The Rookery

The very first thing the Herons did upon entering the room today was to look at the schedule and berate me, "Where is the play?"  "When are we doing the play?"  

"Tomorrow?" I answered, meekly.

That was not an acceptable answer for many and they asked permission to read the play during our morning literacy block.  Several had their lines memorized already and they headed to an empty hallway to work out some blocking.  Two more asked if they could read through the script carefully and find all the props we would need (others had done the same for costumes over break!)  At Writers' Workshop, more than half the class joined me to contribute ideas for our second draft.  It was a wonderful conversation about what makes something funny, how to let a joke unfold, how to make language more natural and how to ensure that the audience is able to understand what's going on.  I was really surprised by the sophistication of their insights and contributions.

While I have ended up doing many class plays at Prairie Creek, it was not something that I imagined doing when I was becoming a teacher.  But, more and more, I've found the class drawn to performance and it's something I embrace for many reasons:

• Problem solving – there is never a perfect production.  Actors (and stage managers) must improvise creatively and calmly to overcome unexpected events.  Learning how to get through a stage catastrophe without (gasp!) the audience even realizing something is awry is a tremendous thing.  We spend time talking about how the students are in charge of fixing things themselves.  It's a message that transfers well into their other work.  They feel utterly competent.

• Performance – projection, body awareness, articulation, connecting to one's audience.  A play is a very authentic way to practice all of these skills.

• Memorization – Learning lines stretches a part of the brain we don't use as much these days.  One feels language differently when it is memorized'; its cadences become more obvious to you.  Students experiment with different methods of memorization to find out what works for them (and they learn how much work it really takes to know something deeply.)

• Professionalism – We have a responsibility to our audience that is very real and very motivating.  The students feel strongly that they want to do their best work.  This is their project, it is their work and they rise beyond my expectations in terms of the seriousness with which they take their work.

• Creativity – I could barely keep up with the ideas that were pouring out of the Herons today as we were revising the script.  We're currently trying to figure out if we can suspend someone from a crane the way they would have done it in Ancient Greece.

• Team Work – We have a ton of work to do and the only way we will get it done is if everyone does more than his or her share.  Each member has a unique contribution that is recognized by the others.  We need everyone and everyone feels needed.

• Repsonsibility – there will be times in the coming weeks when students will run rehearsals independently, costumers will figure out systems to help actors find their clothing and props managers will explain to students in a scene how everything will work.  I will quietly and happily fade into the background and let the students take the lead.

I'm already looking forward to our premiere on December 16th (6pm!)  But I'm more looking forward to the transformative work in the weeks ahead.