Wow...

It is like comparing night and day. I have now had the opportunity to work with the students that I will be teaching at Skyline High School. It is unbelievable the difference that I saw in the focus and quality of work that I saw from these students when compared to all the others that I have taught to this point. Now, I understand that I only had one day to compare, but even then, the feeling of yearning for understanding and improvement that I received from these students was great! I truly got the impression that the vast majority of these kids wanted to be in a real drama class and to learn new techniques and methods - including both acting and technical theatre students.

This is not to say that the students that I have had at other places did not want the same things, but they definitely were not as focused and motivated to accomplish anything near what I experienced with this new set of students. Starting with this kind of base and motivation excites me very much! The quality of work that can come from this kind of experience is unbelievable! I am way more excited about this new opportunity than I dreamed possible!

Motivation?

This is going to be a little weird. chicken butt. <--- Candace's two bits.


The rest of this year is going to be weird. It is the first time I will move from one place to another because of my job. I do not know why, but the whole concept of finishing out the year in a place that I know I will not be coming back to will be interesting to say the least. It also makes further interactions with the other teachers kind of awkward. Especially since they also know that I am not sticking around. Makes me kinda feel like I am abandoning both the teachers and the students who I interact with on a daily basis.

The prospect of going to a bigger school with an already established program just makes the current situation seem bleak and unproductive. It will be a challenge to stay motivated - but even that will hopefully help me stay on top of things.

Yay! Time for a change.

I have accepted a position to teach Drama at Skyline High School in Salt Lake! I will be moving into a full Drama program (yay no more Speech!) where I will teach Drama 1, Drama 2, Drama 3, Technical Theatre, & Film Studies. The theatre is HUGE - about 2,000 seats - and there is also a black box theatre to do smaller shows.
That is all I know at the moment. I will be going down to sign contracts and get all the details taken care of soon. I will post more as I learn more.

Another closing.

My students and I have just closed Once Upon a Mattress. The response to the show was very positive! Everyone seems to have had an enjoyable experience. All of the comments that I have heard have been positive.

Here are some production shots from the show!!

Yet again...

Here I am at the beginning of another production and I am STILL dealing with the same issues that I had last year - people throwing a fit over content in a show they know nothing about. This year, however, I get to have the immense joy of dealing with the "why didn't my daughter get a lead in your play?" issue. I am so tired of dealing with bigoted conservativism that I could scream!
What ever happened to understanding the art form for what it is worth and accepting author intent? It is written that way for a reason people!! Just because you don't agree with it does not give you the right to hack it to pieces to make your little moral self fell better about it. DEAL!

On the up side - we are all moved into the new house in Preston. Yay for no more driving to work! Now have to work on making new place feel like home...

I miss it...

I have been fortunate to see some good theatre performances lately (it has been quite a while since I could say I had). Watching each of the shows that I did, I noticed an overwhelming feeling of longing - I want to be back on stage! I miss that experience so much... I have moved into a stage in my life that makes it very difficult for me to be on stage. I have been directing a lot, but the sensation and experience is not the same. I am seriously considering auditioning for the summer theatre in town again. (I have auditioned for them before to no avail, but I figure it is time to try again.) Even watching my students on stage in the show that they are running now gives me the pangs and longing to be back on stage for myself. Ah, my drug... too bad it has been to long since I have taken a hit...

I stand corrected

Earlier I posted a blog about the news reporting on things other than So You Think You Can Dance... I was wrong by saying that there must be something other than that that the news could report on. After last night's showing there is nothing more important than that show at this moment! I am totally addicted...

I am torn between whether I want Niel or Lauren to win...

(Yes, Annie, I am talking to you!)