Bring the Drama

Thursday afternoon, after meeting with administration, talking it up with a few students, designing and hanging a couple of posters, and having the start announced, I met with my new Drama Club. Almost twenty students came and it was a blast! I’ve been under the weather and dragging through this week, but for that one hour Thursday afternoon, I was absolutely electrified. Oh, believe me, I paid for it later with weariness that made pulling through a long day ending with DiVerse Poetry Reading a challenge, but still, well worth it. And DiVerse was awesome, so I’m glad I made it. 

Let us not be concerned with evaluating whether or not I’m really qualified to run a Drama Club or be a theatre director. I rarely take on such considerations when inspired to start a new project. But I also acknowledge that it will be a lot of work, not only because of the nature and scope of the club, but because I will need to learn a lot of new skills and systems and will have to find sources for help for things that I can’t do, or do yet.

My kids are/were both theatre kids. What more could a mom want than for her kids to have a group of creative, quirky, thoughtful friends? It seems theatre attracts perceptive, artistic, and empathetic students and then also teaches those skills, so it becomes a powerful space of acceptance and support. I asked to start a Drama Club at my school, because it’ll be wicked fun and I want to give the students that same type of experience that my own kids benefited from. 

The work that goes into putting on these school plays is incredible, both in way of individual work, such as memorizing lines, songs, and choreography, and in bringing it all together with dialogues, ensembles, blocking, set changes, costumes, props, cast and crew. But the high energy level of fun is incredible too. It’s a big commitment and I’m grateful I’m able to take it on, have school support, and a great group of students to work with. Seriously, I spent an hour putting it all out there — expectations, kind of silly games, asks  —  and got not one eye roll. And this is middle school. It already feels like a magical place.

I’m planning Drama Club to meet twice a week and perform two shows — a fall showcase, with monologues, showtunes, and improv bits, and a spring musical. The theatre director at my kid’s high school has been helpful, already answering some questions through email. So green to this process, I know I don’t even yet know what I don’t know to ask about. 

Feel free to offer suggestions or advice. I can teach and am good at creating community and space in which people feel comfortable sharing art. Beyond that — set building, sound, costumes, make up, blocking… I might need help. If you may be willing to share some time and talent, either in a consult or in a few hours of work, especially if you live in Montgomery County, please reach out. Thanks!

Shine on.

Photo by Kyle Head on Unsplash