Director
    Mesa AZ

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Educating administrators

    Posted 11-03-2015 11:45

    It might take a little more time, but the book 'High School Theatre Operations for Architects, Administrators and Academics' by Elizabeth Bracken Rand is an absolutely wonderful resource in outlining all the problems, issues, scheduling, safety and such that goes into dealing with high school theatre. It is rich in resources and in delineating, in articulate fashion, what those outside of the theatre don't necessarily understand.

    HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE OPERATIONS for Architects, Administrators and Academics

    Amazon remove preview
    HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE OPERATIONS for Architects, Administrators and Academics
     
    View this on Amazon >
    ------------------------------
    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Hillsborough County Schools
    Ruskin FL

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