Spotlight
Stories that deserve your attention
Why We Perform Spring Awakening
“The message that Spring Awakening sends is that whatever you're going through, whoever you are, whoever you love, it's okay. It's all part of growing up. And that message is so crucial to developing teenagers.”
School District Cancels High School Play After Obscenity Complaints
“News is coming out of CA where a school district has canceled the remaining performances of a high school theatre production after they received complaints that the show contained obscene material.”
High School Theatre Director Accused of Secretly Recording Student
“Last month police arrested Francis Anonia, the former chorus teacher and Director of Visual and Performing Arts at Parkland High School in PA. He's accused of secretly recording video of a student while he changed clothes.”
Local High School Theatre Director Stupefied Broadway Hasn’t Discovered Him Yet
Michael Powers, the theatre instructor for Unionville High School for ten years, held a press conference today expressing amazement that Broadway hasn’t recruited him to direct headline musical acts.
How to Help Kids Balance School and Theatre
"Let’s teach our students how to shine both in and out of the spotlight by learning how to balance their academic and theatre lives."
Youth Theatre Directors Need to Be More Patient
"Over the years, so many of my students have found theatre to be the “home” they’ve been yearning for. We must be patient enough to help cultivate their young, impressionable lives in theatre and how they act as humans while in our care."
Why Every Theatre Kid Should Be Required to Take Improv
"Maybe the kids we teach won’t choose a career as a comedian or a traveling troupe. However, they will gain the invaluable skills needed to expand their ability to approach situations that might arise from new angles."
Five Shows High Schools Should Perform More & Five They Shouldn't
"For high school theaters, right choice of material can engage students and inspire more to get involved. However, choosing the wrong play or musical can result in challenges ranging from overwhelming production requirements to unnecessary administration involvement. Here are five musicals or plays that should be performed more often, as well as five that should be approached with caution."
When a Freshman Gets the Lead Role...
“This happened at my school, and it practically started a riot within the theatre department.”
School Theatre Trips: When are they Actually Educational?
“Many of us, myself included, have fond memories of school theatre trips. But are school theatre trips always educational? I would argue not.”
5 Reasons Schools Should Perform “Descendants: The Musical”
“Descendants” should be a household name for any families that want to get their kids into musical theatre.
Theatres Must Prioritize Volunteer Safety As Much as Paid Workers
“June is National Safety Month, so in honor of that, we are listing a few basic areas every single community theatre and high school theatre should prioritize for the safety of their volunteers.”