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  • 1.  Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-01-2017 14:44
    Each year our spring musical is the last production of the year. We have started a tradition of honoring our seniors with a small token or gift. My question is what night of the show should I do it? We have a Friday and Saturday evening show and a Sunday matinee. Do it at all 3 shows or just the last one? Any help or guidance would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. 

    Robert Jessup, M.M.M. Ed
    Choir Director, Macon Middle School
    Director of Choral Activities
    Advanced Theatre and Stagecrafts Instructor
    Franklin High School
    828-524-6467


  • 2.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-02-2017 07:24
    I'm in my first year teaching/directing at my school. They used to do it this way. At the closing show (which for them was Saturday night), they would bring back any senior who were not in the musical and then honor them plus the musical seniors after curtain call with a single rose each. When I heard this and realized we were graduating over 20 kids this year, I realized that absolutely would not work for us. Our closing nights (which for us will be a SUNDAY night....the Sunday before Spring Break.....and the night before the Senior Drama Trip.....which begins at 4:30 the next morning) are always SO long as it is with gifts to the directors, the producers, pretty much any adult that helped, etc, that adding another time delay would keep the audience there for a total of 3+ hours.

    So, I implemented the drama awards banquet. We're doing this a month and a half after our show closes, and a week after the "Senior Showcase" (cabaret night selected, directed and teched by seniors). THERE I will honor the seniors plus give out awards for the whole year (I'm calling it the "Rammy's", as our mascot is the Rams). We'll do the senior recognition, the Best's (Actor/Actress/Featureds/Tech/in a play/musical/non-scripted event/Mishap/memory/etc), Senior hand-downs (advice to underclassmen with objects to represent them, and we are also going to "retire the jersey" of our parent producer whose daughter is graduating. I'll also announce the season for next year there.

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    Jodi Disario
    Director of Drama
    Willow Glen High School
    San Jose CA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-02-2017 10:08
    Hello!

    I would say do it at the end of the last show. It makes it more special for the kids in my opinion. It's the last thing that sends them off. At all of the schools where I've worked we always do it at the last show. There are usually teats since it's the end, but they feel special none-the-less. There is no rule to this - you could always do what you feel  -this is just what I've seen has worked :-) 

    Hope this helps

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    Fredreka Irvine
    Teacher of Theater Arts
    Carlsbad CA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-02-2017 10:22
    We do the recognition on the last show. The kids bring the directors onstage and thank us for our hard work.  Then we call the seniors forward and thank them as a group then call each one forward individually and say a few things about them and give them a gift.

    I think it's special to do it on the last night cause its a great way to send them off. Its also the climax of that and their moment and if you do it every night or before the last show I feel like it loses its luster.

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    Brian Kaufman
    Theatre Director
    Speech Coach
    Ravenwood High School
    Brentwood TN
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-02-2017 12:58
    Our last show of the year is a black box show, which means that we can't seat a lot of people.  I also don't feel like the end of a show is the right time to honor seniors, especially if that means honoring people who weren't a part of that particular show.  So, we have banquet.  Our agenda is awards, slideshow, honor the seniors, induct new thespians, and we have The Final Bow for anyone who isn't returning (including any student who knows they are moving, doing online school the next year, etc).  Also, if we haven't announced the season yet we do it at that time. Final Bow has become a MAJOR thing (and I'm pretty sure I stole it from Shira?) and it really brings the whole evening to a close beautifully.

    If you are going to do it after a show, I would do it at the close of your closing performance; I had to honor one of my kids at the close of our second to last performance this yea (long story) and it felt really awkward to say good-bye metaphorically, and then have him come back to perform that night.  Otherwise, I would absolutely recommend a banquet type night (and it doesn't have to be super fancy - we just do cake for food!)

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    Laura Steenson
    Theatre Director
    Reynolds High School
    Troutdale OR
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-02-2017 21:04

    For the past seven years, we have always recognized our Seniors at the final performance of their class shows.  We were named the Rose Curtain Players in 1923, so that makes our gift a high quality red silk rose.  Now, since it is for their class production, that means some get them in March, some in April, some in...you get the picture.  Our parents know that it will be on the final night of each performance, so they are all sure to be there.  However, last year, I had two seniors in my final show of the year, one's parents could only come on Friday night and the others on Saturday, so I recognized the boys both nights.  


    So, I guess I am saying that you can do it any old way you want, but closing night always seems to be the easiest.  :)  


    My best!

    Carolyn 


    Carolyn Cork Greer 




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-03-2017 08:09
    We do an awards banquet after our One Act Festival.  All theatre students perform their final projects.  So, it's pretty much a week of drama :)
    We've been VERY fortunate to have connections with event spaces in our area, so we do it pretty fancy:  I give each theatre student or student who was involved in the cast, crew, or orchestra for our shows a formal invitation to the banquet.  
    While there, we do a formal dinner, dessert, acting, production, and academic awards, as well as our senior video, Thespian slide show, Thespian inductions, Senior Moments, and the season announcement for the next year.  We conclude the night with dancing.
    I do charge $25/person to the event.  BUT senior drama students do NOT have to pay for their ticket.  Our boosters covers the cost of that.
    The kids get EXTREMELY excited about the banquet, as it's a way to celebrate everyone and look back on an amazing year as well as look forward to the exciting things to come.  
    Best of luck!!!

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    Lisa Dyer
    Henrico VA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-12-2017 11:13
    These are all great ideas!  We are doing a senior night for the first time here at my new school.  We doing it on Friday night of our musical (because the other nights already are busy with other things).  We will announce each senior, and have them escorted on stage like the athletes are.  We'll have them answer a few questions before hand about favorite show, memories, etc., so I have something to say.

    We will probably give each kid a small thing of flowers.  

    But we'd also like to give a small gift, something inexpensive but meaningful.  I saw the other thread about senior gifts, but nothing really inspired me.  

    Any thoughts?

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    Raymond Palasz
    Auditorium Director/Director of Theatre
    Schererville IN
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-13-2017 09:04

    Please send pictures to the national office by emailing them to us at members@schooltheatre.org 

    We LOVE seeing the faces of kids as they're inducted or honored as a graduating senior. The membership department shares pictures with the whole staff and they help remind us of how important supporting you is.

    David



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    David LaFleche
    Director of Membership
    Educational Theatre Association
    Cincinnati OH
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Senior Recognition

    Posted 04-13-2017 10:46
    We honor the seniors at our annual Inductions, Honors and Awards night. It is a great time to honor both the new inductees and the ones who are graduating in shot... and the seniors are presented with the honors they will wear when they walk at graduation. I also announce my season for the following year... which has surprisingly brought back alumni who are in town and want to see what we're doing next... which is always nice.

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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    Original Message


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