Open Forum

 View Only

  • 1.  Future Advice

    Posted 08-05-2017 09:59
    Greetings,

    I am new member of EdTA and am currently in school to become a Theatre Educator. I want to start getting advice for whenever I get my first teaching job.
    My questions are...
    1. What are some good shows to look into for possible direction? Musicals or plays that wouldn't be incredibly overwhelming to do (while it does depend on the school/talent, I don't think it hurts to have some ideas).
    2. Best thing to do if your school does not have a full-time Technical Director?
    3. How to plan out a budget for the program to make sure my program does not lose money?

    I'll probably have some more but I want to become as prepared as I can be so that I and my students have a very fun and rewarding experience in Theatre.

    Thanks in advanced,
    Brian Percival

    ---------------------------------
    Brian Percival


    Emporia KS
    ---------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-05-2017 12:31
    All the best to you in your studies!

    Selecting a show does depend to some degree, of course, on the 'talent pool' at your school but it must also reflect your individuality and your goals for the program. What do you feel passionate about in teaching and in theatre? I like watching older, traditional musicals like South Pacific but I cannot picture myself directing one. I love technical challenges and have a large theatre tech. program so my school's shows tend to be tech heavy. Other teachers do not feel comfortable with that. Secondly, is your school an established program? In such cases, there is a history of previous shows to reference. Are you striving to build student involvement? Perhaps then you want a large, flexible ensemble show.

    I find it great fun to listen to musicals, read scripts etc and sketch out design ideas. I do not always use them but the get me thinking about whether a show really appeals to me and ignites my interest. Of course, it also has to be suitable to the school's philosophy. Then I create a list of shows, musical and non, for consideration over the next three years or so. I strive to vary the experience of my students over their time at the school.

    As to budgets - be sure to talk with your school administration and financial people. What has been done in the past? What funds and fundraising is available to you? Communication is key here.

    Cheers,

    ------------------------------
    Bill Jacobsen
    Drama Teacher / Curriculum Leader
    Hunting Hills High School
    Red Deer Alberta
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-06-2017 01:40
    Don't worry about losing money. Schools are Nonprofits. I actually don't charge admission even though my production costs for musicals regularly exceed $25,000 dollars. The focus should really be on having the funds to mount the quality of production that you want to produce. That said, you do want to make sure that your production adds value to the school community. That means high student participation, significant audience attendance, and establishing your program as part of the fabric and culture of the school.

    I found Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka surprisingly manageable. Bye Bye Birdie was also fairly manageable. Look for musicals that require a unit set, and simple to make/acquire costumes. I recently read A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This show could also work. It will be easier to make choices and suggestions once you have an idea of the number and demographics of the students you're working with.

    If you have no technical director, which is very possible, look for workshops that you and interested staff members, or even capable students can attend. It can be a learning experience and a way to build capacity at yours school.

    ------------------------------
    Hugh Fletcher
    Performing Arts Coordinator
    IS 229 Dr. Roland Patterson Middle School
    Roosevelt NY
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-06-2017 08:31
    Hello Brian and welcome to the community.

    You are smart in trying to get a jump on things, but also realize there are so many variables involved. My best suggestion would be to just plain read a lot of scripts and maybe create your own categories to put those scripts in, so that when you need make a selection you can.

    Think about number of male vs female roles. There's a very good chance that you will have many more girls in the program than boys.
    Think about small vs. large casts.
    Think about classics vs contemporary scripts.
    Think about tech heavy, seemingly tech heavy that can be simplified, simple and those that seem simple in tech requirements.
    Think also about difficulty level.
    Think about appropriateness as each community will have its own level of what is acceptable (what words or subject matter does the community/ administration deem appropriate for 11-12 yr.olds[middle school] or 13-18 yr. olds[high school]).
    And, as someone else mentioned, what elements of theatre do you feel are important for your students to walk out of the door knowing?

    By having read A LOT of scripts it will be much easier and you will be better able to choose a show with a little less stress because you won't feel you have to read, and read quickly, hundreds of scripts to choose the right ones to start your teaching career. Especially when there is so much new stuff other than just teaching you will have to learn in your first year.

    As far as budgets, knowing some of the above can help you, once you find the realities of your situation and your physical performance space.

    Hope this helps a little to get you started.
    Holly
    Sent from my iPad


    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-06-2017 17:19

    Addressing #2, the lack of a TD. Technical support in high school theatre varies from state to state, from non-existent to exemplary (see a list of "Gold Standard Schools" on my website – address below). We should all be exemplary, because tech theatre is a vocational subject, but most of the time the Drama teacher (usually with a primary background in acting and directing) is asked to 'do it all'. Check with other Drama teachers who are in your state to get an idea of how much state, and therefore district, support you can expect to have. All the best!



    ------------------------------
    Beth Rand
    High School Theatre Operations Coach

    Next HS Theatre Management Training for Drama Teachers online course: Fall Session starts Sept. 11. Spaces still available.

    Author of "High School Theatre Operations" and "The High School Theatre Lighting Rep Plot; a step-by-step guide" and several more books on Amazon.

    www.PRESETT.org
    Westminster, CO
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-07-2017 00:09
    Brian -

    I'm glad you are reaching out at this stage in the game - kudos. Here are my two cents:

    1) Every. Show. Is. Overwhelming!!! Remember that in most schools across the country, the director is the sole adult in charge - which means you are also the producer, the publicity team, the TD, scenic/lighting/costume designer, all while handling your teaching responsibilities and attempting to be a role model for your students. There are no "easy"shows, in my opinion. With that being said, my show selection process is very simple - I start with asking myself the most important question: am I PASSIONATE about the material? If no, I don't do that particular show. If yes, I then look at the other variables (style, who I have, budget, community support, etc). Look, having a few in mind now is a great idea, but in reality, there are so many unknowns right now for you that it's probably not the best course to linger on this.

    2) Deal with it. Be proactive. Involve students and enlist the help of parents and other teachers. Create to-do lists. Get used to the fact that you will most likely end up doing a lot of the work yourself - take pride in that. And at this juncture, make sure you are spending time really learning the tech side of things. The worst thing you can do right now is focus on only the directing side of things when you will most likely not ever be just the director. 

    3) I don't overthink the budget. I know how much money I have at all times, I make sure I don't overspend that, I skimp wherever I can, I fundraise, and I put enough chutzpah into marketing that I always turn a profit. 

    These are all great questions, and you are getting some fantastic suggestions here, but remember that you are the only one that can figure out what works best for you. I've taken some advice I thought was fantastic but ended up hindering me rather than helping me because it was not the best way for ME to handle things. 

    Break a leg!!!

    ------------------------------
    Christina Marshburn
    Theatre Teacher and Director
    Williamsburg VA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-08-2017 08:43
    Great questions!

    1. Good shows - So many to choose from!
    I agree with another response - all shows are challenging in their own way. My biggest piece of advice is to know your audience and that takes a little time.  I directed a really funny play called Christmas Bells  (laughed out loud when I read it)- lots of parts for women and tied into a holiday theme; I thought I would get a nice sized audience.  My friends from church came and laughed until they cried, but the students who came (the bulk of the audience) couldn't follow the story because it had too many characters and too many subplots. As a result there was a small audience. There were much larger audiences from the student body when the show was familiar with and easier to follow.  For example, with a straight mystery/thriller like And Then there were None, there is one story line and the number of characters drops as the show progresses. I agree that you have to passionate about the show and I am jealous when I read about other schools doing shows like RENT. I come from a community where a parent got upset at the first song from Legally Blonde because the Delta Nu chorus girls took the Lord's name in vain - OMG! 

    You also need to know your students and their strengths and types. I waited for years to do Hairspray, because even though I teach at a very diverse school, I waited until I had a Motormouth and a Seaweed in my program. I really want to direct West Side Story, but right now I don't know if I would have enough boys to audition.  Oh well "Someday" lol.

    2. As for a Technical Director, yes you can train students to program lighting boards, and paint scenery but sometimes I think it is worth it to sub out work to the professionals. For years, I had students run the sound board but after too many comments from audience members that go like this "the show was great, too bad about the microphones." It was so bad that the boosters started a campaign to get a new sound board which helped a little bit. However, two years ago I hired a professional to run the microphones and mix the sound - no more comments from the audience. The students still help with sound effects and musical underscoring of scenes, but I now know the lines are heard no matter what.   In short, learn as much as you can about the technical stuff and for anything you can't learn from a book or Youtube - hire a pro.

    3. Budgeting is very tricky because certain shows require certain things and it is hard to drop them just because it's "not in the budget." My goal is to make money on the fall show and break even on the spring musical, and I have always operated in the black. I borrow as much as I can especially things that will never get used again. If you find that you have gone into the red, there are a couple of shows that always seem to make money Grease and Joseph and ..... Dreamcoat.  

    Just my two cents - you are so smart to be asking these questions now.

    Break a leg!

    ------------------------------
    Marla Blasko
    Director/Teacher Theatre Arts
    Long Reach High School
    Columbia, MD
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-08-2017 17:13
    Welcome to our special brand of crazy! :)

    I'm going to agree with a lot of what has already been said... especially about all shows being overwhelming. Go in ready to adjust to whatever situation you're in. When I took over my current school it was established that the theatre position was the same thing as the Defense of the Dark Arts position so I spent the first 2 years doing very small cast shows as I built up the program. There are a lot of good small cast shows out there. If you're reestablishing or building a new program I'd recommend working with smaller casts to start with. It allowed me to spend a lot more time per kid during rehearsals, which led to a stronger show than the school had seen, which created more interest in the department and eventually led to being able to do large (or ridiculously enormous) cast sizes in the past few years. Plan to take years to set your stamp on a program or you'll burn out a lot faster trying to do the impossible.

    In general you should be reading scripts constantly. There are always amazing pieces coming out and you'll need a large library at your fingertips to help students choose scenes and monologues in class in addition to performances. (although they should start reading scripts as well). I'd look at local 2nd hand book stores for scripts and technique books. You can frequently find expensive texts for a fraction of the price. Make sure you are looking at a variety of styles as well. It's very easy to get locked into the "drama" or "comedy" option and there are a lot of other options as well. 

    If you have a TD I'll be jealous. ;)  I have to do it all. A lot of us are expected to be able to handle everything so make sure you understand the basics of all aspects of tech... and don't be surprised if you run into technology that you haven't seen (our sound board is super old) and you have to learn it on the fly. If possible get friendly with the school AV tech person. They're frequently the person that is gone to when theatre isn't there. 

    Don't get too focused on the budget to start with. Hopefully you'll have a cushion to start with. If you don't look for some easy money makers that don't have you putting our money to earn. We earn a lot every year through our improv shows and we have sponsors for the department as well. Make sure that you're always staying in the black when budgeting. Plan to spend very little your first year as you build a cushion until you're comfortable.



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

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-08-2017 20:55
    Hi, Brian!

    I made this video this summer not only to help get myself organized for my new theatre teaching position but for future theatre educators or those moving into a new program. I hope this is helpful to you! https://youtu.be/ATrM4DFFjes

    ------------------------------
    Kala Chaffin
    Drama Teacher
    Fayette County Public Schools
    Lexington KY
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Future Advice

    Posted 08-11-2017 12:11
    So I was thinking that if I were in your shoes right now, what would I do differently than what I did?  I wish that I had taken small business/management/marketing classes.  I find that I feel like I am running a small business as much as teaching.  You even mentioned it in discussing how to balance your budget.  I read a lot now to fill what I think <g class="gr_ gr_346 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="346" data-gr-id="346">are</g> my knowledge gaps.  If you can, try and take a class on any of these subjects:

    -Fundraising (how do you start a donors program? how do you solicit donations?)
    -Marketing (publicize and advocate for your program and shows all the time.  It is non-stop!)
    -Graphic Design (you'll probably be doing your own poster, <g class="gr_ gr_910 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="910" data-gr-id="910">tshirt</g>, program design, etc.)
    -Volunteer Management (You will need them!  An army of them.  How can you recruit and maintain volunteers in a constantly shifting roster?)
    -Business in general (Good negotiating skills, board management if you have a parent boosters groups, etc.)

    Best of luck!

    ------------------------------
    Jessica Harms
    Theatre Director
    Acton MA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


Related Content