I don't know which grade it happens in; but somewhere along the line bulletin boards become uncool in your highschool classroom. I have an art room, so I can put up stuff like optical illusions, Escher drawings, etc. and inevidably someone will notice. The notice dance ( the sideways, nonchalant walking approach to board, followed by the quick glances to see if anyone else is watching) is how most enjoy the displayed work. But I have to tell you; I LOVE bulletin boards. I love planning them, cutting out the little bits, laminating them and arranging them. Bulletin boards are cool, especially if you have interesting, thought provoking ideas on them.
I like logic quotes. I also like slightly sarcastic or irony filled comics.
Of course, all productions have to have a "call board", which is just a fancy name for a bulletin board. I pick a theme or mascot for the show - some are intrinsic in the content of the play - we had lemons for Marcus is Walking because of the lemon scene, a cantaloupe for Wade Bradford's Conflict - which is an EXCELLENT one act play I might advertise by the way (Heuer Publishing - online).
The bulletin board goodies not only encourage the actors to frequent the board, but also draws in the rest of the student population.
Today I am working on the bulletin board for Little Shop. I am looking for interesting articals about venus fly traps, cannibals in the plant world and generally "plant-gone-bad" cartoons. As always, please send any material my way as I usually need all the help I can get.
Oh, and I am also cooking Boeuf Bourguignon from the Julia Child cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, not so much that I am a notorious multi-tasker, but more that I really love French food and too often sucuumb shamelessly to my whims and cravings.
Maybe we'll have cake too.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Set A Date Already
I have to pick a date.
Usually I do musicals in the last week of Nov, first 2 of December window, but this year the thought of competing with volleyball for the space is about to dictate the show dates. Don't get me wrong, I love volleyball and they obviously can't practice anywhere else, it is just a nightmare scheduling around kids' jobs, other activities, school events and gym use. Not to mention trying to get rehearsals in with the band who come from all over the territory it seems. So, maybe a January date looks better....
The problem with January (see, this is the neurotic part) is that it starts to get pretty close to rehearsal for competition/festival which I think is at the end of March. The kids are crossovers from musical to festival, so it makes for a packed late winter, then throw exams in for seniors at the end of January.
You see the jam.
Pros to the Jan show are more rehearsal time and possibly large rehearsals over the break, which is a bonus. Also, the 2 festival pieces as they stand right now are both short - 1 is 12-13 minutes, the other 20. So in the span of 2 paragraphs it's pretty sure I am going with January.
MTI is very accomodating with their dates in case I have to move them around a bit, but probably not going to be so accomodating over the fact that I was traveling all summer and did not return the perusals in the 3 week frame - or the six week frame :( I am going to have one of those asterisks ************!!! beside my name now.
A Perusal Felon. Theatrical Crime division.
In case you are still feeling sorry for me over the gym/slash theatre business - don't, it's not as bad as it sounds. The stage has a grid, 220 lighting, strand/leko/fresnels, kick lights, beautiful lighting board and sound system with 8 lavaliers - all computerized (alot easier to run if I could remember how the plugs work between musicals - this year I should get someone in tech class to make a easy manual for this, right?) I have 2 storage areas for costumes and props and a set storage area that is a bit challenging to get to, but well worth it when you do. What I don't have is a way to get from one side of the stage to the other if the set does not build one in, and no washrooms backstage. Nervous bladders are a perrenial problem here... although the guys have a solution which I will not blog about here.
The gym is baffled with acoustical panels and if the planets align and we have a huge audience, a gym full of room to pack them in. I think we can actually accomodate more people than we have in the whole town. Huh. I never thought of that before, no wonder we never sell out.
So January then?
It's beginning to look like Christmas'll be all about Somewhere That's Green.
Usually I do musicals in the last week of Nov, first 2 of December window, but this year the thought of competing with volleyball for the space is about to dictate the show dates. Don't get me wrong, I love volleyball and they obviously can't practice anywhere else, it is just a nightmare scheduling around kids' jobs, other activities, school events and gym use. Not to mention trying to get rehearsals in with the band who come from all over the territory it seems. So, maybe a January date looks better....
The problem with January (see, this is the neurotic part) is that it starts to get pretty close to rehearsal for competition/festival which I think is at the end of March. The kids are crossovers from musical to festival, so it makes for a packed late winter, then throw exams in for seniors at the end of January.
You see the jam.
Pros to the Jan show are more rehearsal time and possibly large rehearsals over the break, which is a bonus. Also, the 2 festival pieces as they stand right now are both short - 1 is 12-13 minutes, the other 20. So in the span of 2 paragraphs it's pretty sure I am going with January.
MTI is very accomodating with their dates in case I have to move them around a bit, but probably not going to be so accomodating over the fact that I was traveling all summer and did not return the perusals in the 3 week frame - or the six week frame :( I am going to have one of those asterisks ************!!! beside my name now.
A Perusal Felon. Theatrical Crime division.
In case you are still feeling sorry for me over the gym/slash theatre business - don't, it's not as bad as it sounds. The stage has a grid, 220 lighting, strand/leko/fresnels, kick lights, beautiful lighting board and sound system with 8 lavaliers - all computerized (alot easier to run if I could remember how the plugs work between musicals - this year I should get someone in tech class to make a easy manual for this, right?) I have 2 storage areas for costumes and props and a set storage area that is a bit challenging to get to, but well worth it when you do. What I don't have is a way to get from one side of the stage to the other if the set does not build one in, and no washrooms backstage. Nervous bladders are a perrenial problem here... although the guys have a solution which I will not blog about here.
The gym is baffled with acoustical panels and if the planets align and we have a huge audience, a gym full of room to pack them in. I think we can actually accomodate more people than we have in the whole town. Huh. I never thought of that before, no wonder we never sell out.
So January then?
It's beginning to look like Christmas'll be all about Somewhere That's Green.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Four Heads For the Price of One!
If you have somewhere to store costumes in your school or theatre, then like me, you are probably always on the lookout for stock costume pieces. I am always surprised by what I find when I am not actually looking for anything, so whenever I go to another town or city I try and sniff out the second hand stores. More times than I care to admit, the person behind the counter might even know who I am. That's alot of thrift shopping hey?
So because I am in pre-show mode and I had some time on my hands, I scoured the Salvation Army, or Sally Ann to see what they had - today was good! I got a very classy rental tux vest of red and black brocade, which would have been perfect for Daddy Warbucks - too bad it's 2 years too late... a string of largish champagne coloured pearls for Audrey, a vintage 1920's tuxedo shirt in great condition, a very cool deep canary yellow short sleeved shirt for Seymour - so yeah, the first piece for that character is now found, and big cheer - four styrofoam heads to store wigs on! It has been a slow climb toward enough heads for all our wigs, this makes it so much easier for the dressers backstage and makes me happier that the wigs will end up with longer lives. SO that's about 9 that we have now.
Hmm. I could actually do a lesson on setting wigs in my tech theatre class with those. Once again I am led to more work. Why can't I find things and think up things that will lead me to more money?
Anyway, not bad for 20 minutes work and 10 bucks.
That's a good day for me.
So because I am in pre-show mode and I had some time on my hands, I scoured the Salvation Army, or Sally Ann to see what they had - today was good! I got a very classy rental tux vest of red and black brocade, which would have been perfect for Daddy Warbucks - too bad it's 2 years too late... a string of largish champagne coloured pearls for Audrey, a vintage 1920's tuxedo shirt in great condition, a very cool deep canary yellow short sleeved shirt for Seymour - so yeah, the first piece for that character is now found, and big cheer - four styrofoam heads to store wigs on! It has been a slow climb toward enough heads for all our wigs, this makes it so much easier for the dressers backstage and makes me happier that the wigs will end up with longer lives. SO that's about 9 that we have now.
Hmm. I could actually do a lesson on setting wigs in my tech theatre class with those. Once again I am led to more work. Why can't I find things and think up things that will lead me to more money?
Anyway, not bad for 20 minutes work and 10 bucks.
That's a good day for me.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Is "Driving While Designing" a ticketable offence?
It's 12:41 and I am still up looking at designs for the set. Did I mention that I am ON summer holidays, but that there is no real holiday from theatre? I am always looking for something for a show it seems, if not, then I am reading plays and trying to figure out which ones I'll do next.
My best thinking and designing happens when I am driving or very late at night in a quiet house. There is something about being in the moving vehicle, especially on the big, bald prairie like I am, that lends itself to very focused design concepts that flash through my head. With a musical, I already have the soundtrack to build from, but most other plays don't truly gel for me until I pick the music and I get in the truck with the CD and drive till the pictures of blocked scenes come to me. I see the scenes, blocked and finished while I listen to music. Sure I tweak and hone and ultimately change when I get scenes on their feet with actors, but really the basic blocking and aesthetic of the production just grows out of music.
Right now I am trying to see the chorus for this show. Where will they pop out from? Should they be on the ground level or higher up for the opening number? I like that they walk down into skid row rather that meet it on its own terms and on the same level. I have an idea for the set, but I think that the design will be created somewhat by what it needs to be in order to facilitate the chorus. I think levels are important in this show. At least that's what I think tonight.
My best thinking and designing happens when I am driving or very late at night in a quiet house. There is something about being in the moving vehicle, especially on the big, bald prairie like I am, that lends itself to very focused design concepts that flash through my head. With a musical, I already have the soundtrack to build from, but most other plays don't truly gel for me until I pick the music and I get in the truck with the CD and drive till the pictures of blocked scenes come to me. I see the scenes, blocked and finished while I listen to music. Sure I tweak and hone and ultimately change when I get scenes on their feet with actors, but really the basic blocking and aesthetic of the production just grows out of music.
Right now I am trying to see the chorus for this show. Where will they pop out from? Should they be on the ground level or higher up for the opening number? I like that they walk down into skid row rather that meet it on its own terms and on the same level. I have an idea for the set, but I think that the design will be created somewhat by what it needs to be in order to facilitate the chorus. I think levels are important in this show. At least that's what I think tonight.
Little Shop of Horrors
I've decided to do Little Shop this year. I love the show, always wanted to do it and one of the professional theatres north of us built the plant last season. Over the phone the TD has agreed to rent us the plants for $500, which I think is an excellent deal. But for some reason has not confirmed, for sure, that it is a go.
So I have that little stress over that, but I think, well, if it doesn't work out and if I have to build it, then we will. Blow up that bridge later.
I have broken the first 3/4 of the show into workable units now. Bought some costumes on my holidays on the coast and I think I have a musician friend on board to put together a rock band as the orchestra, which I think will be great.
So I have that little stress over that, but I think, well, if it doesn't work out and if I have to build it, then we will. Blow up that bridge later.
I have broken the first 3/4 of the show into workable units now. Bought some costumes on my holidays on the coast and I think I have a musician friend on board to put together a rock band as the orchestra, which I think will be great.
What I am doing making more work for myself again?
Well.
Here we are at exactly 2 weeks til I am back in the classroom and theatre again. This year, as something different, I thought I would try a blog.
Why?
Yes, a mighty good question.
Several potential answers here:
1. Teachers, especially drama teachers, are essentially actors and crave attention. So a blog, assuming people read it, is an excellent plan.
2. It will make me write down how I produce a show and then I'll know that I am actually doing something when I feel like CRAP because it feels like I am getting nothing done.
3. I like the sound of the word blog. BLog. bLOG. Blo-blo-bloG. It is a pretty cool word. "I have to go home and blog." "I hope I have time to get to my blog tonight." Come on, that's cool.
4. I had an hour of free time between 2 and 3 am, something had to fill it.
5. I thought maybe someone else was teaching drama or missing drama or living in a small town teaching it like me and would get a groove off of reading it.
Mostly, it's all that.
So, I am a high school drama teacher. I teach in a small town. I do BIG shows. I have a fabulous group of people to work with almost all the time and... somedays my fabulous people - well, aren't too fabulous. Somedays I am also spectacularly unfabulous. That's how she goes.
We are doing a musical this year and two competition pieces. I am teaching a technical theatre class and an advanced acting class. Should be fun.
I will be as honest as I can (please see above reference to "all teachers are actors" - hence small bits of honesty sometimes are forsaken for a good story) about how the process is coming along.
Welcome to my life. I like company.
Here we are at exactly 2 weeks til I am back in the classroom and theatre again. This year, as something different, I thought I would try a blog.
Why?
Yes, a mighty good question.
Several potential answers here:
1. Teachers, especially drama teachers, are essentially actors and crave attention. So a blog, assuming people read it, is an excellent plan.
2. It will make me write down how I produce a show and then I'll know that I am actually doing something when I feel like CRAP because it feels like I am getting nothing done.
3. I like the sound of the word blog. BLog. bLOG. Blo-blo-bloG. It is a pretty cool word. "I have to go home and blog." "I hope I have time to get to my blog tonight." Come on, that's cool.
4. I had an hour of free time between 2 and 3 am, something had to fill it.
5. I thought maybe someone else was teaching drama or missing drama or living in a small town teaching it like me and would get a groove off of reading it.
Mostly, it's all that.
So, I am a high school drama teacher. I teach in a small town. I do BIG shows. I have a fabulous group of people to work with almost all the time and... somedays my fabulous people - well, aren't too fabulous. Somedays I am also spectacularly unfabulous. That's how she goes.
We are doing a musical this year and two competition pieces. I am teaching a technical theatre class and an advanced acting class. Should be fun.
I will be as honest as I can (please see above reference to "all teachers are actors" - hence small bits of honesty sometimes are forsaken for a good story) about how the process is coming along.
Welcome to my life. I like company.
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