I am sure that all of you teachers can relate to the crazy that is the last day of school before the holiday break. I mean truly – what is the point? But then, of course, if Friday were not the last day then the crazy would be Thursday – and if Thursday was not the last day – then Wednesday – and I think you get my point. This Friday every senior – heck, every student was doing all they could to convince their parents that they were sick or such – and the halls were truly going to be bare. But not the case for my 3rd period Company.
Again I am sure that all theatre teachers can relate to that “one assignment” made much earlier in the year that gets delayed and delayed for a hundred reasons – tests, late work, auditions, previous projects that take more time and on and on. My “special project” was a duet scene that was started months ago that had its first showing but never got around to its second and final showing. I was so wanting to get through with all the projects of first semester so that January would present a fresh new start as I moved from Viewpoints to a few months of Meisner work. I was prepared to grit my teeth, be incredibly understanding, and lower my standards down to knee level. Honestly I just wanted to be done with the project.
But I was so so surprised. This small group of kids came to do business. They may have missed other classes during the day (I close my eyes and ears to this one) but they were there to perform or support their peers as they performed. The scenes were simply beautiful – simple, clean, and sincere. Elephant Man that took risks and went boldly and unapoogiticaly into the distortions needed for David Merrik. The Shape of Things got a nice new bitter edge that it did not have before. And the crowing scene and cap to the year’s work was a beautiful Normal Heart (the famous spilled groceries scene) that avoided the pushing, took its time, listened and touched – touched and really felt the touch. It got me. It made me wake up. It made me so proud that this “throw away day” was far from a throw away. It make me get MY act together for next semester.
Time to get myself organized for the holiday in NYC – but I am taking some acting texts – in fact, quite a few acting texts from college to raise MY game for January.