Theatre, as I like it?

School Site: BHS
Subject: Theatre(stagecraft)

I usually take art classes when they are presented, they are usually pretty chill. Thus far I have subbed at a continuation school, which was just listening to students talk about drugs they had done, oh and there was a "personified letters" assignment too. I also subbed at a middle school where we we did a line art assignment, one period was pretty bad, but other than that it was a relaxed day. Then there was today, which was mostly stagecraft with a couple of acting classes mixed in.

I got there on time, which is actually late, so I'm rushing around to get to class, but I have no key, this school site is weird like that.  " oh we'll just send security over to open it up for you… and they never show up. It is a mission to get to the bathroom, and back. Luckily someone just happens to come out so I took the students in .

When the job is presented it is only under a category "Art/Ceramics," so I didn't really know what I was in for. When I saw the schedule I thought "Cool! Theatre!" While this is very cool, I did not take theatre in high school, so I was not privy  to the insanity, I was in speech and debate, but it was not nearly as cool, and I did not progress like I would have liked to. I got a taste of the theatre life in community college, but we were past this high school drama, and on to more centralized theatre drama. So when I got into this class I was expecting some insanity, but I was hoping for more "theatre geeks."

Periods 1&3 - Acting I

This class was loud and energetic, I was expecting this because, hey, they're actors, but they would work on their script for a little bit, gossip a lot of bit, and then maybe do another half assed read through, kind of disappointing, but I mean I wasn't their director so they really didn't have the motivation to go full out.

I have known for a long time that theatre people are one director dogs, we just get so attached to our directors, when they are good, and breaking that routine kind of throws off our whole mojo. Each day I was in this class there was always a student who walked in and was like "How is my favorite direc… oh he's not here today?=(." Sorry to disappoint, I'll make sure to wear a red wig and lose some weight so you wont feel so let down next time.

Periods 2,5&6- Intro to stage craft.

Being at Valley theatre we did a little bit of everything. The Scenic artist/carpenter/everything stagecraft, we just called him Jerry, didn't really have a crew, so we, the actors, always pitched in splitting wood, putting together sets, painting, building scaffolding, positioning lights, good times.

So I have some experience in this, but not to the extent these students are getting. They are starting with full make up and multi position costume design sheets, moving on to defining different aspects of the stage, interior sets, exterior sets, props, etc. My stagecraft experience was not formal, so this was fascinating to me, unfortunately this was not the case for most of his students.

Period 2 is made up of advanced and beginning students. The assignment was to have the students take notes on the descriptions I was giving them, and have them make a full make up and costume sheet off of it. Cool! I had a good time reading off the descriptions, even though my voice was waning. The students were less than enthused about the assignment, and the advanced students just talked, cuddled, and basically did everything they could to not pay attention, these are the one directors dogs I was talking about. It's unfortunate they didn't do the assignment that -their- director gave them, but I get that they are missing a crucial part of their day so, what could I do?

As apathetic as Period 2 seemed the last two periods out did them by far. They had a slightly different assignment, which was due at the end of the period. I received a whopping 3 papers from period 5 and about 5 from period 6, woo.

The day was good, I had double lunch, which is always a welcomed relief, but I was just hoping for more enthusiastic theatre students. "Intro to…" is a way to get "introduced" to things like theatre, so I suppose my aspirations were a little misguided.

Day 2

This was a late start day, so the day was short. This time I received a note from the director stating " If period 5 or 6 gets a bad note they will be taking notes the whole period for the rest of the quarter." Did periods 5 and 6 shape up? You better believe it. Well 5 did immensely better, 6 was still chatty. They just had to take notes on a video, so the assignment was cake, most of them turned in work, and I made sure to clean up before they came in so I could leave their mess for the director. This day was even better, I got to teach a little bit, and the students had the motivation to not be little jerks.

I hope I get a chance to see more of the theatre programs at these schools. This is an experience I wish I had, but I was extremely shy in high school, better late than never I suppose, who knows if I do a few more shows maybe I can teach one of these programs.  I do hope to return to the theatre someday, if only to continue what I started with a women I loved very much.
R.I.P Denise, from your one director dog. <3