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The Ghostlight Project

  • 1.  The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-09-2017 18:57
    Has anyone heard of and/or is anyone participating in The Ghostlight Project on January 19?    I got an email about it (not sure what mailing list I'm on, but I wondered if it was EdTA) and am interested in having my troupe participate.  My principal is a little nervous about potential community backlash since it could appear politically motivated.

    Any thoughts?   Suggestions?

    If you haven't heard about it, there's more info about the project on their website:  theghostlightproject.com

    Thanks for your thoughts,

    Sarah A. M. Barthel
    Troupe 779
    Lompoc High School, CA



  • 2.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-10-2017 07:52

    I took a look at the site, this appears to be a political statement that can or can not be made by you your artists, theatre or school. I would check to see if it is ok with your administration or the district for this to be done on school grounds before doing it as it makes a statement for the entire school and possibly the district. If they don't allow it check with some of your other local theatres. Please feel free to follow your conscience on this as in America we have the right to make a stand for what we believe, the only thing I would be against is forcing participants to be there or enticing them to be there for other reasons like free food or something as then you can be seen as promoting your political agenda on others.

    ------------------------------
    Jerry Onik
    V.P. Theatrical Supplies and Equipment
    Omaha NE

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-10-2017 13:48

    The only other thing that I would add is that if the school is suggesting this, it appears they are promoting this and their agenda, does there need to be some form that gets sent home to inform the parents so there is no miscommunication on the schools stance and what the teachers stance is and what is being promoted to the students. Again this comes down to standing for your opinion.

    ------------------------------
    Jerry Onik
    V.P. Theatrical Supplies and Equipment
    Omaha NE

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-10-2017 08:27

    I agree that it looks political and I agree with the stand.  That being said, I am going to stay on the bench for this one.  I informed my Troupe Officers, if they want to make a statement, who am I to stop them? :-)

    ------------------------------
    [William] [Myatt] [Director of Theatre]

    [Pleasant Valley High School]

    [myattw@pleasval.k12.ia.us][563-332-5151][Bettendorf][IA][USA]

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-10-2017 08:35

    We are doing it with our group. While it could seem political, being the day before the inauguration, it's ultimately about creating safe spaces within our theatres. 

    ------------------------------
    Patrick McGuire
    Drama Director
    Round Lake High School
    Round Lake, IL

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-10-2017 10:14

    This is so hard. As a community I think there's a high likelihood we reacted in quite the same way to November, as a month, and reading the mission statement of the Ghost Light Project, it's all awesome. Theatre is inherently political, when it's not just about entertaining the masses. I would love to be involved in something like this.

    However, I know my own Principal would have an apoplectic fit if we were to sign up and participate, for many reasons, the main one being where we live, the community we serve, and the need to separate as much as possible from political actions that could bring 'the wrong kind of attention' to a school or district. I am really interested in seeing how this plays out; because my heart says 'Yes!' to this sort of action - and there's nothing ostensibly wrong with the action, since it's about standing up and expressing a statement, and so on - but this is the sad part, there could be consequences. There could be nothing, and nobody might notice.

    The sadder part for me is feeling guilty for being stuck and choosing to sit on the fence. On the inside I'm standing up. But that feels like a cop out, somehow.

    Thanks for bringing this to light (ha ha!).  

    ------------------------------
    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Ruskin FL

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-10-2017 10:30
      |   view attached

    Sarah,

    Your email about this project did not come from EdTA. While many of us personally are fans of the initiative, and we certainly embrace diversity and inclusion as part of our Mission Aims & Ends, as an organization working with schools, students, parents, etc. we need to stay politically neutral.  The timing of the message makes a statement that could be perceived by our members as outside the scope of theatre education. We will consider supporting the message at a different time or venue.

    You can read our diversity statement on page 4 of the attached document.

    ------------------------------
    Julie Cohen Theobald
    Executive Director
    Educational Theatre Association
    Cincinnati OH

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-10-2017 12:52

    This reminds me of a story...

    Back in college, in the early 70s, I was in the CA Army National Guard. One day, two of us agreed to host an information table (not quite a recruiting table) at the college. This was around the time troops were being shipped back home from Viet Nam.

    Things went fine at school, but, when I spoke with the student activities director afterwards, he told me that a group of students had come to him to protest that "the college had let the Army in." I'll never forget what he said to them, because it was right on the button.

    He told them that both of us were students at the college too, and that therefore we had the same right of free speech and peaceful assembly as they -- or any other student -- did. Then he told me they weren't happy with the answer, but couldn't say anything.

    While I agree that schools themselves "should not," as institutions, take sides in politics, I also feel that they "should" educate their students (and faculty and administrators) about the principle of free speech.

    I freely admit that I don't know anything about how schools operate, or the politics involved. So -- given my ignorance -- my first reaction as a principal or administrator would be to tell the students and staff that they can't take part in this project on school property or on school time, but that they're welcome to do it just outside the school, on a public sidewalk, when they're not in class.

    And I would respond to any protests the same way our student activities director did.

    ------------------------------
    George F. Ledo
    Set designer
    www.setdesignandtech.wordpress.com
    www.georgefledo.net
    http://astore.amazon.com/sdtbookstore-20

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-11-2017 10:04

    As a supporter of The Ghostlight Project, Samuel French is thrilled to see so much discussion about it! The creators of the Project are actively searching for high schools and colleges to participate; so on behalf of them, we hope that your school is able to join.

    There have been a lot of questions about whether or not this is a political movement. The Ghostlight Project’s mission is to have theaters/schools/etc. “make, or renew, a pledge a stand for and protect the values of inclusion, participating and compassion for everyone regardless of race, class, religion, country of origin, immigration status, (dis)ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.” Hopefully this helps to clarify the project, and allows you a better understanding of whether or not your administration would get on board with it.

    For more information, including other participating schools and theaters and how-to kits, please visit our two Breaking Character Magazine articles:

    http://www.breakingcharactermagazine.com/?p=6158

    http://www.breakingcharactermagazine.com/?p=6181

    To join their mailing list or be registered as a participant, visit this page: https://theghostlightproject.com/join-us/. If your school is able to participate, please connect with us on social media (@SamuelFrenchNYC on Instagram and Twitter) so we can give you a shout out.

    If you have any other questions, you can email our Breaking Character Magazine Editor/Social Media Manager, Courtney Kochuba at CKochuba@samuelfrench.com.

    Thank you!

    Abbie

    ------------------------------
    Abbie Van Nostrand
    Director of Corporate Communications
    Samuel French, Inc.
    New York NY

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-12-2017 06:10
    MCVTS Theatre at East Brunswick NJ is proudly participating. 



    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-13-2017 05:24
    Thank you to everyone who has responded.  

    Mine has been an interesting week of reading, researching, talking with colleagues (including theater educators, non-theater educators, and theater artisans who are not educators).   I've also spent a great deal of time talking with alumni from my troupe and hearing their feelings on the matter.

    Like many of you, I love what the project represents and - specific politics aside - I think it will be a beautiful way for my troupe and Drama Club to publicly express what is already true within our walls.  

    After quite a bit of dialogue over several days, as well as an agreement on the exact language that we'll be using, my principal approved my troupe's participation.   It will not be required of anyone and it is open to everyone in the community.   We are also not calling attention to the timing of the event, because for our purposes, the timing doesn't matter, other than that we are gathering at the same time as other artists across the country.

    I appreciate so much each of you who took the time to offer your thoughts on this thread.   Thank you!

    Sarah

    ------------------------------
    Sarah Barthel Drama Director Visual & Performing Arts Department Chair Lompoc, CA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: The Ghostlight Project

    Posted 01-23-2017 08:09
    Went with a compromise. Used the Friday to teach on the GhostLight Project and have very active discussions about the role of theatre and the arts in society, and students were given further information if they wanted to pursue it further. Several were really glad and excited to hear about it. This might just become a lesson that stays in my plans for future classes, the resources and the materials available on the website are very, very handy and could be used in civics classes very easily.

    ------------------------------
    Phillip Goodchild
    Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
    Ruskin FL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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