Berkeley Rep Blog
Category archive: School of Theatre
Teens changing the face of American theatre
posted by Chad Jones on Tue, Jul 20, 2010
in News , School of Theatre , Teen Council
In a previous post, we told you about how Berkeley Rep Teen Council members Ariele Scharff, Gareth Tidball, Taylor Greenthal, Matia Emsellem, Keisa Reynolds, and Christina Novakov-Ritchey (that's them above, from left to right, in downtown Chicago) were part of the first delegation of teens to attend the Theatre Communications Group Conference.
While at the Chicago conference, the teens took part in many sessions, including those that dealt with race and diversity in America, inclusion in the arts of people with disabilities, and, perhaps most notably, Fostering the Next Generation of American Theatre Audiences moderated by educators from Berkeley Rep, the Goodman Theatre , and Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
We asked members of the Teen Council delegation to reflect on their experience in Chicago and describe what they took away from the TCG Conference.
Christina Novakov-Ritchey
Miramonte High School
Fall 2010: Freshman at the University of California, Davis
The chief reason we, as teenagers, went to the TCG Conference was to let people know that we exist, that we have a voice, and that arts education is vital to keeping the theatre alive and relevant. This is easier said than done. On our plane ride over my mind was racing with thoughts like, “Will everyone dismiss us?” “What are we even supposed to talk to people about?” and “I really really don’t want to mess up,” so I tried to prepare questions, topics of discussion, and brush up on my theatre knowledge. However, the funny thing is that none of that really mattered once I got there and started to attend sessions. Intuitively I knew if I agreed with what someone was saying or not, and how that related to me as a young person. Matia, Taylor, Keisa, Gareth, and Ariele seemed to have a similar reaction as I learned during our first late-night meeting, and I was impressed with their ability to articulate themselves clearly and engage in intelligent conversations with the other conference participants. We managed to get people thinking about our role in the theatre, and many people came to our side in defense of arts education, such as Brava! Artistic Director Raelle Myrick-Hodges and New York University’s Daniel Banks.
As we went to more and more sessions and continued to talk to people, a theme was becoming apparent in our answers: the best way to attract young people to theatre is to offer them an opportunity to see shows that speak to their emotions on a very fundamental level. Our recurring example of this was Berkeley Rep’s production of Girlfriend last season, which moved us all so much that we couldn’t get it out of our heads for months (I mean, we were singing its songs on the bus ride to the airport). People kept bringing up marketing strategies such as big fonts and bright colors as ways to get teenagers to buy tickets, but we couldn’t help but disagree and say that it’s the programming that matters. If you produce a show that is honest and easily relatable and make it accessible to a younger audience that has fewer financial resources than the average patron, you will create a lifelong theatregoer. Attending this conference certainly has raised more questions than it has answered, but it has left us all feeling much more confident about the importance of our voice in theatre as well as opening up doors for us to continue discussing the issue of arts education.
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Teens peer into — and create — theatre of the future
posted by Rachel Viola on Fri, Jul 2, 2010
in News , School of Theatre , Teen Council
June was a busy month for teens at Berkeley Rep. Two special occasions gave high-school students the chance to be part of local and national conversations about the future of theatre.
What happens when 35 teenagers, representing a range of 20 Bay Area high schools and interests, are given a venue and a platform to discuss the value of art in their own lives?
You might get something a little like the Teen Theatre Conference hosted by the Berkeley RepSchool of Theatre early in June. An energetic group of teens, many new not only to each other but also to Berkeley Rep, came together for a day of collaboration and dialogue, voicing their opinions about the issues they encounter as young artists, students of arts education, and theatregoers.
The Teen Theatre Conference had many exciting components, such as a Q & A panel with local theatre professionals, including Rachel Fink, director of the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre; Dave Maier, a fight choreographer and School of Theatre Outreach Coordinator; freelance director Rebecca Novick; actor Carson Elrod from Berkeley Rep’s recent production of In the Wake; and Raelle Myrick-Hodges, artistic director of San Francisco’s Brava! for Women in the Arts.
The conversations sparked by the panel continued with discussions led by teenage representatives of the School of Theatre. These sessions explored how young people share, define, and experience art. The day’s program commenced with a competition: six groups of teens were challenged to create and perform sketches inspired by various, topical prompts such as "Arts in the Year 2075" or "A World with No Arts." Videos of the first- and second-place winners are at the bottom of the post.
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Girlfriend resonates with teens at the student matinee
posted by Lizz Guzman on Wed, May 5, 2010
in At the theatre , Backstage buzz , School of Theatre
"Authentic, intimate, and romantic” is how the San Francisco Chronicle described Girlfriend at Berkeley Rep. And this was the show to which we were expecting a large group of high school students for the student matinee on April 29.
Berkeley Rep’s student matinees are a rare opportunity for high-school and middle-school teachers to expose their students to theatre and to the transformative power of art. Our hope at the School of Theatre is that the matinee serves as a memorable, educational, and fun theatre experience for all involved.
As the rest of the School of Theatre staff and I donned our nametags and took our positions a little before noon, I wondered what the audience response would be. I scanned the faces of the students as they arrived, but I could not read the energy of this crowd. How would these teens handle the sensitive subject matter and tenderness of the story?
As the house lights went down and the band picked up, I held my breath.
The reactions of the audience quickly put my mind at ease. It became clear as the show went on that the group really related to the awkwardness of first love and the challenges of being different. Every uncomfortable silence and rambling conversation was greeted with a knowing laugh. It seemed like this audience had a more profound connection and empathetic understanding of the situations and emotions in the play.
Were there uneasy giggles? Sure. Soon, however, the laughter and the chatter faded away. I could feel the nervous energy in the theatre turn to focused concentration. The teens seemed to be as moved by the tenderness and sweetness of the scene as I was. At the end of Act 1 when Mike leans in to kiss Will, the entire audience held its collective breath in anticipation. When the two actors finally kissed, the theatre erupted into cheers and screams, students and teachers alike on their feet. My skin prickled with goosebumps as the ovation continued. And continued. The actors and band had to finish the song above the applause that continued until the house lights came up for intermission.
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Holiday centerpiece salutes "21 Guns"
posted by Chad Jones on Tue, Dec 22, 2009
in Backstage buzz , School of Theatre
There's an annual holiday tradition around here, and, perhaps not surprisingly, it involves creativity.
In the weeks leading up to the Berkeley Rep staff holiday party, each department is charged with creating one of the festive centerpieces that adorn the tables. Some departments take this charge very seriously and begin thinking about it months before. Others are more inspired by the creative push of a deadline and throw something together before heading into the party.
The one rule is that the design must have something to do with a Berkeley Rep show, past or present.
An impartial panel of judges at the party (their identities are known only to Company Manager Megan
Wygant) covertly assesses the creations and a prize is awarded to the winner.
Now that this year's party is behind us, we can share with you the winning entry. Designed by School of Theatre administrator Emika Abe and fellow Lizz Guzman and constructed by the SoT staff, the centerpiece paid homage to the Green Day song "21 Guns" featured in American Idiot. A Christmas tree shape is decorated with toy guns and pictures of guns (21 in all, very clever) and topped with a plush heart grenade. There's also an accompanying note to the big man in red. Taking its cue from Johnny's letters in the show, the missive reads: "Santa, take a f@#*ing shower."
Members of the SoT design team each won a $50 Whole Foods gift card for their efforts.
And speaking of "21 Guns," the fantastic version Green Day recorded with the American Idiot cast is available for download at all the usual outlets including iTunes and Amazon.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Berkeley Rep!
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American Idiot, Rent stars rattle School of Theatre
posted by Bert Reptile on Tue, Oct 20, 2009
in School of Theatre
By Elizabeth Guzman
Education Fellow
Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d be able to say: “Sorry, I can’t hang out tomorrow. I’ll be welcoming John Gallagher Jr., Rebecca Naomi Jones, Michael Esper, Tony Vincent, and Anthony Rapp to the event I planned."
As the fellow in charge of Teen Council at the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, I have been working to keep up momentum and excitement after American Idiot. While perusing theatrebayarea.org, I was excited to see that Rent would be playing in San Francisco starring Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, the original Mark and Roger respectively. Over the next few weeks, Rachel Fink, associate general manager and director of the School, Gendell Hernandez, our education associate, and I put together plans to take a group to see Rent as part of our Theatre Scene program. Although this was the first experience with the show for many of the teens, I discovered Rent 13 years ago and consider it to be one of my formative experiences personally and theatrically. So you can imagine my excitement when Rachel suggested inviting Anthony Rapp and members of the American Idiot cast to come to the School and have a special talkback with the teens about their experiences in these shows.
By 4pm on October 15, the crowd of teenagers was gathering outside the doors of the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre. Some came inside to giggle and whisper with their friends, while others hung around the door hoping to be the first to catch a glimpse of the actors. The adults were also extraordinarily excited, and I, for one, felt myself holding my breath as the interview began. I wanted to make sure that the event went well — that the actors were comfortable and that the teens felt inspired, learned something, and had fun. Perhaps, most importantly, I wanted to make sure the students’ pizza and actors’ food arrived on time and was correct. However, as soon as Valerie Dohrer and Darcy Davis (our wonderful teen interviewers) asked the first question and Anthony answered, I relaxed and listened to what the actors had to say. The insight, laughter, and theatrical passion that each actor shared with the group elicited smiles, laughter, and knowing nods from teens, fellows, and staff alike. Even comments relating auditioning to being a dog on an electrocuted floor could not take away from the evening (thank you, Michael Esper!).
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Yellowjackets on Yellowjackets
posted by Dave Maier on Wed, Oct 15, 2008
in School of Theatre
Actors from Performance Lab with three Yellowjackets cast members
On September 10, 14 classes from Berkeley High School packed into the Thrust to watch Itamar Moses’ play Yellowjackets. They were a lively audience, often audibly commenting on the scenes being played out before them. Of course, they had a special relationship to this play. They got the references specific to Berkeley High that the rest of us did not. However, as I moderated the post-show discussion it became clear to me that they also got a whole lot more. They saw themselves in this play.
Two weeks later, 568 students from Berkeley High School filled the Roda Theatre, not to see a Berkeley Rep production, but to watch their peers respond artistically to the themes of Yellowjackets. The performers and many of the audience members had participated in Performance Lab, a high-school residency program in which students see a Berkeley Rep production and work with a teaching artist to develop an artistic response.
Usually, these workshops close with a modest sharing of the work. This culminating event was far bigger then usual, with all 14 of the Berkeley High Performance Lab classes being represented. It was the first time that Berkeley Rep had hosted such an event — and I was nervous. The logistics involved with getting all the teachers, students, administrators, permission slips, photo waivers, production concerns, etc., on the same page seemed overwhelming.
In spite of the strong production team and competent teachers and teaching artists, I was sure this event would resemble a train wreck. But when the lights went down and the first student stepped on the stage to read an autobiographical poem about her experience as a Tibetan American attending Berkeley High, my fears were put to rest. I realized that we had succeeded because the spotlight was on the diverse and passionate voices of these young people.
Like the characters in Itamar’s play, these students had something to say about issues that are not just central to Berkeley High, but to our community and our nation. These students went on to fill the next two-plus hours with poetry, dance, music, and theatre—all of it original. Each student took the risk of speaking out in front of their peers. All of it inspired by something they had seen on stage in the Thrust just 19 days earlier.
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Down home in Nashville at the Tessitura conference
posted by Amelia Bird on Sat, Sep 6, 2008
in School of Theatre
Whew! Opening a season always makes everyone around here very busy, but this week I haven't had a moment to breathe. This week has been crazy because I am catching up--last week I was away in Nashville for the Tessitura conference.
Tessitura?!
Tessitura is a software program specially designed for nonprofit performing arts organizations. It does everything from ticketing to development, and with some adaptation, education, which is where I fit in. Last week was a four-day conference held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, where Tessitura users from theatres, operas, symphonies, and more gathered to network, learn about the software, and see some great bluegrass at the Grand Ole Opry.
There we were, only five of us from Berkeley Rep, lost in the crowd of over 1,000 theatre geeks and computer nerds. At first, the conference seemed overwhelming. Where to go? Which sessions to go to? Who to sit with at lunch? Megan, our communications manager, and I went to our first session together and were both scribbling madly to write down all the great ideas for using Tessitura to market to specific groups of people. The first night, we were treated to a fancy opening night ceremony at the local symphony hall, which was beautiful. Megan was brave enough to join the Tessiturian chorus, which entertained us with a few pieces, all Tessitura-themed. Puns abounded.
As the conference continued, my brain seemed to become almost completely saturated with information. In addition to more technical presentations, there were discussions about issues that arts organizations face, like training new employees or how to use to technology to build a younger audience base. As each day ended, I would look at my growing binder full of ideas and wonder how I was going to lug it on the plane home, let alone implement all of these new ideas.
Luckily, the conference organizers also provided some time to have fun. One night, they got tickets for all 1,005 of us to go to the Grand Ole Opry, which was quite an experience. The acts ranged from some old-style Texas bluegrass to an older-than-dirt solo performer who sang a little, but mostly told dirty jokes. The last night, we took over the Wild Horse Saloon, where we drank whiskey and beer so we could gather the courage to learn to line dance.
On the final day, it was hard to say goodbye to all the great people I had met. It was so great to meet people that were doing the same type of work that I was doing, and have a chance to get inspiration, and maybe even commiserate a little about paying back student loans while working at a nonprofit. Still, I was excited to get home. I was looking forward to some fresh California produce, and all those phone messages and emails that I knew I was getting back at work were starting to weigh on my mind.
Now that I'm back, things are so busy here with Target® Teen Night coming up, and fall classes starting September 22, it hardly feels like I was gone at all. Implementing all the ambitious goals that the conference inspired is going to take some time.
And I've already forgotten all the steps to the line dance we learned.
Captions for my snapshots:
Top: Here’s the Tessiturian Chorus at the opening night dinner. If you squint you can see Megan!
Bottom: Caroline, Christina and Jonathan: some of the great people I met from the New Victory Theater in New York.
