Brian,
Amen. It's part of a larger issue. While I can see the occasional need to rent such a creature, in general we are getting caught up in the overall societal pattern of what I call "baseline creep." In a nutshell: Years back, coffee from Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's was a perfectly acceptable cup o' joe, and even a treat. Nowadays, if you'e not sucking down some $5.50 creation made from organic, fair-trade Sumatran beans harvested by the light of full moon, you are somehow uncultured. Working with what's available to you is a nearly forgotten discipline. Since everything is just a click away, we must have that which is ideal.
Scholastic theatre is heading, full-gallop, down a similar primrose path. Everything must look like it came off a national touring company. It's no longer about the process, it's about the product. Outside companies are hired in by an increasing number of schools to do pretty much everything except act. Here in GA, many of my fellow theatre educators complain that one-act competition, which is allegedly an acting competition, has effectively become "the production values competition." Exaggeration? Only slightly. One of my peers actually heard a judge say, during a ThesCon seminar "I just don't know how to judge a school if they don't bring their own sound system."
But we should not be surprised. Athletics has been on this track for years.. Used to be, play a little football or soccer in the fall, maybe some hoops in the winter, perhaps baseball in the spring, and you might play little league in the summer. Now? Find a sport, specialize in it. Hire outside trainers. Get on a travel team. And we wonder why orthopedists are seeing repetitive strain injuries in teenagers previously seen only in those in their mid-30s.
What's the answer? I have absolutely no idea. Last Spring, I pulled off a Godspell where the only adult involvement was me as Director/Set designer, my schools choral teacher as vocal coach, and a local musician friend of mine for accompaniment. Everything else: student. Student choreography. Student Stage Manager. Student AD. Student-designed and painted scenery. Student costuming. It didn't look like any production you'd ever seen. It was acclaimed, and the students are still swapping photos of it on Instagram 8 months later. Because they owned it.
So yes, I understand the call to teach the students how to do it so it looks professional. As long as we're focused on the process, that's fine. But when it simply becomes about the product, I fear we are losing something. Yeah, this is a pet topic. You can read more from my blog:
http://gottaact.blogspot.com/2014/04/process-not-product.html Scott
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Scott Piehler
Drama Director
Lilburn GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-25-2014 09:38
From: Brian Gehrlein
Subject: Professional Backdrops
Fellow Theatre Teachers,
I need to rant a little. Over the past few years I have seen an increased amount of the use of professionally painted scenic backdrops in high school performances. I don't know what it is but I cannot stand them. It makes me sad to think that students were robbed an opportunity for hands-on-learning. Why do some of us take the easy way out and make a phone call or an online click rather than inspiring students to create original technical elements for a show that they can be proud of?
Let's be honest. When we give 100% of the design and construction to students and guide them with our own limited skill set the technical elements might not be as sexy or professional. I get that. However, what are we teaching our students when we give up on developing their skills and just make parents and professionals build the sets, costumes and everything in between?
I think we should care about educational ownership. When we let go of our desire to control everything and have the best everything and give it back to the kids where it belongs something beautiful happens. They learn! They grow! They invest more and they create better theatre!
If I just threw you and your artistic practices under the bus, I apologize. My goal was to point out this trend and caution us all, myself included. With how busy I am (and you are) sometimes it's really tempting to cut corners. We just have to remind each other that when we take those artistic short cuts in the name of a better show, the only people we hurt are our students. Aren't they why we get up and do this?
Drops the mic...spotlight out.
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Brian Gehrlein
Theatre Director
Liberty MO
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