This is the time of year that seniors are writing and organizing letters to enclose with their college applications. Back in the day, colleges applications used to ask for a simple letter asking for you to introduce yourself to the admissions department of the college. Now the letters have gotten much more complex. Now they are asking students to write about defining moments in their life. They are asked to write about the moment they fell in love with theatre. They are asked to write about the value of theatre to the world they live in. I am often stumped by how I would write one of their required essays.
The true gift in all of this is the moment that my senior presents his paper to me for some feedback and a bit of a grammar check. (Why in the world did they stop teaching grammar? Why did that grow out of fashion?) What amazes me to see is that they are SYNTHESIZING the information given to them through 4 years of acting classes, a theatre literature class, theatre history class, and often advanced classes in directing and acting styles. How great that they are finding the connections! It is one thing to pass the test and assignments in ONE class but to connect the classes together to create ONE essay – ONE theme – then perhaps I have done my job.
The final part of my delight is that they are seeing theatre as a tool that is doing and is capable of doing so much more then entertaining people. Sure there is a place for those big showy musicals and farces with their outlandish costumes and witty dialogue – but theatre can be so much more – – and how great they can see that on their horizon. This art is not limited to entertainment and it’s so nice to see them GET this. I am feeling good about myself. I pat myself on my own back. Perhaps now I am armored against the “senior-itus” – that is slowly approaching.