Open Forum

I was brought into a small, private school to revitalise their theatre program.  Two years in, and we have done very well.  Superiors and Excellents at state, three productions this year, we are currenty working on the full version of Annie.  Here is what I need advice on: Everyday is a struggle to get kids motivated, sometimes that means that I have to be the "bad guy", the resultant show is always very well recieved.  My head-of-school complains if they are not working up to their potential, however iin the same breath, she thinks that they are being "overwhelmed" and "burnt out".  We rehearse 3 days a week for 1.5 hours.  She is constantly bringing up how "easily" this all happened in the past...in the past they either did junior versions OR used kareoke tracks and either recreated the script or found an illegal download of the script.  I have pointed out that they 1) worked illegally and are very lucky they were never sued and 2) Did not work with a full script and 3) Because they were not working with a full script, they felt free to cut things if the kids were not taking it seriously.  I have also "heard" that it was not unusual for students to walk out of a production or flat out refuse to do shows if they didn't like them.  I have tried to broach this subject with my administrator.  She, flat out, denies that any of that took place.  My music director was around for this.  She still maintains that all of the students were motivated, that the school did elaborate full-scale shows and that the directors were rays of sunshine.  Basically my question is this: How do I overcome revisionist memories?

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Myndee Washington
Director of Theatre
Millennium Academy
New Port Richey, FL.
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I'm sorry... this type of situation is always difficult. 

Legality issues:
 - I'd point out that as educators it's incredibly important to teach the students about the ideas of copyright and legalities. Before you do your first read-thru go over the specifics that are in the front of every script with the cast and crew. I'd also look up the specific penalties and fines if you get caught. If there are specific consequences instead of the "grey" areas on repercussions it might make it easier to really bring the importance of going about obtaining the rights properly.

Potential v Burn-Out:
- Do you have any archival videos of past shows? That would quickly and neatly clean up questions about past productions. 
- I'd also point out that every director has a different style. Being open to working with a variety of people and adjust to a variety of styles is part of being in theatre. It's a learning opportunity for the students; especially if they are planning on continuing to perform outside of your school in the future. 
- What sort of productions are they interested in performing? Is there a way to "meet in the middle" between what you think they should be doing and what they are interested in? If you can get through a few years of this then the students left will have only worked with you. The rest will have graduated and, hopefully, without the students (and, if applicable, their parents) complaining the problem will naturally phase out.
 - I always have a least one production a year that is based on either a historical or literally based piece. It's really hard to justify not accepting productions when they can directly tie in to what is happening in a core class... and the kids always seem to really enjoy doing them.

Rehearsal Time:
- We have rehearsals 3 times a week for 90 minutes (until tech week - when the students have rehearsal from 2:30-10 with an hour dinner break)
      - because of this we have a longer rehearsal run to make up the missing hours. 
- The other 2 days are rehearsals for the improv troupe so they are not "time off"
- The rehearsals only call the people who are actually going to be used that day and only for specific lengths of time (as applicable). This gives the majority of the cast at least 1 day (out of the 3 scheduled) where they are not needed... excluding the leads and swings who are usually needed every single rehearsal; it's just part of being cast in those roles. 
- I have a rehearsal schedule (usually) already completed and on my website so students and parents can see the time commitment prior to auditioning and/or accepting the role. 
     - this should take care of any issues concerning timing. The information was there if anyone wanted to look for it. 

Out of curiosity... do the sports teams worry about burn-out? After all, theatre is a skill. It needs practice, technique, opportunities to fine tune abilities and requires the students to "show" their work; it simply is shown through performance instead of "competition" (unless you count the fact that we attend competitions as well)
 


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Shira Schwartz
Chandler Unified School District
Chandler AZ
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-23-2017 09:47
From: Myndee Washington
Subject: Overcoming hurdles

I was brought into a small, private school to revitalise their theatre program.  Two years in, and we have done very well.  Superiors and Excellents at state, three productions this year, we are currenty working on the full version of Annie.  Here is what I need advice on: Everyday is a struggle to get kids motivated, sometimes that means that I have to be the "bad guy", the resultant show is always very well recieved.  My head-of-school complains if they are not working up to their potential, however iin the same breath, she thinks that they are being "overwhelmed" and "burnt out".  We rehearse 3 days a week for 1.5 hours.  She is constantly bringing up how "easily" this all happened in the past...in the past they either did junior versions OR used kareoke tracks and either recreated the script or found an illegal download of the script.  I have pointed out that they 1) worked illegally and are very lucky they were never sued and 2) Did not work with a full script and 3) Because they were not working with a full script, they felt free to cut things if the kids were not taking it seriously.  I have also "heard" that it was not unusual for students to walk out of a production or flat out refuse to do shows if they didn't like them.  I have tried to broach this subject with my administrator.  She, flat out, denies that any of that took place.  My music director was around for this.  She still maintains that all of the students were motivated, that the school did elaborate full-scale shows and that the directors were rays of sunshine.  Basically my question is this: How do I overcome revisionist memories?

------------------------------
Myndee Washington
Director of Theatre
Millennium Academy
New Port Richey, FL.
------------------------------

I have found that if you have a lot of unmotivated students, doing smaller shows (at least at first) helps. This creates competition which either a) weeds out lazy students and/or b) makes students "earn" a role. When students feel like "everyone gets a role" or everyone in the class is required to be in it, they're not as likely to take it seriously. Our school started off that way, and little by little we've been able to expand. I still wouldn't be able to do a full scale musical and get everyone equally committed, but I have built up a core of reliable, dedicated students who don't disappoint. These students get leads and supporting roles. New students who we don't know much about get smaller roles or tech roles until they "prove" their commitment level. 

As for rehearsals, we usually rehearse every day for two hours for 6-8 weeks, but we only rehearse certain sections at a time so that all the actors don't have to be there every day unless it's a show where a lead is in every scene. If that's the case, they know what they were signing up for when they auditioned. Your requirements are not unreasonable, but if your administrator has never been in a play and/or does not know much about the arts, you may be dealing with someone who "doesn't get it." There's not much you can do for that except keep demonstrating excellence. 

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Maralie Medlin
Theatre Arts Educator
Gastonia, NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-23-2017 09:47
From: Myndee Washington
Subject: Overcoming hurdles

I was brought into a small, private school to revitalise their theatre program.  Two years in, and we have done very well.  Superiors and Excellents at state, three productions this year, we are currenty working on the full version of Annie.  Here is what I need advice on: Everyday is a struggle to get kids motivated, sometimes that means that I have to be the "bad guy", the resultant show is always very well recieved.  My head-of-school complains if they are not working up to their potential, however iin the same breath, she thinks that they are being "overwhelmed" and "burnt out".  We rehearse 3 days a week for 1.5 hours.  She is constantly bringing up how "easily" this all happened in the past...in the past they either did junior versions OR used kareoke tracks and either recreated the script or found an illegal download of the script.  I have pointed out that they 1) worked illegally and are very lucky they were never sued and 2) Did not work with a full script and 3) Because they were not working with a full script, they felt free to cut things if the kids were not taking it seriously.  I have also "heard" that it was not unusual for students to walk out of a production or flat out refuse to do shows if they didn't like them.  I have tried to broach this subject with my administrator.  She, flat out, denies that any of that took place.  My music director was around for this.  She still maintains that all of the students were motivated, that the school did elaborate full-scale shows and that the directors were rays of sunshine.  Basically my question is this: How do I overcome revisionist memories?

------------------------------
Myndee Washington
Director of Theatre
Millennium Academy
New Port Richey, FL.
------------------------------

Original Message------

I have found that if you have a lot of unmotivated students, doing smaller shows (at least at first) helps. This creates competition which either a) weeds out lazy students and/or b) makes students "earn" a role. When students feel like "everyone gets a role" or everyone in the class is required to be in it, they're not as likely to take it seriously. Our school started off that way, and little by little we've been able to expand. I still wouldn't be able to do a full scale musical and get everyone equally committed, but I have built up a core of reliable, dedicated students who don't disappoint. These students get leads and supporting roles. New students who we don't know much about get smaller roles or tech roles until they "prove" their commitment level. 

As for rehearsals, we usually rehearse every day for two hours for 6-8 weeks, but we only rehearse certain sections at a time so that all the actors don't have to be there every day unless it's a show where a lead is in every scene. If that's the case, they know what they were signing up for when they auditioned. Your requirements are not unreasonable, but if your administrator has never been in a play and/or does not know much about the arts, you may be dealing with someone who "doesn't get it." There's not much you can do for that except keep demonstrating excellence. 

------------------------------
Maralie Medlin
Theatre Arts Educator
Gastonia, NC
------------------------------

Perhaps your principal is a math person.  If so, maybe you could appeal to him/her through numbers.

I teach high school in a program I've developed over 16 1/2 years.  Students are accustomed to getting off book as soon as possible, and they run lines with each other across the hall whenever they aren't actively involved in the rehearsal.  You are working with younger students, which is different.

I allot 40 to 45 hours for rehearsal before tech week for a straight show, 60 to 65 for a musical.  I know many teachers who do far more rehearsals than we do.

Without even considering the loss that occurs over a week of no rehearsal, what will be the total amount of rehearsal time you will have with these kids?  

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C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2017 07:40
From: Myndee Washington
Subject: Overcoming hurdles

My principal (who also owns the school), requires every student be a part of the cast. No exceptions. She also informed me, yesterday, she is cutting our rehearsals to one day a week. One! We are expected to produce Annie with a 1.5 hour rehearsal a week.

I just realized I was responding to Myndee, not the original message by Maralie.

Maralie, it is too late for this year, but I encourage you to come to the NC Thespian Festival next year.  If you can let a group of Thespians--even a few--spend a few days with highly motivated Thespians, have their socks knocked off by terrific Individual Events, experience workshops, and see a group of short plays from other schools, you might see a turn-around.  

While most high school students cannot judge their friends' performances accurately, due to bias inherent in that age, they can pretty easily construct criteria for excellence when faced with performances from teens they do not know.  

Email me if you'd like more info.

 

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C. J. Breland
Asheville High School
Asheville NC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-25-2017 07:40
From: Myndee Washington
Subject: Overcoming hurdles

My principal (who also owns the school), requires every student be a part of the cast. No exceptions. She also informed me, yesterday, she is cutting our rehearsals to one day a week. One! We are expected to produce Annie with a 1.5 hour rehearsal a week.