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  • 1.  Application process for Advanced Theatre Courses

    Posted 05-04-2016 11:34

    Good morning my wonderful peers!

    My principal has just informed me that my numbers for my highest level theatre course for next school year has more than doubled.  I have 20 now and currently have 50 students who have signed up for next school year.  My school has two full time theatre teachers.  Our program is well established.  We do many one acts each year (about six between the two of us), at least three full lengths, one to two student written SNL type shows, one large musical and a large straight play production off site and the local community theatre where I serve as Artistic Vice-President.

    Here's my problem.  I would like to have an application process to make my advanced class more of an "elite" group of students...kind of more of a troupe.  My principal does not agree with me.  However, there are other electives on my campus that do incorporate a screening process for entry into their course.  Yearbook, newspaper, broadcast journalism, STAR (Students who are interested in becoming teachers)...how do I present my idea to my principal AGAIN?  I know there are students who have signed up for my course who will not take it seriously.  

    BTW - this is the course that does their show off campus at the community theatre.  It's a rigorous semester.  Competition, state thespian festival, class assignments, and the production....

    Thanks in advance for your ideas!

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    Heidi Frederic
    Theatre Teacher
    St. Amant High School
    Ascension Parish School District
    Gonzales LA
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  • 2.  RE: Application process for Advanced Theatre Courses

    Posted 05-04-2016 12:01

    We use an audition for entrance into the upper level classes.

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    Ryan Moore
    Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
    Royal Oak MI

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Application process for Advanced Theatre Courses

    Posted 05-04-2016 12:13

    What is your process?  Can you elaborate?  Thanks!

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    Heidi Frederic
    Theatre Teacher
    Ascension Parish School District
    Gonzales LA

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Application process for Advanced Theatre Courses

    Posted 05-09-2016 09:50

    Students audition in March for the following school year's theatre and choir classes. They sign up with their counselor and I generate a schedule based on the requests. Students are responsible for showing up for their posted time.  They may choose to audition for theatre or choir or both in their time slot.  The acting audition is a monologue.  Students do not have to participate in the auditions to enroll in the Theatre I, only Theatre II and Theatre III.

    There are a couple of things I really like about the process.  One is that the process itself generates a certain amount of interest in these electives (the idea that it's something to aspire to).  Also, I like that there's a certain self-elimination process that goes on.  The audition is not necessarily difficult, but a student who is unwilling to go through it may not be a good fit for a more advanced class any way.  I also like that there is a home for those who don't want the advanced experience.  

    I will say, that for the most part, students who go through the series of pre-requisite classes generally advance (i.e. the audition is not a tool to keep kids from advancing). There is a lot of competition for my level III class, which combines with the top choir to perform the annual musical.  I do have a class cap of 36, and there's only one section offered, so there are, of course, students who take the pre-req and audition and do not make it.  Still, if you have to manage numbers in a theatre class, it seems to make sense to use a process that is natural to theatre.

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    Ryan Moore
    Theatre Teacher and Forensics Coach
    Royal Oak MI

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Application process for Advanced Theatre Courses

    Posted 05-04-2016 14:48

    I've had the same success and, as such, the same roadblock with my principal. Through a longer discussion, I've come to learn that she bills the Theatre classes under the VOCATIONAL BUDGET. As such, those are run on NUMBERS, unlike Yearbook, etc. 

    Consider, instead of "fighting" this battle with the Administration, take it to the students/parents. ADVERTISE far and wide about the after-hours expectation. And our butts are covered in the National Benchmarks. They're also covered in the State benchmarks for Florida, so check your own. 

    Put out your show and proposed rehearsal schedule NOW. (Clearly, post your dream schedule, not a realistic-to-school-disruptions one.) Then make sure aaaaaalllllll your Guidance Counselors have a copy and are very aware.

    God Bless Guidance Counselors who know and understand your goals!!! They have much better access to one-on-one conversations with our kids than we do about this stuff.

    Anyway, this is what has saved me and my Programme from the less-than-committed.

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    Donalda A. McCarthy
    Tweets @MissDonni
    IG @IntlTheatreTeacher

    Theatre Education
    Palm Beach Lakes High School
    West Palm Beach, FL, USA

    Original Message