Monday Letters 20-21 Archive2/15/2021Hello Drama!
This week's Monday Letter features Miranda Haymoon, Theatre Director. Read her bio and interview, and check out the source article below for other amazing Female directors! Newly appointed resident director at Roundabout Theatre Company (New York); leader of RTC’s Directors Group; assistant director on Broadway’s Travesties; Roundabout Directing Fellow (2018); Select credits: Really, Really Gorgeous (The Tank), Everybody (Sarah Lawrence College), In the Penal Colony (Next Door @ NYTW, The Tank), and Mondo Tragic (National Black Theater). First production you ever directed: I directed Post-Its (Notes on a Marriage) by Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman in high school. Directing that ten-minute play totally engulfed me, and I'm still really proud of it. Professionally, I toured my adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse-Five and it premiered at Capital Fringe. What made you want to be a director: I've tried performing, designing, stage managing, writing, backstage—everything. Directing gives me the chance to pursue knowledge in the craft of everything. A show you want to direct: The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht. Describe the attributes of your ideal project: I like projects that encourage audiences to move away from assumed norms, and I have an open vision of what that looks like. It could be non-normative in terms of structure or narrative, but also who gets to be considered "universal" on stage, or characters facing obstacles that we don't usually get to see them battling. A production you worked on and are particularly proud of and why: I'm really proud of the opera of Intimate Apparel, which I am the associate director on under Bartlett Sher. Our team became a real family through the process, and have become even closer as an ensemble since being halted by the pandemic. (We have bi-weekly Zoom calls!) It's an honor and a joy to be part of presenting the canonical story of Intimate Apparel in a new form. I am so excited to share with audiences when it's safe to do so. A guiding principle of your directing style: A tenet of my directing approach is to carefully learn how my collaborators learn, so that I can responsibly guide a process filled with experimentation, courage, intention, and care. That is my mission—to be a facilitator for perpetual learning and thus, unlearning. https://www.playbill.com/article/20-powerhouse-women-directors-theatre-fans-and-industry-pros-alike-need-to-know In our Theatre classes this week: 6th Period: A deeper dive into Lighting equipment; quiz on Tuesday! 7th Period: Exploring Shakespeare's career; intro to Hamlet Monologue 8th Period: MCM! Make sure you take the casting quiz on Teams - open the assignment and follow the link! ********************************** 2/8/2021 We have a short week ahead and then a lovely five day break. Work smart for a couple of days, and then have a great break! This week we continue the celebration of Black History Month with a look at the phenomenal talents of Audra McDonald. "Born in 1970, Audra McDonald is arguably the most well-known black theater talent of the 20th and 21st centuries. She has received multiple Tony, Drama Desk, and Drama League awards, among others, for her roles in such shows as "Carousel," "Master Class," "Ragtime," "A Raisin in the Sun," "110 in the Shade," "Porgy and Bess," and "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill." Ms. McDonald is featured in this week's Monday Letter playing another legendary singer: Billie Holiday! Look them both up! For a deeper dive take a look at this article from the Virginia Tech Magazine Archives on the Most Influential Black Artists in Musical Theatre. Break is the perfect time to watch a show for your OPP's that are due BY March 17! Here is an article of FREE streaming choices! There are productions that cost money that are streaming, and one of them is SCHOOL GIRLS: OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY. Check it out, it may be something that you and your family would be interested in. In our Theatre classes this week: 6th Period: Lighting Equipment 7th Period: Shakespeare! 8th Period: Secret Pal Valentine Party! Intro to Musical Comedy Murders of 1940! THESPYS: ALL THESPY RECORDINGS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO YOUR THESPY EVENT REGISTRATION AND SAVED (not in cart) BY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7th. Please make sure that Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk is a PRIMARY Collaborator for EACH of your events. If you are having any problems with the registration or recording immediately email Mac. I am still accepting and responding to FLIPGRIDS for songs and monologue submissions, so send them in! Reminders: 1. Film in all black against as plain of a background as you can find. 2. Film using the best recording device you have - for many of you that is your camera on your phones on the back side. 3. Set the recording device so that the camera is even with your eyes. You can use a stack of books to do this. If you have a family member that can help, have them stand in your 'place' and get the camera angle just the way you want it. They could start and stop the video, but you can also do this and just edit out that part. Or ask help with that. 4. Practice your slate (examples are on the Teams Assignment) so you are completely comfortable. SMILE!! Remember the Thank You at the end of the performance, and smile again. Show your pride and gratitude for being able to share your work. 5. Be confidant. YOU are the reason that Thespys exist as much as any other student in our State and Country. 10's of thousands of students are doing just what you are doing this month - choosing to submit to Thespys! Just go for it! 6. Need help? Just ask! I am glad to help you! 7. Need a 'rehearsal partner' who will help you make sure you are on your lines? Ask a Drama friend, or ask me to recommend someone who I think would be delighted to help you. If someone does ask you for prompting help, remember that you are NOT directing them. Please don't tell other actors how to act. You hold script and feed lines when they call 'line'. Your ONLY job is to support by telling them they are doing great, and by doing the factual work of helping them to be line perfect. I have seen people deeply affected and hurt when another student tells them what to do or what they are doing 'wrong'. Don't be that person. Looking for the notes on the feedback loop? Go to the Archive tab, and Past Monday Letters! ******************************************* 1/31/3021 Black Lives Matter. The artwork featured this week was created last summer in Seattle as artists and activists took to the streets to do what they do so well: use art to engage the community. This week is Black Lives Matter in all the schools at LWSD, and the beginning of Black History Month. The superintendent of the Lake Washington School District said this in a recent letter to the community: 'I am the proud Superintendent of 31,000 students and today, I am delighted to celebrate our Black students and tell them they matter, that they are seen and heard, and we are committed to their success'. Throughout the month of February the Monday Letter will feature Black Theatre artists in recognition of the powerful contribution Black playwrights, directors, actors, designers, technicians, choreographers and producers have made to strengthen the human experience and world Theatre. We celebrate Black Theatre Artists' contributions, but we also need to recognize that their contributions are not matched by the opportunities to be a part of the theatre experience they have helped to create. We need to do more than just recognize, we need to be a part of the conversation, to move forward, to not be afraid to speak up, to question, to share and understand. That takes the willingness to join in the conversation, even if it is difficult. Here is a quote from Stephanie Ybarra, the head of Baltimore Center Stage, and an anti-racist leader in the Regional Theatre Community : "Learning and unlearning in public can be embarrassing and painful. This work requires thick skin,” says Ybarra, “and deep humility. When somebody comes and tells you ‘This is a problem,’ or ‘What you said is problematic,’ it is one of the hardest things to understand — but you can receive that as a gift, like, ‘Oh, somebody just turned on a light." Here is the link to the article from where the quote came from: Building Trust After Inclusivity Failed: Lessons for the Theater Here is another article with specific data you might be interested in: broadways-race-problem-is-unmasked-by-data-but-the-theater-industry-is-still-stuck-in-neutral/ In our Theatre classes this week: 6th Period: We will continue watching and discussing Lighting Design, Working in the Theatre 7th Period: Shakespeare's language, iambic pentameter as a tool for the actor 8th Period: Thespys/Secret Pal Q/A's, Secret Pal Name Drop, then time to work on your Thespys THESPYS: ALL Drama students are encouraged to submit to Thespys. This is our FINAL week to work on the submissions. ALL THESPY RECORDINGS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO YOUR THESPY EVENT REGISTRATION AND SAVED (not in cart) BY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7th. Please make sure that Elizabeth McMurray-Hauk is a PRIMARY Collaborator for EACH of your events. If you are having any problems with the registration immediately email Mac. I am still accepting and responding to FLIPGRIDS for songs and monologue submissions, so send them in! Reminders: 1. Film in all black against as plain of a background as you can find. 2. Film using the best recording device you have - for many of you that is your camera on your phones on the back side. 3. Set the recording device so that the camera is even with your eyes. You can use a stack of books to do this. If you have a family member that can help, have them stand in your 'place' and get the camera angle just the way you want it. They could start and stop the video, but you can also do this and just edit out that part. Or ask help with that. 4. Practice your slate (examples are on the Teams Assignment) so you are completely comfortable. SMILE!! Remember the Thank You at the end of the performance, and smile again. Show your pride and gratitude for being able to share your work. 5. Be confidant. YOU are the reason that Thespys exist as much as any other student in our State and Country. 10's of thousands of students are doing just what you are doing this month - choosing to submit to Thespys! Just go for it! 6. Need help? Just ask! I am glad to help you! 7. Need a 'rehearsal partner' who will help you make sure you are on your lines? Ask a Drama friend, or ask me to recommend someone who I think would be delighted to help you. If someone does ask you for prompting help, remember that you are NOT directing them. Please don't tell other actors how to act. You hold script and feed lines when they call 'line'. Your ONLY job is to support by telling them they are doing great, and by doing the factual work of helping them to be line perfect. I have seen people deeply affected and hurt when another student tells them what to do or what they are doing 'wrong'. Don't be that person. Looking for the notes on the feedback loop? Go to the Archive tab, and Past Monday Letters! 1/25/2021 It was SO MUCH FUN seeing some of you Friday for material pick up. As one of my students said: 'you have legs!' I am so grateful that we KNOW each other now, and that remote is no longer a mystery to solve. I am looking forward to continuing our journey! ******************************************************************* 1/24/2021 I want to remind you that your teachers are better (and happier) when you engage with us. Reach out, talk in class, turn on your cameras, email, text - just stay in touch and keep it real. Each day choose one or two of your classes to turn your camera on as you come in to class. That will IMMEDIATELY brighten the day for everyone. It is pretty cool what smiling faces can do in this world! Take the short break between each of your classes to do a minute or two of something other than sitting! Run outside, grab some juice, do some jumping jacks. Get your metabolism up and moving so that your brain is sharper, you are more focused, and you are happier to come to class! Go OUT the door of the room you are doing remote in, spend at least a minute doing something, then come back in the door to your new class. Brain research tells us that passing through physical doors does a reset, creates a portal to a new level. You just feel better, and ready to go. Try it! The image this week reflects the power of imagination. It is our greatest tool, fueling every dynamic, artistic idea through the ages, from the lives of Shakespearean characters to the stylings of your favorite musician. If we can imagine it, we can do it, but the doing takes work, and determination, and self-love. Each day imagine the possibilities of YOU and your right to engage fully in the world, and then do the work to get you there, day by day, bursting with tiny explosions of thought and art and love! Time for 2nd semester and new units! -In 6th period we will be discovering the art and science of Theatre Lighting! -In 7th period we will be exploring Shakespeare! -In 8th period we will jumping into our Play Reading unit, and making sure we are all on track to upload to THESPYS In ALL classes your next OPP is due by March 17th! THESPYS: We are down to the final opportunities to be ready to upload to Thespys. What can I do to help you? Small Group Work: I can FILM your Thespys! I am available next week to work with you on your song or monologue or theoreticals. Please let me know if you want to be booked for a session on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. I am going to keep the groups small, will offer multiple sessions if needed. Book NOW to get a spot! What is FEEDBACK? What is your role in FEEDBACK? 1. Feedback is not criticism, or even constructive criticism. I know others have used those terms with you. Critique (criticism) is one-way communication of someone's opinion. Feedback is an assessment process that involves the performer in a two way conversation. This is called formative assessment, and is a powerful way for you to work with a teacher or coach to improve your skills. 2. When I give feedback I am looking at a specific skill set and where you are at this time in your vocal development in relationship to skills like breath control, character objective, pacing, etc. This is different from telling you what you are doing 'wrong' or what you need to do 'better'. Every performer, on every level, from beginning, to long time professional, is constantly working on breath control, a dynamic process because it involves so many parts of our bodies. I am giving you feedback on what I am seeing and hearing as you perform, whether you are at the beginning of understanding how to use your vocal tools, or somewhere in the middle of your journey with vocal production (you have been in a choir, have a voice coach, taken classes). Everyone will get feedback to be able to specifically and in practical ways be stronger performers. 10 years from now, working with a vocal coach or teacher, you will be working on the same skill sets! It is the nature of the work. 3. Performing with a speaking or singing voice is essentially the same, so the feedback for vocals, whether a monologue, solo song or duet, will always target the skills needed to control your vocals. 4. Creating a character is far more complex than just singing a song. Theatre is centered on character and narrative, specifically how your character fits into their world. So you can't just focus on what you sound like, you have to fully embody a character and the world of the play. The good news is that the more character you develop, the more you understand what you want and need, the better you will sound and the stronger your performance will be. Your body, the physical nature of the character, therefore, needs to be 100% engaged. Who are they? How do they stand, move, gesture within their world? What are their facial quirks and expressions? How does that affect their pacing, pitch, intonation? 5. Feedback is a partnership. I am using your Thespy submissions to be both your vocal teacher (improve vocal skills) and your vocal coach (work a specific song or monologue). I learn as much from your response to the feedback as I do from your performance. What do you understand, for example, when I give you tips on musicality (musical artistry)? How can I help you to put into practice the ideas I am sharing with you? What I am hoping is for you to tell me what you know and understand from the feedback, and to ask questions. Sometimes, especially when this process is new to them, students respond by saying they were nervous or weren't warmed up. Try to look past your worries about not doing it 'right' and instead work with me to build your emerging and deeply personal performance skills. 1/18/21 Congratulations, JHS Drama Students, for making it to the final week of the semester! I want you to take a moment and reflect on your successes and achievements over the past 5 months, on the new friends you have made, the new ideas you have explored, the challenges you have overcome. You are amazing, and your determination to keep growing and learning in the midst of all you have to had to endure is remarkable. We are better at what it takes to do school remotely, and as we move into 2nd semester it will be easier because of that. Meanwhile, I know that there is a lot going on to finish out first semester for all of us. 100% of your teachers want you to do well. If you need help from any teacher at Juanita be willing to reach out to them. They want to hear from you. That includes me, of course, at any time and for any reason. The final two showings of 9 REASONS are TODAY, Saturday, at 1 & 7pm. I hope you all had a chance to see the show! In classes this week!
Small Group Work: I am available next week to work with you on your song or monologue or theoreticals. Please let me know if you want to be booked for a session on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. I am going to keep the groups small, so I will offer multiple sessions if needed. Book NOW to get a spot! What is FEEDBACK? What is your role in FEEDBACK? 1. Feedback is not criticism, or even constructive criticism. I know others have used those terms with you. Critique (criticism) is one-way communication of someone's opinion. Feedback is an assessment process that involves the performer in a two way conversation. This is called formative assessment, and is a powerful way for you to work with a teacher or coach to improve your skills. 2. When I give feedback I am looking at a specific skill set and where you are at this time in your vocal development in relationship to skills like breath control, character objective, pacing, etc. This is different from telling you what you are doing 'wrong' or what you need to do 'better'. Every performer, on every level, from beginning, to long time professional, is constantly working on breath control, a dynamic process because it involves so many parts of our bodies. I am giving you feedback on what I am seeing and hearing as you perform, whether you are at the beginning of understanding how to use your vocal tools, or somewhere in the middle of your journey with vocal production (you have been in a choir, have a voice coach, taken classes). Everyone will get feedback to be able to specifically and in practical ways be stronger performers. 10 years from now, working with a vocal coach or teacher, you will be working on the same skill sets! It is the nature of the work. 3. Performing with a speaking or singing voice is essentially the same, so the feedback for vocals, whether a monologue, solo song or duet, will always target the skills needed to control your vocals. 4. Creating a character is far more complex than just singing a song. Theatre is centered on character and narrative, specifically how your character fits into their world. So you can't just focus on what you sound like, you have to fully embody a character and the world of the play. The good news is that the more character you develop, the more you understand what you want and need, the better you will sound and the stronger your performance will be. Your body, the physical nature of the character, therefore, needs to be 100% engaged. Who are they? How do they stand, move, gesture within their world? What are their facial quirks and expressions? How does that affect their pacing, pitch, intonation? 5. Feedback is a partnership. I am using your Thespy submissions to be both your vocal teacher (improve vocal skills) and your vocal coach (work a specific song or monologue). I learn as much from your response to the feedback as I do from your performance. What do you understand, for example, when I give you tips on musicality (musical artistry)? How can I help you to put into practice the ideas I am sharing with you? What I am hoping is for you to tell me what you know and understand from the feedback, and to ask questions. Sometimes, especially when this process is new to them, students respond by saying they were nervous or weren't warmed up. Try to look past your worries about not doing it 'right' and instead work with me to build your emerging and deeply personal performance skills. See you for another great week in Drama classes!12/5/2020 T'S SHOW WEEK!! This Friday, at 7pm and Saturday, at 7pm, Juanita Drama is presenting 9 REASONS! The LINK for both shows can be found on the Home Page and at the TOP of this Letter! The show is FREE, 35 minutes long, and fun! Can you help us out by spreading the word, downloading the poster image and sharing on your social media? Put it on your story, and eblast to everyone you know! Ask your families to help to reach even more people. It is crazy, but the link can be used by up to 10,000 devices!! Let's see how many people we can get to attend the show! This week we are smack in the middle of performance and technical units in all classes. Make sure you are all caught up with your assignments on Teams. 8th period, Production Workshop: Drama Leadership will be presenting Secret Santa at class on Tuesday, and letting you know how to get involved. Make sure you are at class by 2:30 so you don't miss out! There is NO Production Workshop, 8th period class, on Friday, since we will be getting ready for the Live Stream. Plan to attend 9 REASONS Friday and Saturday at 7pm! ********************* 11/21 Can you believe this is the final week of November? This past month flew past! We are into the holiday season now, with only three weeks to a two-week break! There are lots of fun things ahead! The featured pic reminds us of one of the basic ideas in life; we grow a little every day. It is especially important to remember this because it keeps us working, a little at a time, for big pay offs. I am proud of my students for the tenacity and creative risk taking in all classes, in all of our work together. Keep choosing to do things a bit out of your comfort level; that's when amazing growth happens! In Technical Theatre we will be exploring the scenic design needs for The Hound of the Baskervilles with a choice project coming up! Make sure you have turned in the current Teams assignment. In Drama 1&2 we will take a deep dive into how you prepare your monologues. Have your monologues printed so you can 'mark them up' in class! it is good to double space them on a page for easy notes. Have a yellow highlighter handy if you have one. Production Workshop: if you are not in 9 Reasons then you don't have class on Tuesday this week. Tuesdays' class will only be for the students involved in the 9 Reasons' production. Use the Tuesday time to make sure you have your Thespy pieces chosen, and all information correctly typed into the Thespy collaborative page. We will continue working on Thespy entries on Friday. I will also be sharing new deadlines because the Washington Thespian Board has changed the submission deadlines a bit. Please continue to email me with needs, requests, follow ups. If you have asked for help but haven't heard back by Sunday evening, 9pm, then email me. I will be offering drop in sessions on Monday, 2:30 - 2:50, and on Wednesday 1:30 - 2:30 for help with Thespy monologues, solo songs. These are optional drop in sessions. I am going to schedule some classes and optional work times just for the technical theoreticals next week. Our Fall play, 9 Reasons, is moving right along and will be all set with the production to open on Friday, December 11, at 7pm. This will be a Teams Live Event, and a link will be made available for all of you, your families and friends. Everyone in Drama: mark your calendars for Friday, December 11, at 7pm, and Saturday, December 12th at 7pm (with a possible matinee, and other showings to be announced!). If you have any questions about this let me know. ******************************* 11/21 Short week! As odd as our lives are these days we can always find things to be thankful for. What tops your list? I am grateful that I have kind, creative, and intellectually curious students to explore Theatre with. I am thankful for all the cheery hellos, the interest in the work and the smiles from the boxes stacked on the screen. And even though my family can't be together over Thanksgiving I am happy for the technology that is going to zoom us all together! I hope that this holiday is special for you and your family. Wish them all a Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Juanita Drama! Our Fall play, 9 Reasons, has a big day coming up this Saturday as we do our first full recorded run! Everyone in Drama: mark you calendars for Friday, December 11, at 7pm, and Saturday, December 12th at 7pm (with a possible matinee, and other showings to be announced!). We will be sharing a link to get you to the showing, and asking for your help to publicize the show. Stay tuned! All classes have Teams assignments due this week so make sure you are on top of your assignment calendar. If you wrote me asking for help with monologues and song choices in 7th or 8th expect a reply by Sunday night. If you haven't written me, and need help then send an email letting me know what you need. **************************** 11/14 SHE KILLS MONSTERS opened the brand new Juanita Theatre one year ago this weekend! The show was a high octane flight of fancy set in the magical world of D&D, a brilliant tale of courage, love and family. One of the coolest things about our new Theatre space is the rigging, and we had a lot of fun designing and flying in the Gelatinous Cube, Orcus' Map, and the show stopping Beholder, with voice over by Isabel Grizzard. The featured pic this week is Diana Plenefisch and Cate Gray, as sisters Agnes and Tilly. To everyone involved in the show: Congratulations! We brought an amazing show to life, had a blast doing it, AND we did it while breaking in the (really complicated!) space and learning to use all the fun technology. If you want to see more pics of the show go the Archive tab! Every student in the Juanita Drama Classes has the incredible opportunity to present performances and design projects for Regionals (Thespys) this year. The virtual submission makes it easy, and I am here to help you every step of the way! More information about HOW to submit will come in the next week or so.
One change I already know is this: you do NOT have to pay an entry fee. We have received a grant from the Juanita Foundation, a non-profit group that supports schools in the Juanita Learning Community, that will be paying ALL Juanita Drama fees for Regionals (Thespys). I worked with Principal Clapp to make this happen, and am proud that the Juanita Drama program is being given this support! TECH THEATRE: I am really looking forward to your scenic sketches for The Hound of the Baskervilles. You are only required to respond to one set of questions and sketch one of the scenes for this week's assignment (see Teams), but you are more than welcome to submit two! If you have questions email me. Drama 1&2: You need to have 2 short monologues to drop into the Collaborative page by the beginning of class. You should have already put in your song selection. If you need help finding monologues/songs email me and I will send you suggestions. If you have found some that are too long, I can help with cuts that bring them to the time limit of 3 minutes for both monologues. This week we will work with the monologues you have chosen during class time. Production Workshop: make sure you have complete information on the Collaborative page. Double check that. I am running extra drop in classes on Monday, 2:30 - 3:00, and Wednesday, 1:30 - 2:30 for 8th period, for help on monologues, songs, and to answer any questions you might have about Regionals (Thespys). 9 Reasons, our virtual Fall Play, is so much fun! We can't wait to share it with everyone. The show dates are December 11 & 12, so mark your calendars. More information (and a POSTER!) to come. 9 Reasons Cast and PA's: we will be recording every day from now on, so you will need to be in costume. Please check your email for additional information. ************* Nov 9, 2020 Hello Drama! We have reached 2nd quarter! Congratulations! Time to level up. All students in Drama classes will be submitting performance and/or technical designs as class assignments, using the National Theatre Rubrics to guide us. These performance and/or tech design class assignments can ALSO be submitted to the Washington State Thespian Regional Individual Events, now called Thespys! All classes will receive training and information to complete this class assignment and to learn how to submit monologues, solo songs and technical designs for this year's virtual Thespys. This is an AMAZING opportunity to work at your highest level and receive feedback from Industry professionals. I will help you choose what you want to perform or what technical design you want to present, and I will help you as you prepare. You are required to choose at least one event for the class assignment, but you can do up to three events to submit to the Thespys! Here are the dates for Thespys:
Why submit to Thespys?
If you are in 8th Period Production Workshop, and you were not in class on Friday, go to the November Calendar on One Note to see the Calendar update. We will meet 8th period on Tuesdays and Fridays for check in and updates on Thespys, and I will be holding open meetings on Monday, 2:30-3:00, and Wednesday, 1:30 - 2:30 for anyone who wants more help. **************MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Juanita Drama's Virtual Fall Play, 9 REASONS, will be streamed on December 11th and 12th. Stay tuned for more information! Nov 2, 2020 Happy Dia De Los Muertos! I enjoyed putting last week's lesson together for Mexico's Day of the Dead, and enjoyed even more the discussions in 6th and 7th about the responsibility Theatre artists have to accurately and respectfully incorporate cultural traditions and ideas. Here are the thoughts of one of our tech students: "Theater should spark questions about our society, and from there help shape it. As such, for us as people to move in a positive direction, we need to make sure everyone . . . has their culture accurately represented." I am so proud of my students. You are kind, supportive and growing as Theatre artists. Each class has become a working ensemble with distinct voices, clearly choosing to lean into the lessons and explore the ideas we are discussing. I am amazed at all we have done in two months! This last round of performances and technical work shows your deepening understanding. It was very cool to see you bring what you have learned in class into your OPP's (so many to read!). I particularly liked the confidence you demonstrated bringing personal opinion and thematic connections into your reviews. Let's have a great week! We will be adding your 2nd quarter OPP Choices to the Collaborative Space, introducing Regional IE (Thespy) opportunities to ALL classes, and rehearsing Production Workshop's virtual Fall Production, 9 Reasons. If you are in 8th Period you will find our calendar for November in One Note/Fall Play section. I will post an announcement about the calendar in the general channel for our class in Teams. Whenever I post an announcement please show me that you have read the announcement by 'liking' it. Responding to Monday Letters, announcements and emails are a very important part of our collaborative communication. Communication = all of us in the know! *****October 26, 2020 The Photo on the Monday Letter is the current assignment in Tech Theatre class. We are examining Scenic Design as an Art Form, and each student has created a collage filled with color and texture connected to how a chosen quote makes them feel. Here is mine for Fall. I love living in the Northwest where dramatic scene changes are happening all around us! Take the time to go outside and breathe in Fall. Invite your family to go for a walk with you! Take your camera and capture the beauty, or bring your sketchbook and do some quick draws. Bring home a sprig of vibrant fall foliage and put it in a jar on your desk. Stay connected to the amazing world around you! This week is OPP week! Make sure you have uploaded your quarter project to Teams by 4pm on Wednesday. All the information you need is on Teams, but if you have ANY questions just send me an email. Follow the example I showed in class. Have fun writing these up! 6th: We will continue with our presentations of the ppt. slides. Make sure you go to Teams and follow the instructions for re-submitting your work in PNG form by 9am on Monday. I have a Halloween lesson for Friday! 7th: Your Flipgrids, 8 Emotions, are due by Monday, 9am. Get them done this weekend if you haven't already so that you are ready to enjoy a week of going deeper into our study of acting/reacting. We will also have a Halloween lesson for Friday! 8th: NO class on Tuesday. If you need help with your OPP let me know! We will be meeting on Friday for our Halloween Party. I am going to start class at 2:40 to give people time to get costumes on, have a bit of a break. See you then! Fall Play Company: We begin Rehearsals on Monday with our Fall Play. Everyone who is part of the company will be receiving an email from me this weekend. Look on your Teams to see if you have been added to the new channel. If you can read my message there then please follow the prompt. Looking forward to seeing everyone this coming week! October 19, 2020 Are you as glad as I am to make it back to a regular week's schedule? I am looking forward to all of our Synch classes this week, and to do the Fall Play Reveal to Production Workshop on Friday! The photo on this week's Monday Letter is Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. I saw this production at the 5th Ave and I have had the great fun of directing this classic Musical Comedy. If you want to see two amazing Reno Sweeneys first check out the fabulous Patty Lupone in 1988 as she performs Anything Goes! Tap alert!! and THEN Sutton Foster at the 2011 Tony's performing Anything Goes. Again, TAP ALERT!! It is REALLY interesting to compare the changes in performance styles between the two pieces. This week in 6th Technical Theatre we will continue exploring the Scenic Design as an Art Form. Have you been working on your Quote collages? Make SURE you have viewed the Collage and OPP Assignment on Teams. This is part of your participation grade. This week in 7th Drama 1&2 we will be continue to work on the 8 Emotions assignment and exploring tips for virtual recordings. Make sure you have viewed the 8 Emotion and OPP Assignments in Teams. This is part of your participation grade. This week in Production Workshop is Audition Week for the Fall Play. Make sure you view Part One in Teams, AND the Flipgrid Assignment for Part Two. Do NOT submit either one until after our class on Tuesday. Full information and instructions are on the assignment pages. ALL members of 8th are required to turn in Part One. If you want to continue with the full Audition you will also do the Flipgrid Interview. We will be having a regular class on Tuesday and Friday this week. Tuesday I will be presenting Audition tips and answering questions. Friday I will be revealing the Show and the Company Roles and Positions. Looking forward to seeing everyone! ********************* For Monday, Oct 12, 2020 We have a four day school week with a whacko schedule so make sure you pay attention to when your classes are meeting on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday! The pic featured on this week's Monday Letter is from an exuberant and joyful moment in the musical Newsies! How are you doing with keeping up with your homework? The majority of students in my classes are getting 100% of the assignments in. Good job! I know it is harder keeping track of everything in remote learning land. How are you organizing your assignments and your time? My best advice is keeping a day planner. It is a big help when you have so many things to remember. My other bit of advice is to do one thing at a time, and then check it off! If you have a to-do list that becomes a to-done list it feels great! Need help with assignments you missed in our classes? Just ask me! I want you all to be successful and feel great about your Theatre classes. This week in Technical Theatre Class and Drama 1&2 we are starting new units! Make sure you have your notebooks, turn those cameras on, and be ready to explore new ideas! You should check to make sure ALL assignments are in. Look at your grades, and if something is missing or wrong let me know. There are a LOT of things for me to get right so your help is appreciated! Production Workshop - see your calendar below. This week we finish up the Under Fives! I expect ALL of you to be at your recording sessions on Tuesday, on time, rehearsed and ready to be amazing. Your group leaders will be sending out some reminders for you after our Monday meeting. Make sure you respond back to them to let them know you received the message! Want to earn an easy 5 points? Respond to the Monday Letter! Here is the calendar for 8th period:
For Monday, Oct 5, 2020 The pic on this week's Monday Letter features the amazing Duncan Arnold, as the out-of-luck Mage, being drawn into the Gelatinous Cube in last year's production of She Kills Monsters! Are you new to Drama this year and saw SKM? Share with me what you thought about the show! I want to give a huge shout out to all of my fabulous Drama students who are making this year work for me, and for everyone else in Drama. Your energy, willingness to TURN YOUR CAMERAS ON (yay!!), and clear interest in all things Theatre are a bright spot in my day. OPP's should be in full swing by now. The first quarter OPP is DUE on Wednesday, Oct 28. Go to TEAMS to see the full assignment. Have you watched your show? ALL classes, ALL students are required to read and respond to the Monday Letter. This is part of your weekly participation grade. Beginning this week if you do not respond to the Monday Letter you will see a loss of points for the week. Remember to respond to the week before, let me know what you understand is coming up for the new week, and share thoughts, ideas, family game nights, cooking experiments, etc. I love getting to know you better. Three paragraphs per Monday Letter response is the minimum, but you can write as much as you would like! Hey! Check your grades. Participation is the KEY to success in Theatre classes, especially with our Remote challenge. Participate by turning your cameras on, speaking up in class, and completing all digital assignments, including filling in the collaboration page docs for things like OPP choices and rehearsal responses. Completion of assignments is part of your Participation grade. SKYWARD is the official place where your final grades land, so look there for updates. Am I missing something? Let me know! Tech Theatre is exploring Stage directions and vocabulary as we begin our study of Hamilton. If you can watch Hamilton on Disney+ do that! As you learn more about what it takes to put a play together you will appreciate Hamilton even more. It is a master class in Theatre design and Production! Make sure you have taken all the quizzes! If you have a zero on SKYWARD that means I did not receive a quiz from you. Email me about this! Drama 1&2 have an assignment due on Flipgrid on Wednesday by 4pm. Review the assignment PowerPoint pages for 'The Other'. You will find them in the Content Library in One Note under FLIPGRID. If you missed turning in the first FLIPGRID I will still accept it. Let me know if you have questions about anything, but especially about getting the Flipgrid assignments in. In this class missing a Flipgrid is going to make it very difficult for me to get to know and help you with performance. Production Workshop began performances for the UNDER FIVES original scripts and productions we have all been working on for the past three weeks. The live performances were BRILLIANT and so much fun to see. I am looking forward to next Tuesday to see the rest of the performances. Please make SURE you follow the weekly calendar for Production Workshop listed below!! AND make sure you are doing the Rehearsal and Performance Responses on the Collaboration Pages. I have graded all entries as of this morning. If you have questions about this just ask! Monday 10/5: Group leaders 3:30 - 4:00 Monday 10/5: Drama Leadership: 4:00 - 4:30 (same call) Tuesday 10/6: Under Five Performance Day Two: 2:25 - 3:45 Thursday 10/8: Group Leaders 3:30 - 4:00 Thursday 10/8: Drama Leadership: 4:00 - 4:30 (same call) Friday 10/9: Under Five DeBrief and What's Next?: 2:25 - 3:25 *************** For Monday, Sept 28 Hello Drama! This week September slides into October, and for Juanita Drama that means the Halloween Month has begun! Want to plan a virtual Halloween Costume Party? If you do make sure you let me know on your Monday Letter response. I am a push-over for Halloween - we decorate at our house this weekend! The photo this week features Farrah, one of the bosses from She Kills Monsters, played by the fierce and delightful Celina Osorio. And yes, that is Steve, the mage, aka Duncan, knocked out on the floor from Farrah's potent wand. Fabulous scene, and a magical and memorable show! Want to do the ONE thing that will make all of your classes so much more fun and engaging? Turn you cameras on! In my classes where students are popping on their cameras the atmosphere is transformed. On Friday, 6th period Tech Theatre, and 8th period Production Workshop, filled my screen with smiling, interested faces that made the moments come to life! It was energizing and inspiring. Give your classmates and teachers a gift and turn those camera on! In 6th we have been studying In The Heights, which opened on Broadway at the Richard Roger's Theatre, February, 2007. Next week we will be looking more closely at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, that has for the past 95 years housed some of Broadways most famous plays and musicals. Don't forget to take the quiz currently posted on Teams! In 7th I am having a great time viewing the Flipgrids of Monologues from Pop Songs. It is SO MUCH FUN to see you up and moving! Congrats on getting your first performance video to me. I will be sharing a few of the monologues in class, and will be getting feedback to you over the next week or so. Next week we will be looking at what it takes to perform on Broadway! In 8th, Production Workshop, all 12 Under Five cast and director groups are in rehearsal, preparing for performances to begin this coming Friday! I have thoroughly enjoyed the excitement surrounding this project. It is wonderful to have training sessions with my student directors, and to hear and read feedback from the actors. REMINDER: Communication is THE KEY to building and running the Juanita Drama program. Each and everyone of you communicating is critical to making it work with such a large and dynamic program. When you get an email from me, please respond, and make sure you are responsible for any of the tasks you have been assigned. This includes completing the collaborative responses posted on One Note. I need 100% of you to complete the current Sept 25 Response right away. Enjoy what others have written! EVERYONE please review the OPP Assignment Page in Teams, and make sure your OPP Proposal is filled in and correct: Classroom Notebook, Collaborative Section, Quarter Project. I will be posting grades this week for your OPP PROPOSAL and for VIEWING THE ASSIGNMENT. Teams shows me when you view an assignment:). Here is the Production Workshop Calendar for the week:
For Monday, September, 21, 2020 Hello Drama! We are in the swing of things in all of the Drama Classes! ALL classes now have the OPP Assignment and Rubric posted in TEAMS. Take the time to carefully review the assignment, and read the Rubric. FINAL DUE DATE for your OPP Proposals. submitted to Mac via email, is this Monday, September 21. Once you have submitted your proposal go to the PROJECT PROPOSAL page in the Collaborative section of your Class Notebook, and fill in the information. Check your grades! Everything is updated. Missing something? Complete it and let me know in your Monday Letter response (which is due by Sunday, at 9pm). If you MISSED last week's letter on how to respond to the Monday Letter go to the top of this website, click on MORE. and open the Past Monday Letter page. You will find instructions on how to respond to the Monday Letter there. In Tech Theatre we are studying In The Heights, as we continue our deep dive into the collaborative process of producing a show. In Drama 1 & 2 we are working on Popular Songs as Monologues. Your Flipgrids are DUE on Wed, Sept 23, by 4pm. The assignment page, and link to Flipgrid, is in your Class Notebook, Content Library, under the Monologue Section. In Production Workshop we are in week two of Under Fives, with 12 groups, and 42 students writing under five minute plays, with abandoned places as common settings. Plays are due to be submitted to Mac in the Group Leader meeting on Monday during 0 period. We will then begin the week long rehearsal process to prepare for live performances on Teams. ALL Production Workshop students will meet on Tuesday, in 8th period, before breaking out to rehearsal groups. Group Leaders make sure you UPDATE the Meeting Details page in the Collaborative section of your Class Notebook with the next meeting posted. Today's featured photo is Alumni Cindy Cao, and Senior Elizabeth Shirakian, in Arabian Nights! Ask Elizabeth about her experiences in that show! To see more pics from past show go to Juanita Drama's Facebook page (while you are there put a like on the page!). We also have an instagram account at jhs_drama. Take some time to check that out! I am so grateful for ALL of JHS Drama. Keep working hard and having fun in Drama! ********************** For Monday, September 14, 2020 Hello Drama! This is the first Monday Letter that is a REQUIRED RESPONSE as part of your participation grade each week. See below for how to respond, and make sure you email a response by 9pm each Sunday. If this is your first time on the site, welcome! Explore the Archive Tab for past show pics, and read below this letter for past letters from this past summer! The photo featured on the Monday Letter this week brings back amazing memories of SKM and three of our awesome D&D characters played by Gabe, Jade and Eve ! Did you see the show? I am enjoying our work in Tech Theatre and Performance classes! You are all so amazing the way you are leaning into the remote world of Theatre Education, and supporting what we are doing in class. I am grateful for the smiling faces from the other side of my computer screen guiding me along. Thanks to all my helpers! We are going to continue exploring the role of the Stage Manager in 6th, and dive deeper into vocal work in 7th. If you are in Production Workshop you will find out on Tuesday the Under 5's groupings and settings for our first virtual rehearsals and performances! Those of you who volunteered to be student leaders please look for an email by Sunday night. OPP's: The OPP assignment will be posted by Sunday night . Make sure you thoroughly understand the OPP Quarter Project by reading through the OPP Handout in the Content Library, under the Quarter Project tab. Show this to your parents, and encourage them to watch a show with you. Siblings, too! When you respond to the Monday Letter today you can propose what Play or Musical you want to do your OPP on! All Drama students should now be signed up for TEENTIX. Go to HOW TO USE YOUR TEENTIX PASS for complete information on using your pass for VIRTUAL and REAL TIME events! If you haven't shown me your pass remember to do that as you say "HI MAC, It's Awesome Drama Kid (your name)" to me in classes next Monday and Tuesday! You can get the pass on your phone or print it out to show me by going to the TeenTix website. Now that you have read the Monday Letter you need to respond by emailing Mac at emcmurray-hauk@lwsd.org by 9pm each Sunday. Use your school email unless you are having problems with it. Here are the three required pieces to the Monday Letter Responses, with short examples (you can write as much as you want to me!): 1. (After saying hi to me!) Respond to the work we have been doing. Example: It was fun to do the vocal warm up exercises in class! I get it now that the diaphragm is where the power comes from! 2. What is due, and/or what are you working on or getting ready for the next week in Drama? Example: I have to bring a straw and a glass of water to class on Monday so we can practice Straw Vocalizing. I did it with my little sister and then my mom wanted to try! Also, I want to watch She Loves Me on the NPR site for my OPP. Is that ok? 3. Something fun and interesting about you, what you are up to, other classes - really anything you want to share with me! Example: I made lasagna for the first time for my family. It was delicious, and not that hard to make. I put a LOT of cheese in it, and my family really liked it. I think I want to try to actually make homemade noodles next time! I love reading the Monday Letter responses and getting to know each of you even better. Make sure you post by 9pm on SUNDAY NIGHT to give me time to read and adjust anything I need to be thinking about before classes start on Monday. Questions? Just ask!! Hugs, Mac @ emcmurray-hauk@lwsd.org ************************************************ 7/26/2020 Hello Drama (current AND Alumni!!) We know now that Juanita will be full remote for the start of the 20-21 school year. Many Alumni have heard that their long-awaited move to college campuses will have to be postponed. I know this is disappointing and challenging, and that you will have lots of questions about what this means going forward. There are things we don't know and can't control, but there are many things we can do as individuals to make this time a positive experience. Live in the daily. Find joy in what is right in front of you: family, getting outside, new ideas for creativity. Stay active and engaged in life. Your future is bright - just different than what you had imagined. Take advantage of this rare personal time to expand your interests, to take some deep dives into your creative self. You are going to be spending a lot of screen time when school returns. Start NOW to create a balance, daily rituals that have nothing to do with the screen. Make art daily. Dance. Be a kitchen scientist. Grow and nurture a plant (really, this is quite the fascinating thing to do!). Write actual letters and mail them to your friends. Learn to hula-hoop or do some fancy rope skipping. Choose a favorite musical and REALLY learn the lyrics, dance moves, monologues. Push yourself to grow and change. YOU are your best teacher and it is amazing what you will learn when you also become your best motivator! Create an idea journal filled with things that catch your eye, inspire you or lift your spirits. You can use a bound journal or just pieces of blank paper in a notebook. Start one today, and each day add a page: style steal a favorite artist or reproduce a work you love and comment on it (see above). Write a poem or short story, or some observations. Keep track of funny things you heard or saw. Record song lyrics, quotes and comment. Record kitchen adventures. Recall favorite memories. Draw your cat or make a cartoon of your family life. Sketch, cut and paste (with real scissors!). Number and date your entries. Over time you will have created a record of who you were during this time we are all being challenged to stay engaged with life. Some days you will pour yourself into a day long project; other days your page will have a quote and a comment. Your pages will reflect the ebb and flow of these days. The thing about creative rituals is that you start looking forward to them and they become a focal point in your day. Take the time NOW when school isn't demanding your time to develop creative rituals that you can sustain throughout the fall. Want to chat? Just send me a text or email. Take care, Mac emcmurray-hauk@lwsd.org |
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