submitted submitted by Zoe
That's the joke I've been telling everyone when they see the gel cast on my ankle. I'm a method actor. I needed a real gimp.Well, the foot's got a torn ligament. Don't know what I'm talking about? I'll update you.
I fell during swim practice and apparently tore...a ligament. My physician said I needed to stay on crutches for three to six weeks, which obviously conflicts with the opening of Macbeth. This actually isn't a horrible thing, because I can easily use those crutches as part of my character. What a godsend that it's Zombie Macbeth instead of something else, isn't it? What if it were--'perfect posture, no slumping, gimp-less' Macbeth? Wouldn't that be horrible? However, I can't quite believe that I need these stupid crutches for 3-6 weeks, so we're going to make an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon who will check things out further.
Had another sit-down with mom the other day about Lady Macbeth, and she asked me if I were directing the play, who that I knew would I cast as Lady Macbeth? That person was who I must emmulate in order for my character to pop. It's the pop factor that I've had trouble with lately. Turns out, although my stomach literally CHURNS when I think about it, this would be my to-be step-grandmother. My grandpa's fiancee. Oh, she makes my skin crawl! But he's not her first husband, she's VERY intelligent, manipulative, and an amazing actress. When she's around him, she's simpering, helpless, and docile, but all the while getting him to do exactly what she intended...it's almost scary. She seems like a weak little Southern belle, but she's far from it. I don't like her AT ALL which is what I told my mom. But that's my problem. I've found Lady Macbeth, whether I like it or not, and I've got to use her. Subtract about 40 years. Shuuuuuuddder...
At least Thriller's going well. The gimp doesn't hurt too much, actually, seeing as we're supposed to be limping anyway.
Signing out.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Saturday, September 15, 2007
more on all-ohio show
We have been informed that the Audition materials for All-Ohio Production of Dead Man Walking have been posted on the Ohio Thespian Website. You can find that here.
I believe that the due date is November 1, 2007 and that it needs to be submitted by me. So let's make the due date for those forms to come back to me October 30, 2007. I think these forms are pretty self-explanatory but feel free to ask me if you have questions. I will also have some copies of it for those of you unable to download the forms for yourself.
Your Thespian officers have set a goal to have a few Firestone Thespians in this production. So even if you can't take it on, you should encourage your friends.
I believe that the due date is November 1, 2007 and that it needs to be submitted by me. So let's make the due date for those forms to come back to me October 30, 2007. I think these forms are pretty self-explanatory but feel free to ask me if you have questions. I will also have some copies of it for those of you unable to download the forms for yourself.
Your Thespian officers have set a goal to have a few Firestone Thespians in this production. So even if you can't take it on, you should encourage your friends.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
All-Ohio Thespian Production
I received a mailing from our Chapter Director today outlining Ohio Thespian activities for the year. Of special interest to some of us is the identity of the All-Ohio Thespian Production.
It is to be the stage version of DEAD MAN WALKING. You might know the movie directed by Tim Robbins . . . well, he adapted the screenplay into a dramatic work for schools to produce on their own stages. Here is an URL to find out more about this show:
http://dmwplay.org/
The All-Ohio Show is to be directed by Fabio Polanco who is on the theatre faculty at Ashland University. I do not yet know when or where auditions are to be held for the All-Ohio Show but I will tell you as soon as I know. Your Thespian Officers have set a goal to have Firestone Theatre represented in the All-Ohio Show this year so hopefully a few of you are already interested.
We can send a total of 6 actors to auditions and an additional 6 designers/technicians to the interview. I would be the happiest little theatre director in the whole wide world if we had 12 students seriously interested in the All-Ohio Activity.
We have had numerous students involved in the past and they have loved it. You meet fun and interesting people, work with some very talented directors and designers, and work on exciting and challenging material. I know that being involved in the All-Ohio Show makes State Conference about 1000 times more fun than it already is.
Think about it. Then stop thinking and just do it already!
It is to be the stage version of DEAD MAN WALKING. You might know the movie directed by Tim Robbins . . . well, he adapted the screenplay into a dramatic work for schools to produce on their own stages. Here is an URL to find out more about this show:
http://dmwplay.org/
The All-Ohio Show is to be directed by Fabio Polanco who is on the theatre faculty at Ashland University. I do not yet know when or where auditions are to be held for the All-Ohio Show but I will tell you as soon as I know. Your Thespian Officers have set a goal to have Firestone Theatre represented in the All-Ohio Show this year so hopefully a few of you are already interested.
We can send a total of 6 actors to auditions and an additional 6 designers/technicians to the interview. I would be the happiest little theatre director in the whole wide world if we had 12 students seriously interested in the All-Ohio Activity.
We have had numerous students involved in the past and they have loved it. You meet fun and interesting people, work with some very talented directors and designers, and work on exciting and challenging material. I know that being involved in the All-Ohio Show makes State Conference about 1000 times more fun than it already is.
Think about it. Then stop thinking and just do it already!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
College Choices . . . too much of a good thing
Searching for and choosing a performing arts college is one of the most difficult things our students undertake during their tenure here. Almost every university offers a degree in theatre performance . . . and it can be hard to tell the difference between the good and the less-than-good. Additionally, as some of our graduates can tell you, a school sometimes talks a big game during your campus visit but does not deliver the goods once you are enrolled. It can be a very expensive shell game.
We offer a class here to VPA Theatre Juniors called Professional Theatre Issues. This class, in part, helps to prepare students for their college auditions and interviews as well as provides a framework for choosing the type of university the student would like to attend. It is an interesting dichotomy of a class because most of these juniors think that it is too early for them to think about college and sometimes only give the subject a passing interest in class.
However, for many of them, this class can be a simple exercise in "too little too late." For some of these very talented students, the middle of their junior year might be too late to get serious consideration from the top-shelf theatre schools. If theatre students have not been preparing for college all long the way, it might be too late to be accepted to CCM, NYU, Northwestern, or any number of other exellent theatre schools. Dispite the excellent theatre education students receive here, it is certainly not enough to guarantee entry into the program of your choice.
Many very talented and dedicated students have been turned away from highly competitive programs. This can happen for a wide variety of reasons: (1) the student may not have enough credits, (2) the student may not have the RIGHT credits, (3) the student may not have pursued their craft outside of school, (4) the student might look exactly like three other kids already in the program.
The list goes on and on . . . and only the last one is out of your control. But you have to start early.
I make a few suggestions here for a student sincerely interested in placement at a competitive theatre program:
(1) Participate early and often in school productions. Work onstage and off every time you have the opportunity.
(2) Do whatever you can to play bigger parts or to earn leadership positions. (Improve your audition, be a good citizen, take direction, be a team player, volunteer for the hard jobs, and focus on the show more than you do your social life.)
(3) Actively pursue onstage and offstage experiences at theatres in your area. Be sure that these experiences have true value and are not just additional lines on your resume.
(4) Seek out enrichment opportunities during non-school times. (Summer, especially)
(5) Build your network. Seek out opportunities with truly talented people. Work with as many professionals as appropriate and maintain a positive relationship with them whenever possible.
(6) Pursue other interests, too, but not at the expense of your artistic development. You should have a life outside of the theatre.
(7) Get good grades in all your classes.
(8) Work WITH your high school director to get the kinds of experiences you want and need. If you do not voice your desire to play the lead in the fall play, he or she may not know that it is important to you.
These suggestions may not be the magic key you need to get to the college of your choice, but they will get you started in the right direction. Do not think of your high school director as the enemy. We are here to help you . . . . but you must help us help you.
I will discuss college choice here with some regurlarity. It is a big question with too many answers.
We offer a class here to VPA Theatre Juniors called Professional Theatre Issues. This class, in part, helps to prepare students for their college auditions and interviews as well as provides a framework for choosing the type of university the student would like to attend. It is an interesting dichotomy of a class because most of these juniors think that it is too early for them to think about college and sometimes only give the subject a passing interest in class.
However, for many of them, this class can be a simple exercise in "too little too late." For some of these very talented students, the middle of their junior year might be too late to get serious consideration from the top-shelf theatre schools. If theatre students have not been preparing for college all long the way, it might be too late to be accepted to CCM, NYU, Northwestern, or any number of other exellent theatre schools. Dispite the excellent theatre education students receive here, it is certainly not enough to guarantee entry into the program of your choice.
Many very talented and dedicated students have been turned away from highly competitive programs. This can happen for a wide variety of reasons: (1) the student may not have enough credits, (2) the student may not have the RIGHT credits, (3) the student may not have pursued their craft outside of school, (4) the student might look exactly like three other kids already in the program.
The list goes on and on . . . and only the last one is out of your control. But you have to start early.
I make a few suggestions here for a student sincerely interested in placement at a competitive theatre program:
(1) Participate early and often in school productions. Work onstage and off every time you have the opportunity.
(2) Do whatever you can to play bigger parts or to earn leadership positions. (Improve your audition, be a good citizen, take direction, be a team player, volunteer for the hard jobs, and focus on the show more than you do your social life.)
(3) Actively pursue onstage and offstage experiences at theatres in your area. Be sure that these experiences have true value and are not just additional lines on your resume.
(4) Seek out enrichment opportunities during non-school times. (Summer, especially)
(5) Build your network. Seek out opportunities with truly talented people. Work with as many professionals as appropriate and maintain a positive relationship with them whenever possible.
(6) Pursue other interests, too, but not at the expense of your artistic development. You should have a life outside of the theatre.
(7) Get good grades in all your classes.
(8) Work WITH your high school director to get the kinds of experiences you want and need. If you do not voice your desire to play the lead in the fall play, he or she may not know that it is important to you.
These suggestions may not be the magic key you need to get to the college of your choice, but they will get you started in the right direction. Do not think of your high school director as the enemy. We are here to help you . . . . but you must help us help you.
I will discuss college choice here with some regurlarity. It is a big question with too many answers.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Stratford bound
submitted by Zoe
Guess what I'm doing on the way to Stratford tomorrow?
Why, Zoe! You're doing your tons of IB homework!
Yes, self. But what else will I be doing tomorrow for 7 hours?
Oh, Zoe, don't be silly. You'll be doing one of your 56 sketchbook assignments for AP Art!
Of course, self. But what's that one, most important thing that will trump all of my other obligations and absorb all of my creative energies for 6 of the 7 hours tomorrow?
STUDYING MY SCRIPT!
Today was fun. We choreographed the beginning of the show and got to get into it a little on our own while the witches were at work in the corner. However, when they finished and we all sort of broke apart, I was really proud to see how many people took it upon themselves to go sit in a corner and really just work their scripts. One person showed me about 10 pages of subtext written out in impossibly tiny writing. So I worked out some of my soliloquy work and went into some of Maz's library cart for some help. Really good stuff, if anybody gets the chance. Especially the one with one chapter per play that's pretty much analysis. And the Arden edition of Macbeth.
Stinks to gain momentum and then have to go for five days. At least I'll be seeing physically as much theater as possible. I'm so pumped for To Kill a Mockingbird.
Better go pack away my script so I don't forget it.
Guess what I'm doing on the way to Stratford tomorrow?
Why, Zoe! You're doing your tons of IB homework!
Yes, self. But what else will I be doing tomorrow for 7 hours?
Oh, Zoe, don't be silly. You'll be doing one of your 56 sketchbook assignments for AP Art!
Of course, self. But what's that one, most important thing that will trump all of my other obligations and absorb all of my creative energies for 6 of the 7 hours tomorrow?
STUDYING MY SCRIPT!
Today was fun. We choreographed the beginning of the show and got to get into it a little on our own while the witches were at work in the corner. However, when they finished and we all sort of broke apart, I was really proud to see how many people took it upon themselves to go sit in a corner and really just work their scripts. One person showed me about 10 pages of subtext written out in impossibly tiny writing. So I worked out some of my soliloquy work and went into some of Maz's library cart for some help. Really good stuff, if anybody gets the chance. Especially the one with one chapter per play that's pretty much analysis. And the Arden edition of Macbeth.
Stinks to gain momentum and then have to go for five days. At least I'll be seeing physically as much theater as possible. I'm so pumped for To Kill a Mockingbird.
Better go pack away my script so I don't forget it.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Working at the car wash . . .
I wanted to post a couple of pictures . . . maybe later.
Around fifteen (or more) of our Thespians spent their Saturday morning washing cars for free -- but gladly accepting donations. It was a busy day with only one real break and it lasted just a couple of minutes. Seemed like we always had a car to wash. Sometimes four. Thankfully, we have a good location at a busy intersection near the school. There is high visibility and easy access from two different directions. And we don't get in the way of the business. The location offers us a space until around 12:30 p.m. and a free hookup to their water supply. We have to bring our own hoses but that is a small price to pay.
We also bring brownies or cookies for the employees of the business . . . that makes them happy and full. All the better for us, I figure, if they know their generosity is appreciated. And nothing says "appreciation" like a big plate of brownies. (Unless it's two plates)!
This is the fifth car wash we have held since deciding it might be a fun and easy way to make money for our various Thespian activities throughout the year. I have been constantly impressed with our students' ability to work hard and constantly washing strangers' cars. Even a few of the paretns who stopped by marvelled at how industrious the kids were. People who think teenagers are afraid of a little hard work have never seen anything like this. It makes me proud to see it.
Our officers were well-prepared, on time, and organized.
I am constantly impressed with the number of people who will simply pull off the street to have their cars washed by teenagers in a parking lot. Before we started doing it, I would never have believed that it was possible. I'm a believer now; we washed a few cars owned by studetns or parents but the wide majority of cars washed belonged to people we did not know. Saturday we washed a BMW car that wopuld easily $40,00.00 new. I guess if you don't want to wash it yourself, there are only so many places to take a car like this.
Last year we washed a classic Jaguar! The owner said he only took out about 10 times a year. I am not sure the kids had any idea of the value of this vehicle, but they took great car and the gentleman and his wife were pleased with the wash. At least the said so.
That same day, another driver jumped out of her car, snatched the hose out of the hands of a well-meaning student and rinsed her car completely before tearing out the parking lot at high speed. I don't know if we were taking too long or she didn't appreciate the quality of work. Either way, we were all kind of shocked and stood for a moment or two with our mouths hanging open.
No bad behavior on Saturday, thank goodness. There were no unhappy customers and APD did not make an appearance (like last year). Our "customers" were gracious and generous. Most were sincerely interested in our activities and some engaged us in conversation about our upcoming theatre season. We happily provided them with a brochure and encouraged them to subscribe.
I like car washes as a fundraising project. But I especially like it for the social and educational aspects. A car wash gets my students together in a non-theatrical environment. Students in all grades were represented; there were Thespians and VPA Theatre students. Some first-year stuents were there experiencing their very first Thespian activity. Once there, my students must work together for a common goal, build confidence, follow their student leaders, problem solve, meet the public, and build a strong work ethic.
It helps that they know they can use some of the money to pay for dues or conference registration, of course. But I think that most of them are there because it is fun. They probably don't even know that they are learning something, too.
Around fifteen (or more) of our Thespians spent their Saturday morning washing cars for free -- but gladly accepting donations. It was a busy day with only one real break and it lasted just a couple of minutes. Seemed like we always had a car to wash. Sometimes four. Thankfully, we have a good location at a busy intersection near the school. There is high visibility and easy access from two different directions. And we don't get in the way of the business. The location offers us a space until around 12:30 p.m. and a free hookup to their water supply. We have to bring our own hoses but that is a small price to pay.
We also bring brownies or cookies for the employees of the business . . . that makes them happy and full. All the better for us, I figure, if they know their generosity is appreciated. And nothing says "appreciation" like a big plate of brownies. (Unless it's two plates)!
This is the fifth car wash we have held since deciding it might be a fun and easy way to make money for our various Thespian activities throughout the year. I have been constantly impressed with our students' ability to work hard and constantly washing strangers' cars. Even a few of the paretns who stopped by marvelled at how industrious the kids were. People who think teenagers are afraid of a little hard work have never seen anything like this. It makes me proud to see it.
Our officers were well-prepared, on time, and organized.
I am constantly impressed with the number of people who will simply pull off the street to have their cars washed by teenagers in a parking lot. Before we started doing it, I would never have believed that it was possible. I'm a believer now; we washed a few cars owned by studetns or parents but the wide majority of cars washed belonged to people we did not know. Saturday we washed a BMW car that wopuld easily $40,00.00 new. I guess if you don't want to wash it yourself, there are only so many places to take a car like this.
Last year we washed a classic Jaguar! The owner said he only took out about 10 times a year. I am not sure the kids had any idea of the value of this vehicle, but they took great car and the gentleman and his wife were pleased with the wash. At least the said so.
That same day, another driver jumped out of her car, snatched the hose out of the hands of a well-meaning student and rinsed her car completely before tearing out the parking lot at high speed. I don't know if we were taking too long or she didn't appreciate the quality of work. Either way, we were all kind of shocked and stood for a moment or two with our mouths hanging open.
No bad behavior on Saturday, thank goodness. There were no unhappy customers and APD did not make an appearance (like last year). Our "customers" were gracious and generous. Most were sincerely interested in our activities and some engaged us in conversation about our upcoming theatre season. We happily provided them with a brochure and encouraged them to subscribe.
I like car washes as a fundraising project. But I especially like it for the social and educational aspects. A car wash gets my students together in a non-theatrical environment. Students in all grades were represented; there were Thespians and VPA Theatre students. Some first-year stuents were there experiencing their very first Thespian activity. Once there, my students must work together for a common goal, build confidence, follow their student leaders, problem solve, meet the public, and build a strong work ethic.
It helps that they know they can use some of the money to pay for dues or conference registration, of course. But I think that most of them are there because it is fun. They probably don't even know that they are learning something, too.
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