Drama, Drama, and More Drama

     Thirteen plus four equals thespians galore!  That's right.  Seventeen teenagers meet in one room for two hours every Friday for the Senior Drama class.  What a super group of kids we have this year!  This being my first year to participate with our co-op group makes it impossible for me to compare with other drama groups in years past.  However, I know a good group of kids when I see one.

     I took over this class at the beginning of the spring semester when the last drama teacher regretfully had to step out of the program.  Stephanie Land spent the first semester working with the kids on integrity in dramatic portrayal, relaxation techniques, character development and many other facets of acting.  She chose the play "Looking Glass Land" by James DeVita.  As you may have guessed, this is an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass".

     Thankfully, Mrs. Land also cast all of the students and worked out most of the blocking for the play (fyi, "blocking" is deciding where each person enters, exits, and moves around during each scene).  We are still "tweaking" some of the scenes but very glad to have the foundation laid by Mrs. Land.

    Many from the senior drama have been able to meet outside of class and work on some of the set and scenery.  We will continue to complete some of this prep work during class-time.

    At the beginning of this semester, we spent a portion of class-time playing drama-related games.  These activities were each geared toward strengthening specific skills that will help them with the production (i.e. public speaking, communicating emotions, working together as a group on stage and off).  This energetic group really seems to enjoy games of any sort. 

    As the performance date draws nearer, we are spending more focused time on the play itself.  The kids have been great about voicing ideas, suggestions and volunteering their strengths to make this play a success.  I really enjoy seeing them work together toward a common goal.

    I also want to thank everyone, parents and teachers alike, for their patience with me this semester.  I do not have much experience with drama production and am thankful for all of the help I can get, whether it is with ideas or execution of a plan.  Along this line, I want to publicly thank my wonderful assistant, Katie Kirton.  She will do just about anything I ask of her and even goes beyond my limited brainpower to think of things I am not.  I could not do this without her.

    We are finding new ways to improve the scenes each week and the teens seem to delight in watching each other further develop their characters.  I am really looking forward to seeing the final production, but am enjoying the process along the way just as much!

Lara Slawson