Monthly Archives: September 2015

Today the class was looking at how the Point of Commencement (the very first moment of the story) is a telling and important companion to the Point of Termination (the very last moment of the story). The two points become a fascinating set of bookends that holds the story up and keeps it organized on the shelf. Read more →

I am sure that most people would think that the most exciting part of theatre in high school are those opening nights with all of those approving parents filling up the front rows with their overwhelming cheers and approval – – approval even before the curtain rises. Easy audience . . . I get it!

But the true joy of theatre – especially theatre in high school – is what happens in the rehearsal room. Read more →

I firmly believe that every story is a love story. Students don’t buy this one. They pull out examples of every mean-spirited, vendetta-led, and revenge-filled play as an example. I, of course, follow this up with the question, “What is the opposite of love?” Most respond with the obvious, “Hate!” but a few anticipate where the question is going and answer correctly, “Apathy”. Still some students do not get the connection. I share with them that when I was their age, I, too, saw the opposite of “love” as “hate” but as I get older I see that “love” and “hate” are mighty close bed-fellows. Read more →

A great fear expressed by all of our seniors in the early part of the school year is the damnable college requirement for Shakespeare. To begin, they seek someone or something to “translate” the text. I do remind you that the text IS in English – – and that Shakespeare would be much more justified in wanting your everyday speech “translated” for him then you his. The second comment that ruffles my feathers a bit is the label that Shakespeare is “Old English”. There is nothing “old” about the English of Shakespeare. Shakespeare was there writing at the very birth of English. Shakespeare is NEW English. You want to hear OLD English? Read more →

Today in coaching an actor on his character analysis, we reached an impasse. We could sense from the script the specific struggle of the character. We could see where the struggle began and the source for this struggle. We could even see the win the character had at the play’s conclusion. What we are struggling for was the moment in the script that triggered the change from winning to loosing. When did the character actually “get it”? What tipped the scale? When did effort-full become effortless? Read more →