DON`T MISS IT! - california educational theatre organizations

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California
Educational
Theatre
DON’T MISS IT!
YOU STILL HAVE TIME
Don’t Miss Out!
REGISTER NOW FOR THE UPCOMING CETA CONFERENCE
Bay Area Blast! – The Awakening of Diverse Voices
2008 California Educational Theatre Association Conference
Come join us in San Francisco for a CETA conference to remember! Go to
cetoweb.org and click on conference registration.
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Workshops
Beach Blanket Babylon
Panel Discussion
Gala Awards Dinner
Vendors
Tourist Time on Fisherman’s Wharf
updates on the State of Theatre Education
Time to Visit with your Peers
-1-
President’s Message
Thursday Intensive
Especially for High
Schools and Colleges:
Workshop One
CETA is quite an extraordinary
organization, and I have been honored to
serve as president for the past two years.
I would like to take this opportunity
as the outgoing president to thank the
CETA Board for doing an exceptional
job at responding to the needs of our
members.
I am proud of the birth of our triorganizational website (in conjunction with the Drama Teachers’
Association of Southern CA and the CA State Thespians) and
what it currently provides the theatre educators of California. We
are continuing to improve and add various resources such as the
ability to chat with other CETA members, download lesson plans
and post information.
I am appreciative of the submitted E-News articles, editing and
posting provided for each issue. Continuous communication is
vital. The CETA Position Paper was quite an undertaking and
has currently been placed into the hands of the superintendents of
our state, along with winning a prestigious national award for the
highest contribution to theatre education.
We have continued to work on the CA Theatre Credential,
addressing the needs of the students, the needs of the future theatre
educators as well as the needs of the seasoned, successful theatre
teachers. We are working with CA Alliance for Arts Education and
with the CA Teachers Association in regards to the credential. We
will continue to keep you posted.
There are many CETA opportunities available for our students, the
CETA-South High School Theatre Festival, the Middle Stage Fest,
the CA Youth in Theatre Day and scholarships.
We produced an inspiring southern conference, “Defying Gravity”
and a one-day northern conference in 2007. We are now preparing
for our creative and rejuvenating 2008 northern conference “The
Awakening of Diverse Voices.” I hope to see many of you at our
upcoming conference!
It takes time, talent and expertise to accomplish all that was
produced these past two years and I would like to recognize the
volunteers, the board members, that have made it happen. Thank
you, Carol, Gai, Carolyn, David, Artur, John, Kim, Stephen, Robin,
Dawn, Kaleta, Emmett, Nancy, Ellen, Arlene, Rozan, Vicky,
Roger, Jen, Brad, Corky, Jana, Peter, and James – our fantastic
incoming president.
Thank you, to all of you theatre educators out there who do such
an exceptional job day after day. You have the best job in the
world. I hope that you continue to stay involved with CETA, your
professional theatre organization.
- Amanda Swann
Dead Man Walking - School Theatre
Project: Socially Relevant Theatre
Across the Curriculua
Jana Baumann,
CETA North President
You’ll remember the movie for which
Susan Sarandon won a 1995 Academy Award. Sean Penn played
the convicted death row inmate, a character for which few could
find sympathy. The social activist nun, Helen Prejean, played by
Sarandon, nevertheless sees him as a fellow human, flawed, but
worthy of respect. Perhaps the most memorable aspects of the film
were the social justice issues viewers were forced to confront. The
harsh reality of the issues addressed, capital punishment, poverty,
and family loyalties, haunted audiences around the country.
Following the successful film, Tim Robbins, who adapted the book
by Sister Helen Prejean, wrote a stage version of the story. Robbins
then spearheaded the Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project
(DMWSTP) a collaborative enterprise designed specifically for
high schools and colleges.
Today, the DMWSTP is lead by Prejean’s associate, Sister Maureen
Fenlon. Fenlon, who will be present at the CETA conference, is the
National Coordinator of the project. She is an Adrian Dominican
Sister who has undertaken pioneering work to humanize the U.S.
prison system. In the 1970’s, Fenlon created hospitality houses for
prison visitors, first in Tallahassee, FL, and later in many California
prisons.
Before she took the helm of the Dead Man Walking School Theatre
Project, Fenlon was National Coordinator of NETWORK, a
national Catholic social justice lobby based in Washington, D.C.
During the past three decades, Sister Maureen has been involved
in creating organizations, initiating programs, managing projects,
and collaborating with a wide range of social change organizations,
nationally and internationally. In these efforts, Sister Maureen’s
work has been animated by her sensibilities as a cultural worker,
with the infusion of the poetry, music, and art of peoples from
around the world. The Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project
brings Sister Maureen’s gifts both as a cultural worker and a social
change activist into full play.
Joining Fenlon at the CETA Thursday intensive will be theatre
educators from Mill Valley, California who have first-hand
experience with the DMWSTP. John Warren, Ben Cleavland, and
Julia McNeal from Mt. Tamalpias High School will be on hand
to provide details about their production of the play as well as
activities in other classes that related to its social justice theme. In
conjunction with their production, community speakers addressed
the issue of capital punishment from many angles, both pro and
con. At Mt. Tamapias High School, the show was accompanied by
a school-wide program that included a symposium where students
traded their own ideas on the topic, and had to argue in support of
an opinion with which they disagreed.
You’ll also hear the experiences of a production of Dead Man
Walking in Santa Cruz County. This show involved students
and faculty from an alternative high school and a well-regarded
community college, as well as the expertise of a successful
community-based theatre company. Lead by Susan Myer-Silton,
artistic director of Pisces Moon Productions, you’ll hear about the
rewards and challenges of the collaboration. The focus of these
-2- joint efforts was the impact that theater can have on students’
understanding of controversial issues in the world, and their ability
to connect those issues to their own lives.
Workshop Descriptions
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity.
Friday and Saturday Workshops at the CETA Conference
Workshop Details:
The Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project: Socially Relevant
Theatre Across the Curricula
Full Day Master Class Intensive
Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM in the Monterey Room
There is something for every theatre teacher at this year’s CETA
conference, Awakening Diverse Voices. Presented here are brief
descriptions of the Friday and Saturday workshops.
ABCs of Sharing Drama: Using Theatre in the Elementary
Classroom
Presenters: Michelle Roderick and Eric Engdahl (best for
grades K-6)
Participants will learn how to effectively share new theatre skills
and exercises with their generalist colleagues. The workshop
includes presentations, participation in theatre games, valuable
discussion, and materials to take back to your classroom.
9:00 -10:00 AM: Introduction to the DMWSTP by Maureen
Fenlon
An overview of the project and its impact that theatre has on
students, educators, and the community.
10:15 – 11:45 AM: Mt. John Warren, Ben Cleavland, and Julia
McNeal of Tamalpias High School, Mill Valley
Production and related activities, including ideological diversity,
and coordination with strands 2,3 4 & 5 of the California Theatre
Content Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts
--
one
hour
lunch
break
Using Meditation and Visualization in the Theatre Classroom
Presenter: Linda Price (best for grades 9-12)
Young actors often need a boost of self confidence. Many need
help to access their own powers of imagination. In this workshop
participants learn to use basic meditation and guided visualization
techniques to open young actors to a larger world of experience, and
ultimately to improve their performance skills. Note: participants
should wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows movement.
--
1:15– 4:00 PM: Susan Myer-Silton, Pisces Moon Productions;
Mary Gaukel, Delta Charter High School
The three-way collaboration between Delta High School, Cabrillo
College, and Pisces Moon Productions. The contributions of each
entity in the context of education, production, performance, and
community outreach.
Stage Swordplay: Fundamentals of Italian Roil and Saber
Techniques
Presenter: Janine Sahm (best for grade 6 to adult)
With sword in hand, participants learn the fundamentals of Italian
foil and saber fighting for the stage. Learn safe, authentic, realistic
phrasing and movements that have been used since the time of
Shakespeare. All equipment will be supplied.
Workshop Two
Making Something Out of Something: adaptation
for the stage
We will look at various forms of adaptation for the stage from
the following source material: short stories, novels, documentary
material, cross-cultural adaptations. We will analyze musicals
adapted from another source and see how songs function within
the script. We will adapt scenes and present them to the class.
Investigating Conflict Through Theatre
Presenter: Diane Feldman (best for 6-12)
Each of us feels, relates to, and manages conflict differently. This
interactive workshop explores conflict through the creative modes
of theatre, art, literature, and poetry. Participants will examine,
explore, and express themselves by addressing various internal
and external aspects of conflict and conflict management.
Biography of presenter:
Douglas Langworthy is currently Literary Manager and Dramaturg
at the Denver Center Theatre Company. Previously he was Director
of Play Development at the McCarter Theatre in New Jersey and
the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He has translated fifteen plays
from the German, including Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Person
of Szechuan, Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening, Hans Henny
Jahnn’s Medea, Heiner Müller’s Quartet and Hamletmachine
and Heinrich von Kleist’s The Prince of Homburg, Amphitryon
(National Theatre Translation Fund Award) and Penthesilea . His
translation of Goethe’s Faust was recently produced in New York
by Target Margin Theater and the Classic Stage Company. He cowrote the libretto for The Sandman, an opera based on an E.T.A.
Hoffmann story with music by Thomas Cabaniss, directed by
David Herskovits. He also co-adapted a stage version of The Three
Musketeers, which toured the country with The Acting Company,
and the new musical Tracy’s Tiger, which just premiered last year
at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Inexpensive Audio-Visual (Really!)
Presenter: Rich Howard (great for all grades, K-12)
Do you have big theatrical dreams for your students, but limited
technical knowledge and resources? In this workshop participants
learn simple, creative, inexpensive ways to realize their vision.
Hands-on practice hooking up basic audio-visual equipment,
including microphones, is included.
Set Design: Creating an Environment for Your Actors
Presenter: Bob Fowler (best for grades 6-12)
A good set creates an environment that takes the audience and
the actors into the world of the play. This workshop addresses
production and design concepts, dominant line, script analysis,
mass space relationship, sight lines, directional compositions,
and theatrical styles. Participants will learn to design sets that can
be quickly changed. Participants will also get practical tips for
working with student designers.
-3-
Cut, Paint, Drill: Tips for Teaching High School Tech
Presenter: Blake Williams (best for grades 9-12)
Guided by the essential elements of a full year tech course
syllabus, participants see how to develop a viable plan for starting
and building a technical theatre program. Participants learn the
best lessons to start the year, and how students build on these
early skills. The workshop includes teaching strategies, valuable
resources, methods to evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and time
for brainstorming.
Preparing Young Actors to Work with Emergency Services
Trainers
Presenter: Michelle Cadieux (best for grades 6-12)
When a serious traffic accident occurs, first responders rush to the
scene and know just what to do. They learn this by practicing on
people who play the role of victims. In this workshop participants
learn how to prepare young actors to realistically perform that
role. Learn how to use method acting skills to prepare for work
with emergency medical personnel and professional fire fighters.
Participants learn stage makeup and moulage techniques to create
realistic victims. Finally, you’ll learn the best ways to communicate
with groups in your own community who need actors for their ongoing training.
Teaching Improvisation in the Classroom
Presenter: Kenn Adams (great for all grades, K-12)
Improvisation is the art of spontaneous theater. Combining the
skills of the playwright, the actor, and the director; improvisers
create instant characters, scenes, and stories. In addition to teaching
the rudiments of theater, improvisation develops self-confidence
and self-esteem, builds the language-arts, reinforces life skills,
and inspires the imagination. Participants receive an introduction
to the art of improvisation along with a series of specific games,
exercises and activities that will have students up and improvising
in no time.
Mosaic Acting: Emotionology and the Whelan Recording
Technique
Presenter: Charlie Holliday (great for all grades, K-12)
The Whelan Recording Technique is a wonderful whole brain
teaching and learning technique for actors. Emotionology provides
the tools for actors to study the character’s emotions in an objective
and systematic fashion. Using these two approaches, participants
learn to help their students relate to their character, as well as the
character’s relationships and emotional base. Even memorizing
lines becomes easier and faster.
GPS for Sound: Navigating Your Sound System and Choosing
Microphones
Presenter: Bob Fowler (best for grades 6-12)
This basic course breaks down an audio system into a type of
road map. Participants learn how to get the most from their
sound system. You’ll follow the path of sound from the actor to
the audience, addressing each step along the way. Along the path
you’ll visit the mixing console, amplifier, and finally the speakers.
This workshop provides practical microphone tips, including how
to choose the right mics, mount wireless mics, set mic levels, and
basic troubleshooting.
Not Scary Shakespeare
Presenter: Kim O’Rourke (best for 6-12)
Don’t be afraid to tackle The Bard! Participants will learn a variety
of ways to approach Shakespeare. This is a participatory workshop
designed for theatre teachers who are Shakespeare beginners.
You’ll walk away with handouts and lessons you can use right -4-
away.
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA)
Exam Process
Presenter: Kim O’Rourke (great for all grades K-12)
LAMDA offers performance based examinations, carefully refined
and developed over many years by experts in education, acting, and
communication. Serious theatre students, from elementary through
high school use LAMDA ratings to boost audition applications and
college applications. LAMDA has been visiting California schools
for over 15 years. Participants learn more about the benefits of the
exam experience, how to schedule the exams, and how to prepare
students.
Everybody Up! Whole Group Improvisation
Presenter: Doug Cemblin (great for all grades K-12)
Participants learn and participate in activities your whole class
does together. Learn fun, skill-building activities you’ll use again
and again.
To Stratford and Back: How to Attend the Globe Teacher’s
Academy
Presenter: Carolyn Elder (great for all grades K-12)
Learn how to apply and what to expect at the prestigious Globe
Teacher’s Academy in Stratford, England. Presenter Carolyn Elder
recently attended and will highlight her experiences.
Commedia Dell Arte, Masks, and Lazzi
Presenter: Goran Banyai (great for all grades K-12)
Dynamic and zany, Commedia Dell Arte is intensely creative
and amazingly fun. In this high energy workshop, you’ll gain an
understanding of the stock characters, their masks, and traditional
movements. Explore the Commedia acting technique called Lazzi,
and find out how Commedia Dell Arte continues to evolve and
remain relevant today. This workshop is based on the successful
Australian Theatre School master classes offered to teachers and
students throughout Australia since 1997.
Documentary Theatre Ensemble
Presenter: Susie Tanner (best for grades 6-12)
Documentary Theatre Ensemble is a wonderful way for participants
to give voice to their concerns, aspirations, opinions, and feelings
through the medium of theatre. Participants will engage in handson activities that will provide concrete tools to lead students in the
development of original performance pieces. Source material can
be historical, current, or the students’ personal stories. This is a
standards-based, literacy building, integrated curriculum approach
to creating original performance pieces based upon primary source
material and/or personal stories.
Beginner’s Guide to Putting on a Show
Presenter: Joe Bernens (best for grades 6-12)
This workshop is for teachers who are just starting a theatre
program, new to producing theatre, and for veterans who would
like to improve what they do. Participants will discuss the nuts and
bolts of building a dynamic theatre program on a tight budget. The
full spectrum of “putting on a show” will be covered: picking the
right show, casting, designing and building the performance spaces,
rehearsing, and enjoying the performance. Special emphasis is
placed on the value of building relationships with school staff and
administration, parent volunteers, and student leaders.
Conference
Vendors
Coffee Table Book on Broadway Shows
The Field Studies Center of NY, value $50
www.fscnewyork.com
Representatives: Joan Hahn, Carla Teasdale
There are a baker’s dozen
of exhibitors at our CETA
conference this year all
day on Saturday, October
18th and we hope you take
the opportunity to stop by
each table and thank them
for their support of CETA.
Plus, if you carry your
Passport to Theatre along
with you and get their
“stamp of approval” you
Carol Hovey,
could be one of the lucky
Past Pres. & Site Coordinator winners of their generous
donation to the Vendor Prize Drawing during our Awards Gala
Saturday night!
Magnovox DVD Player
Interactive Educational Video, value $35
www.interactiveeducationalvideo.com
Representative: Bob Fowler
MTCA Briefcase, value $30
Musical Theatre Competitions of America
www.MTCofA.com
Representative: Sarah Blackley Terry@MTCofA.com
Selecon 40 Degree Fixed Beam Ellipsoidal Spotlight
Musson Theatrical, value $355
www.musson.com
Representative: Dinna Myer
dmyers@musson.com
Listed are all our exhibitors, their donation to the prize drawing
and their websites and contact information so you can keep in
touch with them for their invaluable theatre resource materials,
curriculum support and professional development opportunities.
Commedia Dell Arte DVD
Australian Theatre School, $170 value
australiantheatreschool.com
Representatives: Goran Banyai/Helen Hazouri
australiantheatreschool.com
Teacher’s Weekend at Camp Bravo
Camp Bravo, value $350
campbravo.org
Representatives: Artur Cybulski/David Krassner
campbravo.org
PCPA t-shirt, bookbag and ballcap
PCPA Theatrefest, value $50
www.pcpa.org
Representative: Michael Dempsey
5 autographed copies of RAISING THE CURTAIN by Gai Jones
Perfection Learning Corporation, value $250
www.perfectionlearning.com
Representative: Emily McCutchan
www.
goran@
Autographed copy of BREAK-A-LEG
Self-Published Book, value $16
Representative: Gai Jones
gai.jones@sbcglobal.net
www.
david@
Theatrefolk
www.theatrefolk.com
Representative: Craig Mason
ComedySportz Offering
2 sets, 4 tickets to ComedySportz
in Sacremento, San Jose, or Los Angeles
www.ComedySportzLA.com
Representative: James Bailey
james@ ComedySportzLA.com
tfolk@theatrefolk.com
The Characters Card Box
Drama Education Network, value $50
www.DramaEd.net
Representative: Jonas Basom
jbasom@dramaed.net
Kaleta Brown,
Your E-News Editor
-5-
lBay Area Blast! – The Awakening of Diverse Voices
California Educational Theatre Association Conference
Thursday – Saturday, Oct. 16-18, 2008
Doubletree Hotel - San Francisco Airport
Time
Thursday Oct. 16, 2008
7:309:00
AM
Registration
Location: Hotel lobby
9:00 –
11:45
AM
Full Day Master Class Intensive #1
(morning session)
Room: Muir Woods Room
Making Something out of Something:
Adaptation for the Stage
Doug Langworthy
Dramaturg Denver Center Theatre
Company
K-University
12:00
– 1:00
PM
1:15
– 4:00
PM
Full Day Master Class
Intensive #2 (morning session)
Room: Monterey Room
The Dead Man Walking Theatre Project:
Socially Relevant Theatre Across the
Curricula
Susan Meyer
Pisces Moon Theatre
Sister Maureen Fenlon
National Coordinator Dead Man
Walking Theatre Project
High School-University
Box Lunch
Full Day Master Class Intensive #1
(afternoon session)
Room: Muir Woods Room
Making Something out of Something:
Adaptation for the Stage
Doug Langworthy
Dramaturg Denver Center Theatre
Company
K-University
Full Day Master Class
Intensive #2 (afternoon session)
Room: Monterey Room
The Dead Man Walking Theatre Project:
Socially Relevant Theatre Across the
Curricula
Susan Meyer
Pisces Moon Theatre
Sister Maureen Fenlon
National Coordinator Dead Man
Walking Theatre Project
High School-University
Dinner and evening on your own
-6-
Bay Area Blast! – The Awakening of Diverse Voices
California Educational Theatre Association Conference
Thursday – Saturday, Oct. 16-18, 2008
Doubletree Hotel - San Francisco Airport
Time
7:30am4:00pm
7:308:30am
8:309:00am
9:0010:30am
Friday, Oct. 17, 2008
Registration
Location: Hotel lobby
Full Breakfast
Location: Chutney Grill
with CETA voucher
CETA Members’ Ensemble Experience with Gai Jones
Location: Sierra Ballroom
Welcome to the Conference
Conference Welcome by CETA President Amanda Swann
Panel Discussion
Diverse Voices in Educational Theatre
10:45am12:15pm
12:30–
1:30pm
1:453:15pm
.
3:305:00pm
5:306:30pm
7:00pm
Location: Sierra Ballroom
Workshop 1
Workshop 2
Title:Teaching
Title: Investigating
Improvisation in the Conflict through
Classroom k-12
Theatre 6-12
Name: Ken Adams
Name:Diane Feldman
Room: Sausalito
Room: Muir Woods
Moderator: Corky Dominguez
Workshop 3
Workshop 4
Title: To Stratford
Title:Stage
and Back
Swordplay:
6-12
Fundamentals of
Name:Carolyn Elder Italian Foil Technique
and Gina Thompson 9-Universiy
Name:Janine Sahn
Room: Monterey
Room:Tiburon
CETA Lunch with your Peers
Update on the state of arts education
by Nancy Carr, VAPA Coordinator, Calif. Dept. of Education
Theatre Opportunities by Amanda Swann and Gai Jones
Location: Courtyard (Ballroom if inclement weather)
Workshop 5
Workshop 6
Workshop 7
Workshop 8
Title:Mosaic Acting
Title: Commedia Dell Title: The London
Title:Stage
Emotionology and
Arte-Masks and Lazzi Academy of Music
Swordplay:
Whelan Recording
6-12
and Dramatic Art
Fundamentals
Technique 6-12
Name:Goran Banyai
(LAMDA) Exam
of Italian Sabre
Room: Sausalito
Process 9-12
Technique
Name:Charlie Holliday
9-University
Room: Monterey
Name :
Name: Janine Sahm
Kim O’Rourke
Room:Tiburon
Room: Muir Woods
Workshop 9
Workshop 10
Workshop 11
Workshop 12
Title:Cut-Paint-Drill- Title: Documentary
Title: Theatre
Title: The ABC’s of
Tips for Teaching
Theatre Ensemble:
Classes and Social Drama: Using Theatre
High School Tech
Creating
Skills Development in the Elementary
Classroom K-6
9-12
K-12
Performance from
Name: Michelle
Name:Blake Williams Primary Source
Name:Pamela
Roderick and Eric
Room: Muir Woods
Lindsay
Materials
Engdahl
5-12
Room: Monterey
Room: Tiburon
Name:Susie Tanner
Room: Sausalito
Dinner
Barbeque Buffet: Sierra Ballroom
Fisherman’s Wharf & Beach Blanket Babylon
CETA bus departs 7:00pm for Fisherman’s Wharf / 9:30 performance BBB
Location: driveway in front of hotel
-7-
Bay Area Blast! – The Awakening of Diverse Voices
California Educational Theatre Association Conference
Thursday – Saturday, Oct. 16-18, 2008
Doubletree Hotel - San Francisco Airport
Time
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008
Registration
7:30am
12:00pm
Location: Hotel Lobby
Full Breakfast
7:308:30am
8:309:00am
9:00–
10:30am
Location: Chutney Grill
with CETA voucher
CETA Members’ Ensemble Experience with Corky Dominguez
Workshop 13
Title: Inexpensive
Audio Visual
(Really!) K-12
Name:Rich Howard
Room: Monterey
Location: Sierra Ballroom
Workshop 14
Workshop 15
Title: Using
Title: Everybody
Meditation/
Up! Whole
Visualization in
Group Improv
K-12
theTheatre
Name Doug
Classroom
Cembellin
9-12
10:30 –
11:00am
11:00am–
12:30pm
12:30-1:00
pm
1:00-3:00
pm
3:30-5:00
pm
5:00–6:00
pm
6:00– 7:00
pm
7:00pm
Name:Linda Price
Room: Sausalito
Room: Tiburon
Workshop 16
Title: “Set Design: Creating an
Environment for Your
Actors” 9-12
Name: Bob Fowler
Room: Muir Woods
Visit the Vendors
Location:Corridor outside Sierra Ballroom
CETA South High School
Workshop 17
Meeting
Title: Theatre Credential Options
Room: Sausalito
Name: Jack Mitchell, Nancy Carr and Cheryl Des
Palmes
Room:Tiburon
Visit the Vendors
Location: Corridor outside Sierra Ballroom
Business Lunch and Keynote Speaker
Keynote speaker: Carol Lynn Pearson
Author, Actress, Playwright
Location: Sierra Ballroom
Workshop 18
Workshop 19
Workshop 20
Title: Do It Yourself
Title: Let’s Put on a Show:A
Title:”Audio GPS to
Superhero: Preparing
Beginners Guide to the Nuts
Help Navigate Your
Young Actors to Work
and Bolts K-12
Sound System” 9-12
with Emergency Services Name: Joe Bernens & Debbie
Name: Bob Fowler
Trainers
Torgeson
Room: Muir Woods
6-12
Room: Tiburon
Name:Michelle Cadieux
Room: Sausalito
Visit the Vendors
Location: Corridor outside Sierra Ballroom
Reception
Location: Sierra Foyer and Ballroom
Hors d’Oeuvres and No Host Bar
Semi Formal Gala Awards and Dinner
Past Presidents Council & Vendor Raffle Drawings
-8-
Location: Sierra Ballroom
CETA Awards for 2008
From the Conference Keynote
Speaker
The 2008 CETA awards will be
handed out during our annual
conference, at our semi-formal Gala
Awards and Dinner event, Saturday,
October 18 at 7pm. This year, CETA
will honor 5 outstanding individuals
and 1 professional organization.
Amy Caston, of Smedberg Middle
School, will receive the New Teacher
Award, presented by Carolyn
Elder.
Gai Jones will present
Bryan Ha with the Outstanding
Contribution to Educational Theatre
Award. Scott Riches, Principal
of Pinewood School in Los Altos
Hills, will receive the Outstanding
Jennifer Casey,
Administrator Award from Doug
Awards Chair
Eivers, the Drama Teacher at his
school. Arlene Hood will bestow California Musical Theatre,
based in Sacramento, with the Professional Artist Award. David
Krassner will present Doug Smith of Westview School with the
Outstanding Theatre Educator Award. CETA’s highest honor, the
CETA Medallion, will be awarded to Ellen Sell, of Garfield High
School, by Corky Dominguez.
Carol Lynn Pearson,
a northern California author, actress and playwright will be our
keynote speaker at the upcoming CETA conference in San
Francisco. Here is an introduction in her own words.
Playwright as Activist: a Brief Look at a Long Journey
The criteria for the above awards is listed below:
CETA MEDALLION - presented to a member of the association
whose continued service has been distinguished by leadership,
loyalty, contribution, and support. *Must be a current CETA
member.
OUTSTANDING THEATRE EDUCATOR AWARD - presented
to an outstanding theatre educator for contributions to theatre
education well beyond his/her work-a-day job in recognition of
significant and valuable contributions made to encourage, promote,
and develop the highest standards in theatre education. *Must be a
current CETA member.
I fell in love with the theatre when I was six or seven. I
have a strong memory of playing Raggedy Andy in a church
production. I can remember how my costume looked and
felt. I can even remember the words and the tune to the little
song I sang, holding the hand of Raggedy Ann. But mostly
I remember there was some indefinable magic happeningpeople watching attentively, light shining through the darkness.
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO EDUCATIONAL
THEATRE AWARD - Recognition for outstanding contributions
to theatre education by an individual or organization outside the
discipline.
Deciding to major in drama at BYU was not a difficult choice,
and I would have liked nothing better than to spend my life as an
actor. But the doors that opened for me after graduation were the
writing doors. And of the various genres in which I’ve written,
none excites me more than playwriting.
PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AWARD - presented to a professional
artist or organization for assistance to and support of theatre
education.
NEW TEACHER AWARD – honors a teacher that has made
a significant impact in less than 5 years in the field of theatre
education.
In 2004 I had a personal and professional crisis, during which
I decided that for the rest of my life, I would write only what I
alone could write. If I felt that something could possibly be written
by someone else, it would have to be off-limits to me. At the
last minute I didn’t sign a book contract and committed instead
to write a new play, “Pieces of God,” knowing it might never be
produced, but would feed my soul and say what I alone could say.
ADMINISTRATOR AWARD - honors an administrator who has
played a significant role in the advancement of theatre education.
-9-
After that play was finished, I took a weekend playwriting
seminar, hoping to refine it. But the teacher surprised me with
his very first instruction. “Pick up your pen and write down the
subject of a new play you want to write and list the reasons you
are not writing it. You have two minutes.” New play? I hadn’t
come for that. Quick. What is a new play I want to write? I put
pen to paper and without thinking wrote, “Religious family
confronts suicide of gay son.”
After the seminar, as I studied the notes I’d taken and snippets of
scenes I’d written, it was clear that I’d opened a very big door.
The subject was dramatic, important, urgent even. And yes, I
did have a unique platform from which to speak. My marriage
to a gay man and consequent events had filled my life with a
realization of how badly we deal with homosexuality, and how
condemnation and hopelessness too often drive gay people to
suicide.
What is better equipped to answer that cry than drama? Nothing
else I know of has the immediate magic that invites one person
into the heart of another like theatre does, to shine that much
needed light through the darkness. Soon three characters began to
speak to me. And before long they had a story in “Facing East.”
The story consumed me and distressed me. The success of
the play–first in Salt Lake City and then in New York and
San Francisco and now in numerous cities–has thrilled me.
The critics have been kind. But most rewarding have been
the hundreds of emails I have received from those who have
attended. “Your play saved the life of the person that I love.
She was near the point of suicide, and that evening gave her
new hope.” “Our family has not stopped talking. Nothing has
brought us together with love and understanding like your play.”
Theatre has many uses. And to participate in changing lives–
changing the world–has to be the best.
The AATE Conference and the
Lin Wright Special Recognition
Award to CETA
Carol Hovey,
Past President
The AATE Conference held in Atlanta
from July 23-27, 2009 was at the Hyatt
Regency in downtown Atlanta. Atlanta is a
beautiful city that reminded me of LA with
a similar sprawling urban area that included
tall buildings and lots of traffic plus great
shops, restaurants and boutiques interlaid
with green space and neighborhood
pockets. An added bonus was the fact
that the AATE Conference was concurrent
with the Atlanta-based National Black Arts
Festival.
What a wonderful celebration of the arts, in which we found
ourselves immersed from the moment we arrived! Right in the
Hyatt Regency, alongside the AATE conference offerings, was the
Arts Marketplace featuring row upon row of African-American
artists and artisans displaying incredible pieces inspired by their
cultural heritage. [Ask me about the quilt I couldn’t resist.] Walk -10-
3-4 blocks and there was Centennial Park filled with crowds of
people of all ages and walks of life, playing in the syncopated
spurts of water erupting from the concrete plaza and listening to
the jazzy sounds of musicians and combos sharing their music
while listeners danced to the beat in their own fashion on the
verdant field of grass from morning to night. The days were sunny
and hot (but not the sweltering heat I had been told to expect) and
everyone who could was out enjoying the summer fun. I love
Chicago Steppin’ [a black, urban dance rooted in the Bop and
Swing] and found a thriving Steppin’ scene there as well. And
the theatre offerings—my, oh my! The Color Purple, Hallelujah
Street Blues, The Amen Corner, and Gee’s Bend were all ticket
offerings at the AATE Conference. I chose Gee’s Bend and saw an
absolutely riveting performance about the women of Gee’s Bend,
a small rural community in the South, whose quilts are on display
at the Whitney Museum in New York and at the High Museum
in Atlanta. As I indulged all my senses at this festival and the
conference, I find myself echoing the feeling expressed in the
Gee’s Bend printed program, that all this outpouring of energy
“demonstrates that love turns work into art.”
Some of the highlights of the AATE conference that we were
present for were Friday night’s keynote speaker, Stephanie
Hughley, Founder and Executive Director of the National Black
Arts Festival, the Awards Luncheon on Saturday and the closing
panel on multi-cultural and diversity issues on Sunday. Gai and I
were honored guests along with all the other recipients of the 18
awards presented. As you might imagine, even with each of us
only speaking for two minutes, what with introductions, walking
to and from the stage, and making the speeches, it was little wonder
that the awards luncheon ran long! However, it was not only an
honor to be there but also an incredible testament to the value of
theatre and education as a combined force in our society. Awards
ranged from those given to individuals in recognition of service
in specific areas to organizations who present children’s theatre
having a powerful impact on their community and state to awards
selecting distinguished plays, books, and dissertations. It was with
pride that Gai and I sat at the table with fellow Californian Anne
Gesling of the Youth Educational/Entertainment Series—Y.E.S.
at the Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica. Y.E.S. received
the Winifred Ward Outstanding New Children’s Theatre Company
Award. I personally was most impressed with the 2008 Winifred
Ward Scholars—two young women of outstanding scholarship,
impeccable credentials and very eloquent, heartfelt acceptance
speeches.
Certainly showing “that love turns work into art” is what we
theatre educators do and this was truly resonant at the AATE
Awards luncheon the afternoon of Saturday, July 26, 2008 during
which CETA was presented with one of two Lin Wright Special
Recognition Awards given this year, based upon the following
selection criteria:
•
LIN WRIGHT SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS: Honors persons who have established special programs,
developed experimental works, made distinctive
educational contributions or provided meritorious service
thus furthering theatre and drama for young people. This
award recognizes and supports these unique contributions
of artists, educators, and advocates wherever they are
found. THREE AWARDS may be given annually.
As Gai and I sat at the awards ceremony, we both missed having
Amanda and Carolyn there to share the experience with us. We
are also very appreciative that CETA sent us to represent our state
organization in recognition of our work as writers of the CETA
Position Paper—Evaluating the Present: Envisioning the Future of
Theatre Arts Education in California. While we may be the only
state with a position paper written to be a straightforward, concrete
statement justifying the value of theatre arts education taught by
highly qualified teachers credentialed in theatre and providing the
key qualities and components of an excellent theatre arts education
program at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, it is
truly our mission to join the ranks of the other 34 states who offer
a single subject theatre credential and have the pre-service and
professional training to support credentialed theatre arts educators.
Our Position Paper is but one step forward in achieving that
mission.
One footnote to attending the AATE Conference, a national
conference devoted to theatre and education, and that is our
CETA state conference right here at home measures up well when
compared to the workshop offerings, vendor exhibits and all the
various conference activities one could hope to experience. I
rarely get to attend a national conference but it was very gratifying
to realize that my annual attendance at the CETA state conference
is as fully rewarding and, as an added bonus, addresses very
specifically the issues confronting us as theatre educators every
day as we work with our students here in California. I encourage
you to take advantage of this wonderful and exciting “Bay Area
Blast,” our 2008 CETA State Conference.
Lin Wright, Gai Jones, and Carol Hovey
Additional AATE Award
From Carol - “I was very impressed with Wendy’s acceptance
speech and she has given permission for us to print it in our
CETA E-News”
Winifred Ward Acceptance Speech
Delivered by Wendy Bable at the AATE 2008 Conference
Atlanta, Georgia
The theme of this conference has been “footprints.” When I was
little, I wanted to be an archaeologist, and so I read voraciously
about how an archaeologist delicately brushes away and removes -11the sands of time to reveal a remnant of a human journey. I used
to wonder if the person who left that impression in the earth had
any inkling that their footprint would be the subject of wonder and
curiosity hundreds of years beyond their lifespan. The legacy we
create and leave behind is a tremendous responsibility, and this
award leads me to reflect on what footprints I might be pressing
into the soil as wander my own path through life as a theatre
director.
My continuing life’s work has been to use my talents to shift a
hierarchical theatre paradigm—to decentralize the power that
is latent in the traditional role of the director. My scholarly
and practical work is an exploration of directing for and with
young people through a jazz aesthetic, as it has been embodied
by artists such as Ntozake Shange, Daniel Alexander Jones,
and Rebecca Daniels. I believe that through the components of
jazz composition—individual virtuosity, collective endeavor,
improvisation, active listening, risk-taking, rigorous composition,
and intelligent discourse—we can create theatre that dreams
bigger then we’ve been dreaming…theatre that has the potential
to re-awaken our collective human spirit as well as engage our
emotions and stimulate our intellect.
As a director who works with both young people and adults, the
praxis between my work as a scholar and my work as a practitioner
is ever-present. However, I contend that theory and practice alone
cannot generate the catalytic reaction necessary to move the field
of theatre for/with youth forward toward its fullest potential. To
achieve this, the director must also occupy the space of an educator
and the space of a leader. It is these two elements—education and
leadership—that will carry the work from a vibrant present into
a sustainable future. I believe that the directors who will truly
shape our future are the directors who hold the spaces of scholar,
practitioner, educator and leader in symbiosis.
I know the reason I sought out Professor Jennings when I found
that I had been named a Winifred Ward Scholar. It is because I
am still an archaeologist of sorts; excavating and walking in the
footprints people like Coleman Jennings, Suzan Zeder, previous
Winifred Ward scholars (and many others) have left, and continue
to leave, on the field of theatre for young people. If I can see far,
it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants. I am honored
to now take my place in a group of colleagues who are leaving
remarkable footprints behind for other to discover. I am proud
to continue the Winifred Ward legacy, and to now make my own
footprints as a remnant and reminder of my journey—thank you.
CETA has a new board member, Kate Booth,
VP, Higher Education.
This is her first article.
Much Ado about
Productions:
Co-Curriculum or
Curriculum?
Aspects of Commedia dell’Arte in Moliere’s The Imaginary
Invalid
By Kate Booth
Junior high and high school theatre directors looking for a
production that will provide students with a fun challenge might
want to consider the neoclassical playwright Moliere. Though
the rhythmic meter and elevated language may initially seem
daunting, the clever innuendos, humorous references, and lively
pace make for delightful and engaging dialog. While Moliere’s
comedies do adhere (albeit somewhat loosely) to the rules of
neoclassical playwriting, they have none of the stilted stuffiness
usually associated with work from this period. By infusing his
plays with stock characters and scenarios of Commedia dell’ Arte,
Moliere creates a hybrid style of theatre that is highly physical,
energetic, and entertaining. Tackling a work by Moliere also
provides an opportunity to introduce students to the conventions
of commedia, a comic form of theatre whose influence is still
palpable in contemporary comedy. Moliere’s final play, The
Imaginary Invalid, is a perfect example of the seamless confluence
of commedia and French neoclassicism
Several months ago, I sent a survey to
CETA high school teachers asking how their
Arlene Hood,
productions related to the theatre curriculum
VP Public
at their schools. I was preparing to address
High Schools
my school’s Academic Council requesting a
status change of each of our two productions from a co-curricular
activity to an actual class as part of the theatre arts curriculum. I’m
very happy to report that the change was approved and starting
next year students will receive credit for participating in the
productions. I would like to thank all of the teachers who took time
out of their busy schedules to respond to the questions I sent. And
many of the teachers went beyond my initial questions to write
extensively about how their productions fit into school life and the
difficulties, frustrations, and victories of the challenges they have
faced for a myriad of reasons: bureaucracy on many levels, facility
problems, scheduling problems, and of course: money, money,
money, and time, time, time. Each of these responses was a story
in itself and I found myself amazed, angry, proud, and humbled by
what we must do, to do what we must do.
The Commedia dell’Arte
which flourished in Italy in the
16th and 17th centuries found
a warm and lasting reception
in France. Italian players had
been appearing regularly at
thePetite-Bourbon theatre in
Paris since about 1653 and,
in 1658, by order of the King,
Moliere’s company began
to share the theatre with the
Fiorillo-Locatelli company.
I also want to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve on
the CETA Board for the last two terms as VP - Public High
Schools. My tenure is ending but I plan to continue serving the
organization in any way I can. I hope that I will see many of you
at the upcoming conference. Last year at my school we produced
Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus. As you can imagine, it
was an enormous undertaking. We spent three full weeks doing
table work, which I was worried we couldn’t afford, but we
accomplished so much that by the time we began stage work the
students were well equipped to put the text on its feet. I planned
the table work from all of the invaluable information that I picked
up from three different conference workshops over the past five
years, including last year’s master class with Colin Cox of “Will
and Company.” We’ve got some terrific presenters this year, so I
hope that you will be able to come to Burlingame for this year’s
conference.
At the time that Moliere embarked on his career, the brief French
pieces and the more elaborate Italian productions coexisted
as two fairly distinct types of farcical plays. In order to appeal
regularly to spectators who did not speak Italian, the commedia
troupes made increased use of pantomime, buffoonery, vulgarity,
lazzi, satire, burlesque, dancing, and acrobatics. They sought out
melodramatic themes, ventured into mythology, adopted French
themes and the satire of manners, revised spectacular scenery,
and invented machines to produce miraculous effects. Similarly,
French actors and playwrights borrowed stock characters, plots,
gags, and routines from the Italians. Of the contemporary French
artists, Moliere most thoroughly exploited the comic potential of
the Italian popular theater (Wadsworth 82).
To (mis)quote the Bard: Oh, what (you) dare do! What
(you) may do! What (you) daily do, (and definitely)
knowing what (you) do!
-12-
The Imaginary Invalid, Moliere’s final offering to the French
theatre, displays many similarities to the stock characters, plots,
conventions and aesthetic principles of Commedia dell’Arte.
Moliere takes the familiar commedia plot in which lovers, aided
by a clever servant, seek to overcome their fathers’ objections to
their union and re-presents it as a stinging indictment of the Paris
medical profession. His satire of the inefficacy of physicians and
the gullibility of those who ascribe to their treatments incorporates
stock devices central to commedia theatre. Feigned injury, schemes
for obtaining money, disguise, impersonation, nonsensical
language, and other forms of trickery are central to the plot.
The most typical scenario commonly found in Commedia dell’Arte
involves a father who asks his daughter to accept his proposal to
give her hand in marriage to another (Rudlin 51). As the father
who dictates to his children and controls the social structure in
which the events take place, Argan is an embodiment of Pantalone,
a stock character commonly found in commedia whose chief
function is to serve as an impediment to the action. One of the
“old men” characters, Pantalone occupies the top of the pecking
order and is “Mean to his servants, narrow-mindedly proscriptive
to his children, fawning to Il Dottore [. . .] and indulgent to
himself”(Rudlin 95). Despite the fact that Angelique and Cleante
wish to be married, Argan is determined to marry her to Thomas
Diafoirus in order to gain unlimited access to medical advice and
remedies for himself. Completely unconcerned for the happiness
and well being of his daughter, Argan seems childish himself, and
his puerile need to be pampered and catered to contribute to his
inability to put the best interests of his household ahead of his
own desires. While Argan’s intentions are readily discerned, his
inability to disguise them makes him susceptible to the schemes
of others. In addition to falling for his wife’s plan to bilk him of
his fortune, he provides an easy target for the medical profession,
servants, and family.
Similar to the stock characters known in Commedia dell’Arte
as innamorati, or the lovers, Angelique is sensitive, cultivated,
and obedient and Cleante is the ideal courtier. Toinette, like the
Columbina character of Commedia dell’Arte, is personal maid to
Angelique. The female of the zanni or clown servants, she functions
as a confidant and message carrier and provides a convention by
which information about the nature and status of the lovers is
conveyed to the audience. Toinette’s attempts to defend the family
ultimately involve her in every intrigue of the plot. In her endeavors
to unite the lovers she successfully exposes Argan’s deceitful wife,
reveals Angelique’s true and loving nature, and mocks the medical
profession that encourages Argan’s hypochondria.
The doctors which Toinette ridicules are variations of the dottore
pedant of the Commedia dell’Arte. Moliere’s doctors were
“performed as clowns, in clownish medical costumes, with funny
voices and mechanical gestures” (Caulder 136). His use of the
dottori provides a rich source of visual and linguistic comedy.
Appearing as would-be experts, they spout a nonsensical litany
of theory while refusing to
ascribe to medical scholarship
and practice outside of the
Paris region. Argan is the sole
character to be swayed by these
displays. In each case, his own
desire to secure a profitable
situation for himself blinds him
to the hypocrisy of others whose
counterfeit behavior is calculated
to secure and further their own interests.
The performance of roles and behaviors in Moliere’s work often
takes the form of an exaggerated physicality. Like the lazzi of
Commedia dell’Arte, these bits of farcical by-play, pantomime, -13-
exaggerated sounds or gestures, and acrobatics provide visual and
physical comedy. Lazzi often take the form of a coda which is
tacked on to the end of a physical action and continues to explore
it past its logical apex of development.
Several of the lazzi in The Imaginary Invalid are presented as
portions of running gags. The comic bits built around Argan’s use
of his cane are made more humorous through repetition. In Act I
Scene 3 Argan runs to the basin before he remembers that he is too
ill to do so and asks for his cane. The cane also functions as a prop
for the performance of illness and reveals the illusory nature of
Argan’s disease: he displays physical impairment only when using
the cane and, as he frequently forgets, he has to be reminded to use
it. The abrupt change in his physical demeanor is comical both in
the context of the specific scene and as a repetitive device.
Some of the farcical by-play between characters takes the form
of battute-- stock repartees between characters worked into the
context of the scene. Toinette often initiates battute as a response
to Argan’s over exaggerated claims of frailty. While battute
provides for comical interchanges, it also establishes the nature
of the relationship between characters. Argan, the irascible, self
indulgent master, and Toinette, the
outspoken servant maintain a spirited
repartee throughout the play. Toinette
knows the location of Argan’s buttons
and pushes them as often as possible.
But despite his threats to brain her and
her incessant teasing, the exchanges
are not motivated by malice and both
enjoy the attempts to get the best of
one another.
A successful production of The
Imaginary Invalid, or any of
Moliere’s comedies will make the
most of the comic possibilities inherent in commedia. The extreme
characterizations allow for the organic development of comic
schitck which student actors can extend and refine throughout the
rehearsal process. The physical action central to the commedia
style also insures that young actors will connect the verbal action
imbedded in the text with blocking that is linked to specific character
objectives. And, let’s face it, even when performed without masks,
the zippy pace, comic gags, and witty repartees are a blast for both
performers and audiences.
Works Cited
Rudlin, John. Commedia dell’ Arte: An Actor’s Handbook.
London: Routledge, 1994.
Wadsworth, Philip A. Moliere and the Italian Theatrical Tradition.
Birmingham: Summa Publications, 1987.
Kate Booth is on the faculty at California State University, Fullerton
where she heads the theatre education program and teaches theatre
history and critical writing. After serving as a drama specialist at
the elementary, junior high, and high school levels, she worked
as the founding artistic director of Odyssey Theatre Company,
where she produced plays and developed programs for the Gilroy
Unified School District. She holds a BA in theatre from San Jose
State University, an MFA in Theatre Education from Arizona State
University, and a Ph.D. in Theatre History, Literature, and Theory
from the University of California, Irvine. She is passionate about
teaching and enjoys working with student teachers to develop
lessons and strategies for success in the classroom.
What Drama Education Can
Teach Your Child
by Kimberly Haynes
Note: This article comes from the internet
With the success of Hannah Montana and High School Musical,
theater is suddenly hot. Your child may be showing interest in this
year’s school play. But do you really want him to be an actor?
Gai Jones says, “Yes!” A theater educator with over forty years
of experience, Jones’ work has been recognized by the American
Alliance for Theater and Education, the Educational Theater
Association, and the California State Senate (among others).
According to Jones, “Theater addresses the skills which benefit
children’s education and development in five general areas: physical
development/kinesthetic skills, artistic development /drama
and theater skills, mental development/thinking skills, personal
development/intra-personal skills, and social development/
interpersonal skills.”
While many parents fear participation in drama will damage their
child’s academic progress, a UCLA study concluded that students
involved in the arts tend to have higher academic performance and
better standardized test scores -- nearly 100 points better on the
SAT, according to a separate study by The College Board.
Academic gains aren’t the only benefits. There are the obvious
ones: improved self-confidence, better public speaking skills, but
Jones says students show other gains as well, such as the “ability
to work with an ensemble in cooperative ventures” and the “ability
to work through consensus and differences or obstacles to achieve
a goal.” She points out that a play requires students to follow a
time line, to use self-discipline, and to accept feedback. Studying
theater can be a great starting point for careers such as teaching,
law, and politics, not to mention broadcasting and performing.
And the ability to speak confidently in front of a group is a boon
for any career.
If your child is interested in getting involved in theater, here are a
few things to keep in mind:
Theater is not just for the outgoing. There are many ways for
children to participate even if they’re afraid of the spotlight. Your
child can play an ensemble role – a face in the crowd or a voice in
chorus – which gives him stage time without the pressure. If she
never, ever wants to be on stage, find out about backstage crew
positions – building the sets, controlling the lights, managing the
costumes. At many schools, there are tons of would-be actors, but
never enough crew members, and without the crew, the actors
would be lost!
weaknesses. Did your son talk too fast because he was nervous?
Help him find opportunities to practice his public speaking. Did
your daughter not know the song she was supposed to sing?
Next time, get a copy of the script and score from the library or
download the music online, and practice well before the audition.
If your child knows the material well, she’ll give a better audition.
And teaching her to come prepared is a valuable life skill.
Be prepared for a time commitment. A production is a lot of
work, and your child will have to attend lots of rehearsals. Make
room in your schedule – once your child is in the show, practice
isn’t really an “optional” activity. Many parents think they can take
their kids out early, drop them off late, or skip rehearsals entirely,
which causes serious problems for the rest of the cast.
Keep your perspective – and help your child keep hers. On
opening night, you’ll have all eyes on your little star, even if she’s
playing the second daisy from the left. But in reality, it’s not all
about your child. One of drama’s greatest gifts is that it forces
children to work together as a team, even if they don’t know or
like each other. Your child needs to see herself as part of something
bigger than herself, which means showing up for rehearsals even
when she’d rather do something else, and being gracious to her
“teammates” – especially if she’s the star of the show. Model
that behavior: congratulate other students and their families, and
encourage your child to think about what she can do for the cast,
crew, or director. Writing notes or bringing in little treats before
a performance or rehearsal can be a thoughtful gesture, especially
from someone in a leading role.
Get involved. The typical drama teacher’s responsibilities would
be divided between five or six different people in the professional
theater world. Any help you offer will be greatly appreciated,
whether you donate goods, build sets, sew costumes, or hand
out programs during the performance. In many schools, the arts
programs don’t get the “booster” support that sports do, so your
contribution can really make a difference.
Advocate for theater education. Unfortunately, in today’s world
of No Child Left Behind, arts programs can be one of the first
things cut from the school budget. However, Jones emphasizes,
“Theater is part of the core-curriculum with national standards and
assessment tools.” If your school doesn’t offer a program, talk to
the administration about why, and ask whether you can do anything
to help. Many schools lack the funds to support extracurriculars
like drama; parent fundraising can make a big difference.
While school is a natural place to get your child’s feet wet, don’t be
afraid to look elsewhere. “Check out community theaters nearby
and college theater departments or professional companies with
youth programs; check out summer camps,” such as Camp Bravo
or Stagedoor Manor, Jones says. Also, look into church youth
groups or local performing arts groups for kids.
With a little research, you can find a place for your child to stretch
Sometimes, disappointment can lead to growth. Not everyone her wings, and make all the world her stage. Hannah Montana,
can get a plum part in the school play. If your child comes home watch out!
sad that he didn’t get the role he wanted, encourage him to politely
ask the director why. Most teachers will give specific, constructive
suggestions. Learning to absorb and accept critique is a key life Kimberly Haynes is a former high school teacher and department
skill-- whether on the stage or off of it. Once your child is aware of chair. She now works as a writer and educational consultant in the
where he needs improvement, help him make a plan to work on his -14- San Francisco Bay Area.
Women’s Right to Vote
How Quickly We Forget, If We Ever Knew,
Why Women Should Vote.
This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago written by “anonymous”.
Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.
-15-
The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for
the vote.
And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women
wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'
( HLucy Burns)
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left
her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.
(Dora LewisI )
They hurled Dora Lewis into
a dark cell, smashed her head
against an iron bed and knocked
her out cold. Her cell mate,
Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was
dead and suffered a heart attack.
Additional affidavits describe
the guards grabbing, dragging,
beating, choking, slamming,
pinching, twisting and kicking
the women.
Thus unfolded the 'Night of
Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when
the warden at the
Occoquan Workhouse in
Virginia ordered his guards to
teach a lesson to the suffragists
imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House
for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open
pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.
(HAlice Paul)
When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied
her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she
vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to
the press.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf
So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because- -why,
exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't
matter? It's raining?
-16-
Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie, “Iron Jawed Angels.” It is a graphic depiction of the battle
these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.
All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote.
Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.
My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about
it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. “One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,” she said. “What would
those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but
those of us who did seek to learn.” The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her “all over again.”
HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in
their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing,
but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.
It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be
permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't
make her crazy.
The doctor admonished the men: “Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.”
Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.
We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.
History is being made.
Don’t Forget To Vote
Another Loss
I regret to report that Mary Barnes, who mentored theater arts students and was a powerful advocate of the program, died in her sleep
of natural causes.
Mary was married to the late Prof. Ronald E. Barnes, and they lived in San Bernardino for more than 40 years. In fact, the couple was
integral to the start our Theatre Arts Department; and Ron, one of Cal State San Bernardino’s original faculty members, was the only
theatre arts professor when the college opened its doors in 1965. Mary was also a key contributor to the development of the Players of
the Pear Garden thespian group, which continues to exist today. Mary was a central element in the department, and she had the unique distinction to be in the first production of the newly constructed
University Theatre, which her husband helped design for the fledgling college. Along with several students, she starred in Chekhov’s
The Seagull.
As a powerful supporter of the university’s Theatre Department and her husband’s legacy, Mary was instrumental in having the theater
named to celebrate her husband’s 33 teaching career at Cal State. In 2004, the University Theatre was dedicated in her late husband’s
honor as the Ronald E. Barnes Theatre. Our thoughts are with friends and others acquainted with Mary. It was through Mary and Ron’s dedication and determination that our
Theatre Department has such a strong base of support.
Written by Al Karnig
President, CSU San Bernardino
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Advisory Council
The Working Actor
Vernee Watson is an Emmy award-winning
actress who began her career at the age of
eighteen in commercial. She has been in
over 200 spots since that time. To this day,
she continues that work and yes, that’s Ms.
Watson in the new V8 commercial!
Ms. Watson is probably best known for
her role as the mother of Will Smith in The
Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and she has guest
starred on many TV shows including LA Law, Murphy Brown,
Hill Street Blues, Fantasy Island, Welcome Back, Kotter, What’s
Happening, The Jeffersons, Vegas, A Different World, Married
With Children and most recently The Big Bang Theory, Without a
Trace and Cold Case (airing October 28th).
Brad Koepenick,
Advisory Council Chair
Films include Norman. Is That You?, The Violation of Sara
McDavid, Death By Reason of Insanity, Boy in the Plastic Bubble,
All Night Long, Showdown in Little Tokyo, Antwoine Fisher
(directed by Denzel Washington) and the docu-drama Angel DustThe Wack Attack, for which she won an Emmy Award.
She can also be heard in her many voiceovers in various animated
cartoon series including Captain Cavemen, Scooby Doo, The
Flintstones, Batman, Superman and Baby Talk.
Ms. Watson is an advocate for
theater education and speaks
regularly in schools, not to
mention serving as a “special
inspirational speaker” at our
recent DTASC festivals. She
points to her own experience
with theater education as a
motivating factor in her life.
“As a young actress in a
Harlem based theater group, I
was greatly influenced by Mini
Gentry, who taught us to work
from the inside organically
and helped us to find and
experience the emotions of a
character. I recently discovered she
grandmother!”
is
Terence
Howard’s
In addition to acting, Ms. Watson is the author of two books and
runs an acting school, but she emphasizes the need for theater arts
education in every school. “To be able to be involved in theater
in school is a tremendous opportunity for the emotional, creative
and professional development of the student. I also see theater as
providing a necessary outlet for emotional release.”
She has also played the role of adoring “theater mother”. “Both
my son and daughter grew up in the theater and were involved
in the school productions, which I often directed. Both attended
performing arts high schools and became members of a The
Robinson Project, a performing arts group”.
Even with her busy schedule, Ms. Watson still finds working with
theater students to be an enriching and rewarding experience. After
sitting in on one of her weekend seminars at The Conservatory on
the CHAMPS High School campus in Van Nuys, I can tell you the
students return that enthusiasm in kind.
She co-directed The Hole in the Wall, an original musical with the
children of City of Honors High School, is co-starring in Applause
of Ms. E this month at The Madrid Theater and will appear in The
Legend of the Chocolate Nutcracker at Royce Hall at the end of
November. One can find her books, DVDs and recent clips at
vwatsonproductions.com. Welcome, Vernee Watson to our CETA
advisory council!
Advisory Board Members
Dr. Diane Brooks
California State Department of Education,
Retired
Harold Gould
The Sting/Rhoda Emmy Nominated
Amy Hill
Film and Television Actress
Jeri Jewell Deadwood/Facts of Life
E. Jack Kaplan Film and Television Writer
David and Wendy Knoller Producers-Friends/Big Love/Freaks
& Geeks
The Honorable Sheila James Kuehl
California Senator,
District 23)
Jon Landau
Academy Award Winning Producer – Titanic
John Lithgow
4x Emmy Winner/Golden Globe/Academy
Nominated
Joe Mantegna
Criminal Minds/Emmy & Golden Globe
Nominated
Marion Ross Happy Days/Emmy & Golden Globe Nominated
Carol Sills
Story Theater Kevin Spacey
2x Academy Award Winner/Tony Winner
Deb Scott Suhrsetdt
Academy Award Winning Costume
Titanic/Transformers
Tim Suhrsetdt Emmy Winning DP-Chicago Hope/Little Miss
Sunshine
Rachel Ticotin My American Family/Total Recall
Vernee Watson
Welcome Back Kotter/Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Mare Winningham
2x Emmy Award Winner/Independent
Spirit Winner
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CETA
Board of Directors
CETAPresident
Amanda Swann
Birmingham High School
Vice-President Public Middle Schools
Rozan Gautier
Walnut Creek Middle School
Cultural Diversity Chair
Ellen Sell
Garfield High School
CETA President-Elect
James Thomas Bailey
ComedySportz International
Vice-President Parochial and Private Schools
Kim O’Rourke
St. Lucy’s Priory
CETA Past-President and Assistant E-News Editor
Carol Hovey
Livermore High School
CETA Northern Region President
Jana Baumann
CETA Past Presidents Council Co-Chairs
Victoria Francis
Emeritus, Palisades Charter High School
Roger Graziani
Charter Oak High School
CETA Executive Treasurer Carolyn Elder
Samuel Jackman Middle School
CETA Southern Region President
Corky Dominguez
Los Angeles County High School of the Arts
CETA Executive Secretary
Dawn M. Reid
Littlerock High School
CETA Publications and E-News editor
Kaleta Brown
Emeritus, Cypress College
Vice-President Membership
Conference Registrar
Gai Jones
Emeritus, El Dorado High School
CETA Awards Chair
Jennifer Johnson-Casey
Windward Middle School
Vice-President Public High Schools
Arlene Hood
Moreau Catholic High School
Vice-President Public Elementary Schools
Dr. Steven McCarthy
LAUSD
Cesar Chavez Middle School
CETA Advisory Board Chair
Brad Koepenick
PUC Schools
TCAP Representative
Robin Lithgow
LAUSD
Don’t Forget!
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Visual & Performing Arts Consultant
Nancy Carr
California State Department of Education
Webmaster
John Bilotta
Nash Editions, Cypress College
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Artur Cybulski
Camp Bravo
Emmett Jacobs
Loyola University
David Krassner
Camp Bravo