10 Essential Tips for Theater Educators to Recharge This Summer
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week's email,
We offer tips on how theatre educators can make the most of their summer break and ideas on returning to school refreshed and recharged!
Plus, we keep you informed about the most crucial theatre news and stories from the last week.
So, raise the curtain, shine the spotlight, and dive into another thrilling week in the world of theatre. Welcome to The Scene.
‘Schmigadoon!’ Stage Adaptation Will Make its World Premiere at the Kennedy Center by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | The Emmy-winning, musical theatre-centric series was dropped by Apple TV+ after two seasons. Read...
Robert Downey Jr. will make Broadway debut in Ayad Akhtar’s ‘McNeal’ by Michael Abourizk, Broadway News | The Lincoln Center Theater-produced play will open in September. Read...
Rachel McAdams on starring in ‘Mary Jane’ and her favorite Broadway tradition by Leigh Scheps, TimeOut |The ‘Mary Jane’ actress is now a Tony nominee. Read...
For Her Broadway Debut, She Sings Alicia Keys’s Story by Michael Paulson, The New York Times | Maleah Joi Moon almost gave up on theater. Now, in her first professional role, the ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ star is a Tony nominee. Read...
A Final Encore for Elevator Repair Service's ‘Gatz,’ James Ijames' ‘Good Bones,’ More in Public Theater's 2024-2025 Season by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | The Off-Broadway company will reopen its Free Shakespeare in the Park season with a new staging of ‘Twelfth Night’ in 2025. Read...
Eboni Booth awarded 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for ‘Primary Trust’ by Michael Abourizk, Broadway News | The drama was produced Off-Broadway in 2023 by Roundabout Theatre Company. Read...
Despite a Tony Nomination, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Is Still Unsure If He's a Broadway Playwright by Diep Tran, Playbill | He thought ‘Appropriate’ would be closed by now, but his play is still going strong, and its picked up eight nominations. Read...
Black Out: An Ongoing National Movement of Audience Curation by Dalyla Nicole, American Theatre | Led initially by playwrights Dominique Morisseau and Jeremy O. Harris, Black affinity nights are proliferating at theatres across the U.S. Read...
Sky Lakota-Lynch on Being the Rare Native American Actor to Be Nominated for a Tony Award by Meredith Taylor Ammons, Playbill | The actor is currently recognized for performing in ‘The Outsiders’. Read...
The Big Idea
10 Essential Tips for Theater Educators to Recharge This Summer
By Zach Dulli, The Scene
As the final curtain falls on another school year, theater teachers, directors, and educators face a well-deserved break. Summer, far from being just a pause from the routine, is a crucial period for recharging and rejuvenating. It's a time to step back, reflect, and prepare for the upcoming year. Here are ten tips to help theater educators make the most of their summer, ensuring they return to school refreshed and inspired.
Reflect and Document: Start the summer by reflecting on the past year. Document what worked well and what could be improved. This reflection can be a personal journal, a blog, or even video entries. It's a valuable resource for planning next year and can serve as a motivational reminder of your growth and adaptability.
Attend Workshops and Conferences: Engage in professional development by attending theater workshops, conferences, and seminars. These events, such as the Broadway Teachers Workshop, Broadway Weekends, and the International Thespian Festival, offer valuable networking opportunities and provide workshops that can reignite your passion for theater education and bring fresh ideas to your programs.
Explore New Material: Immerse yourself in scripts and scores you haven't had the chance to explore during the busy school year. Consider different genres and unfamiliar works to expand your repertoire. This exploration might uncover the perfect play or musical for your next production, injecting fresh energy and excitement into your theater program. Check out Broadway Book Club for a great way to grow your play library.
Reconnect with Your Art: Summer is the ideal time to reconnect with why you love theater. Attend performances, read plays, watch musicals, or participate in community theater. Engaging as an audience member or performer can reignite your passion and provide new insights and inspiration.
Take a Creative Workshop: Participate in a workshop outside your expertise. Whether it’s dance, painting, or writing, stepping out of your comfort zone can enhance your creative expression and teaching methods.
Plan a Retreat: Organize or attend a retreat focused on your theater work. This can be as simple as a weekend away with fellow educators to brainstorm and share ideas or a more structured retreat with sessions led by guest artists and educators. The change of scenery can stimulate creativity and enthusiasm.
Collaborate and Network: Summer is a great time to build networks. Reach out to theater professionals, arrange coffee meetings, or set up virtual calls with educators from different regions. These connections can lead to collaborative projects and enrich your teaching resources.
Rest and Rejuvenate: Never underestimate the power of rest. Ensure you schedule a time to relax and do things that make you happy outside the theater. Whether it's hiking, reading, spending time with family, or watching an entire season of a TV show in one sitting, taking time to recharge is crucial.
Set Personal Goals: Use the summer to set personal and professional goals for the coming year. These might include directing a play you've always wanted to stage, enhancing your technical skills, or growing a theatre program.
Prepare Early: Begin planning for the next school year early in the summer. Organize your syllabus, plan the year’s productions, and start gathering resources. Early preparation can help alleviate back-to-school stress and let you enjoy the end of your summer break more fully.
This summer, take the time to recharge both personally and professionally. By engaging in artistic growth, reflection, and relaxation, you’ll return to your theater program with renewed energy and fresh ideas, ready to inspire the next generation of theater artists.
David Oyelowo, Meera Syal, Emma D’Arcy, Tobias Menzies Lead U.K. National Theatre Fall Slate by Naman Ramachandran, Variety | David Oyelowo, Meera Syal, Emma D’Arcy and Tobias Menzies are among the actors leading a trio of fall productions at the U.K.’s National Theatre in London. Read...
London-Bound ‘English’ Begins at Royal Shakespeare Company May 9 by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Diyan Zora is directing the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Sanaz Toossi. Read...
Claudio Macor's ‘The Tailor-Made Man’ Begins in London by Andrew Gans, Playbill | The production is the inaugural play at the new Stage Door Theatre in Drury Lane. Read...
‘Fawlty Towers’ Begins in London's West End by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Series star and creator John Cleese has penned the stage adaptation of the cult favorite British comedy. Read...
Snehal Desai: At Last, a Roadmap for CTG by Rob Weinert-Kendt, American Theatre | With a 7-show season at 2 of Center Theatre Group’s venues, the new artistic director is putting special focus on reviving the beloved, beleaguered Mark Taper Forum. Read...
‘Twelve Angry Men’ the Musical Begins Performances at Asolo Rep by Margaret Hall, Playbill | Utilizing a jazz-infused score, 12 men debate the fate of a young defendant charged with murdering his father. Read...
‘Falcon Girls’ World Premiere & More Set for Yale Repertory Theatre 2024-25 by Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World | The season will feature ‘Macbeth in Stride’ and more. Read...
‘Stir’ Opens at The Old Globe by Margaret Hall, Playbill | The play follows two siblings separated by distance and circumstance, who unite to share their mother's favorite recipe. Read...
Free Read of the Week
You can read entire plays for free! Free Reads titles are perfect for your theatre, school, and competition performances. Click on the image or the button below to be taken to the Play’s page; once you are there, click the "READ NOW" button and enjoy!
25 Questions for a Jewish Mother by Kate Moira Ryan and Judy Gold
The Story: Part memoir and part stand-up routine, this hilarious and affecting play breaks down just what makes Jewish mothers so lamentable, laughable, and lovable. Comedienne Judy Gold and playwright Kate Moira Ryan seamlessly weave actual interviews with Jewish mothers across the United States together with memories from Gold's childhood and her own experiences as a Jewish mother in order to create a performance piece that explores it all: from rugelach to rabbis, matzoh to marriage, Ann Landers to Anne Frank, and guilt to G-D.
Memoir/Comedy | 60 - 70 minutes | 4 W, (1-21 actors possible: 1-21 W) | Set: Minimal.
