Thank the lord this Monday my first (paid) gig as a director will be over. The performance is of a play I've simply dubbed "Bully Play" which was found somewhere on the Internet and then cut clipped and butchered to better fit the needs of the school by my Boss.
It wasn't until yesterday during our "dress" that I looked at this play and thought, "God this is just an awful play and I am so fucking sick of it". I purposely did not let myself think this
thought until this moment because otherwise it would have turned into something boring and unpresentable....it doesn't seem to have become that. I remember thinking when taking this job that I just love working with highschoolers. And I do! But the instance in which I last worked with them was at a sleep away camp, where parents and transportation were not in question....note to self: build better communication with parents the next time you work with school age Children. Because of these kids parents I've had so many last minute "OH my mom JUST told me that I have an orthodontist appointment after school, I can't come to practice" or "OH I didn't show up with out telling you because my Mom wouldn't LET me come to rehearsal because of my bad grades" this AFTER (both the kid and the parent) signed a contract that states they wont get paid if they miss more than one rehearsal with out telling me TWO days in advance......
ALL that said, I really like the kids I'm working with, they're kind to me and to each other, they're probably the kids I'd be friends with in high school, and they seem to think I'm cool in some sense. And I worked with what I had and made it into something that I think Middle schoolers will at the very least pay attention to. If ONE kid walks away from this play having learned that they should be nicer to a kid that is quiet, or doesn't have any friends or smells funny....then I've done my job. And we're showing the play to the entire 5th and 6th Grade so....there's a good possibility that that will happen.
Would I do anything differently? Yeah. I'd probably get a second person in there with me from the beginning. Get some kid to take blocking notes for me, line notes, keep track of the contracts, permission slips etc so I could pay attention to the play more. I'd give the kids copies of their contracts so they'd remember what it is they signed on to do. I'd call all their parents from the beginning and make sure they understand what THEY signed on to do and establish some sort of a relationship with them so they know I'm not joking around here. And I'd require practices to be lengthened the last two weeks of rehearsals.
Maybe I'll get some one to film the thing and I'll YouTube it....or maybe I'll be way too embarrassed to do that.
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Me and Dave went for a walk in snowy sunny Jackson Field yesterday, it was beautiful and refreshing and the best exercise I've gotten in a while. I'm going to miss the hills and the trees pretty badly when I move to Chicago...I might just go for a walk again today.
(The Photo is from a less sunny trip to Jackson Field)
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