Preview of our 15th Anniversary of Theatre at APR!

I can't believe we are celebrating our 15th year of Theatre Arts at APR! It began with a dream in the fall of 2001 and now entering our 15th year, our program is stronger than ever and a mainstay at the school and in the community. For those who have missed us over the years, here are some highlights:
* Our troupe was founded with a small dedicated group of 7 Thespians; today, we have over 40 Thespians and Thespian Apprentices every year!
* Our first production of The Dining Room in the fall of 2001 had 8 actors in the cast; this fall, our revival production will have over 20 cast members and another 10+ on crew!
* Our curriculum began with just a few short courses for a few grade levels; this year, students in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 will ALL have Drama as part of their course of study!
* In 2009, we added the ZIPS program (Zoom Into Productions by Students) where our HS Thespian leaders coordinate their own productions for the MS and HS: directing, writing, designing and producing a full production on their own!
* Our actors & techies have earned over 25 awards at the METG and ITS Festivals; we have earned awards every year at the festivals (from acting to design to directing & stage management).
* Our first trip to NYC was in 2005 with only 15 Thespians; we took our first trip to Hollywood in 2014 and we will take our 6th trip to NYC in spring 2016 with 26 Thespians!
* Our fundraisers began in 2002 and haven't stopped since: we raise between $10,000-30,000 every year in support of our theatre needs and ensuring that every Thespian can attend our out-of-state trip adventures!
* Many of our Thespian graduates go on to participate in college theatre and several are now pursuing theatre-related careers in Boston, NY, and even abroad!

What hasn't changed? Our students' commitment and dedication to celebrating theatre. Their passion and energy are contagious, and our Thespian troupe continues to be a family in support of our success as a unified troupe. I love seeing our Thespians make their first entrance onto the stage in the 5th grade and am overjoyed with pride watching them take their final bow as they approach graduation. And when they come back to tell us of their adventures in the "real world" beyond our school walls, we are reminded that they are always part of our Thespian Troupe family and their legacies live on.

We hope you will take advantage of the many offerings at APR for students to develop their love of theatre:
* In the classroom: Drama classes in grades 5-8!
* After school: as part of our theatre productions!
* Joining the International Thespian Society Troupe: an international organization that honors the dedication and successes of Thespians all across the globe!

Check out our events, join us for a show, come celebrate at the Thespian Benefit Gala, and take pride, as I do, seeing our students grow as confident, collaborative, creative leaders.

New upgrades for our MS Drama classes!

    I am thrilled to report that there are some new and exciting changes to our 7/8th grade Drama program this year! Our 7/8th grade students will be choosing Fine Arts' electives! Each trimester, students can choose to take Drama, Art, or Dance. This will give students a chance to explore a variety of Arts' offerings or go more in depth with one particular interest.
    In Drama, this will give us an opportunity to explore specific themes and dramatic styles as a group all keenly interested in Dramatic Art. Our shared interests will help support, encourage, and shape our learning as we explore a variety of theatrical genre from around the world and history. In trimester 1, our 7th grade Drama students can take Shadow Puppetry, where we'll design, create, write, and perform our own Shadow Puppet plays based on folktales from Asia (where Shadow Puppetry was developed into a high-art form). For 8th grade Drama students, they can take Commedia dell'Arte, where we'll explore this comedic style from the Italian Renaissance and then design Commedia masks and write and perform our own modern Commedia plays! It should be a great start to our first-ever Drama electives at APR!
    And not to be outdone, our 5th grade students will begin their introduction to Drama with their exploratory course. We'll spend the year discovering different styles of storytelling: from performing multicultural folktales in tableaux style in Trimester 1 to an exploration of family stories and improvising American stories and creating our own fairytales at the end of the year. It will be an exciting year of discovering acting, playwriting, design, and performance for our youngest APR students!
    And for any students for whom being in a Drama class just isn't enough time on stage? They can check out our productions! Aladdin, Jr. this fall and then our winter one-acts and spring ZIPS!
It's going to be a fun and busy year for Drama at APR!

5th grade storytellers

   Our 5th grade Drama course focuses on the theme of Dramatic Storytelling. Whether it's telling stories in a frozen Tableaux or using our voices to convey different characters or interpreting family folktales in a dramatic format or creating our own unique fairytales to perform, this first year course introduces students to the performing arts where all students can easily access the curriculum and art form.
   This winter, students are taking family stories and dramatically performing them in small groups. They are researching from their families, uncovering stories from when their elders first started school, and then they are script-writing, creating characters, and rehearsing these stories for a dramatic performance. Storytelling as an art form has been around for thousands of years as a way to pass on family legacies and as a way of teaching future generations. You can check out lots of family folklore storytellers on YouTube, as well as a sample of Native American storytelling on this link: Native American storytelling conference: Smithsonian Museum

7th graders as Shadow Puppeteers

    In the busy and creative 7th grade Drama classes this winter, students are becoming shadow puppeteers! Using Chinese myths from their Mandarin course and building upon their Visual Art skills, they are scriptwriting their own shadow puppet plays, designing the puppets and scene designs, and preparing to perform their own creative plays in class this winter. This tricky performance art method has been around for centuries, beginning in Indonesia and catching on throughout the world over the years.
     Our 3rd floor cafeteria has been transformed into a shadow puppet theatre, but if you want to check out professional samples as well, head to YouTube and search for "Shadow Puppets". There are some links on this post that you can view as well.Shadow Puppet play from Puerto Rico

A new year and new big dreams!

Another school year is upon us which means new plans and dreams for what else is possible on the horizon with our APR Thespians.

Here's what the new year has in store:

• Another MS-HS production (grades 5-12)! We had so much fun last fall, that we have decided to do it again. This year, a night of dinner theatre mysteries: A Night with Sherlock Holmes. Look for more info as we get closer (opening Nov. 21, 2013)
• Some more jumping fun at Sky Zone (to add to our growing list of creative fundraisers)!
• Our usual fall line up of the Haunted House and Halloween Carnival (Oct. 25) and delicious cookie dough.
• Winter and spring one-acts (Festival and ZIPS!) Titles and dates TBD once my creative Thespians decide what they would most like to do.
• And, are you ready with the drumroll? Our BIGGEST new initiative for this school year... a trip to... Hollywood, California! Yes, it's true, we decided that our trips to New York are amazing, so let's look to the next big place to explore in the performing arts: Hollywood! The students and I have dreamed up quite an adventure and it will truly be a memorable experience for us all in spring 2014. You'll hear a lot more about this as we plunge into our fundraising season this fall. (Look for info on donorschoose.org this fall and plans for a Thespian Gala Benefit this winter!)

For now, we're geared up for an exciting launch to the 2013-14 school year and our exciting plans for our dedicated Thespians! Stay tuned....

APR's 1st Musical is finally here!

      I can't believe it. 12 years ago we started our little theatre program here at Academy of the Pacific Rim in an empty small cafeteria room, hand sewn black curtains, some rented lights and a bare floor.
Every year we have grown our program: new plays, student directors, our ZIPS program (Zoom into productions by students), and developing student leaders and theatre enthusiasts with our Thespian Society.
Thursday night, we make history once again. Despite not having any music or choral classes at APR, we are opening our 1st ever musical production! With the talented assistance of Bil Mooney-McCoy directing our students on vocals, and our amazingly talented student stage managers, scene artists, lighting and sound techs, and the beautiful voices of our students, this show is ready to open!
    The voices will amaze you, the story will delight you, and you'll be singing along by the end.

Join us as APR makes history:

Once On This Island, Jr.

Thursday and Friday at 7pm and then Saturday at 5pm

Tickets are only $3 for students and $5 for adults

At Academy of the Pacific Rim: One Westinghouse Plaza, Hyde Park

See you at the show!

Off to NYC!

I can't believe it's that time of year -- time for our HS Thespian troupe to head off to New York City! Time to take in the sights and sounds of Broadway! I look forward to this trip every two years as a chance to get out and explore the life and excitement of professional theatre for my students, and I get just as excited with the anticipation of the trip as my students do. :-)
One of the great things about this bi-yearly trip is that we flip-flop the itineraries, so that our HS students get to experience a full range of the theatre world over the course of both trips. (On the last trip, for example, we went to Ellis Island, toured backstage at the Apollo Theater and a college tour of NYU, went to the Top of the Rock, and visited Madame Tousseaud's Wax museum -- in addition to 3 Broadway shows and awesome professional theatre workshops, of course!)
On this year's trip, highlights include: visiting the Tenement Museum and exploring the Lower East Side, the Guggenheim Modern Art museum, backstage tours at Radio City and NBC Studios, tours to Julliard & Columbia Universities, and 3 more Broadway shows (different ones from the last trip, of course). This year, students will also prepare & perform their own original scenes, incorporating stage combat techniques that they will learn from professionals in NY, too!

Only a few days before departure and we can't wait!

Annual Haunted House & Halloween Carnival!

Don't miss this annual event at APR!

Friday, Oct. 26 at 6-8pm

Carnival games for kids of all ages and a haunted house to scare even the bravest of souls.

A great Thespian tradition for the entire family!

I can't believe we've been doing this event for so many years now. It started with just a few games and some haunted rooms on the upper floors of our small school. It's now expanded to an annual event with over 10 games, a huge haunted house tour, and great food to enjoy, too. All made possible by the creativity of our Thespian troupe and the generous help and support of the Thespian Booster families! I am so proud of this fantastic Thespian tradition for APR.

Drama question 2.3

American Theatre distinguishes itself with plays focused on realistic themes,

often reflecting current events and society.

If you were to write an American play, what would you write about? Why?

*Remember that this trimester, you may write your own response to a blog question OR respond to someone else's comments on the blog. This is an opportunity to state an opinion and justify your thoughts!

Drama question 2.2

What makes someone want to see a theatre production?
Why would they want to go?
(What factors influence the audience in making the choice to buy a ticket
and see a show?)

*Remember that this trimester, you may write your own response to a blog question OR respond to someone else's comments on the blog. This is an opportunity to state an opinion and justify your thoughts!

Drama question 2.1

In Ancient Greece, one of the purposes of theatre was to teach moral lessons or learn the difference between right and wrong.
Today, we still read these ancient Greek plays, such as Oedipus the King.
What can we learn from the ancient story of Oedipus that can be applied to modern day life?

*Remember that this trimester, you may write your own response to a blog question OR respond to someone else's comments on the blog. This is an opportunity to state an opinion and justify your thoughts!

Drama question 1.3

Consider the play, Phantom Tollbooth:
How do the lessons that Milo learns on his journey connect with your own life?

You may choose to respond to this question or questions # 1.1 or 1.2.

(For general assignment instructions, see Drama question 1.1 for how to respond and post your name.)

I look forward to reading your responses.

Drama question 1.2

How do we learn about teamwork in a Drama class?

How will these skills help us both on stage as well as beyond the theatre?

You may choose to respond to this question or question # 1.1.

(For general assignment instructions, see Drama question 1.1 for how to respond and post your name.)

I look forward to reading your responses.

Drama class question: 1.1

Our first question of the trimester:

Why do you think Drama is a required course at APR

(and part of the Massachusetts state standards)?

Please reply with your thoughts on this question.

(This particular question will be asked again in the spring to see how our answers might change at theend of the course.)

When leaving a post, in the pull-down menu for "Comment as", simply select "Name/URL" and enter just your first name and last initial so I'll know who is commenting. (You can leave the URL space empty.)

I look forward to reading your responses!

Mrs.Turet

P.S. Remember, you must respond to at least one post each trimester, but you are welcome to respond multiple times if you wish!

Masters and more!

I am thrilled to announce the completion of my Masters Degree from Lesley University! The degree in Community Arts: Theatre Specialization is the perfect next step in my educational resume (with a Bachelor Degree in Dramatic Art and a graduate teaching credential in Multiple Subject education). The balance of teaching full time, taking care of my family and going to graduate school was a challenge but I am proud of reaching the finish line this summer.

Most importantly, I am glad the it is my students who will benefit the most from my recent education. I am excited to start implementing my new learning, and especially the curriculum I developed as part of my final Masters Thesis. Students will be connecting theatre history to current events, incorporating storytelling and dramatizing literature, and examining community issues through theatre for social change. The emphasis on critical thinking, teamwork, leadership and empowerment remains at the heart of the program and will be stronger than ever as we move forward with our Drama program, continuing to evolve and meet the ever-changing needs of our students.

If you're interested in reading the Thesis and Curriculum Guide, I have made it available via a web link. (Check out the links' pages from the blog home page to view the documents or click the link in this blog entry.)

Many thanks to my family for their support, and my students for allowing me to continuously bring new ideas to our classroom. Remember: we are all life-long learners!

Masters Thesis: A Rationale and Curriculum Guide for middle school and high school Drama

Amazing Adventures of the Marvelous Monkey King: Feb.10-12, 2011

Join us this week for our winter one-act production! Continuing our celebration of our 10th Anniversary Season, this year's show is based on a classic Chinese legend (the Monkey King) and is complete with beautiful costumes, a stylized set, and a dragon! It's fun for the whole family.

Tickets: $2/students & $3/adults

Thursday, Feb. 10 @ 4:45pm
Friday, Feb. 11 @ 7pm
Saturday, Feb. 12 @ 12:00pm

APR Theatre Gala: Nov. 20th!

It's official! Don't miss this chance to celebrate!

You are cordially invited to APR Theatre’s

10th Anniversary Gala Celebration

Saturday, November 20, 2010

7pm-11pm

*******************

6:30 -- Doors Open

7:00 -- 10th Anniversary Revival Production of The Dining Room

Followed by a post-show gala with the cast and crew

and a look back at APR’s Theatre history and a vision for the future.

Join us to witness how far we’ve come over the years:

From an empty room, to a Great Room with stage and lights;

From only 7 founding Thespians , to a troupe numbering over 40 current members!

Tickets: $5 students & $10 adults

Pre-show reception & post-show Gala event included!

RSVP to Meegan Turet mturet@pacrim.org

617-361-0050x.149

We promise a memorable evening to reunite with old friends and connect with new ones.

“Well, now here’s the thing:

she’s got an extra ticket for the theatre tonight

and she wants you to join her.”

*Remember: the show runs Nov. 18-20. So, you can come to any of the shows during the run.

Don't miss the chance to see the first of our productions celebrating our 10th anniversary season!

Save the date for our 10th Anniversary Gala Celebration

Mark your calendars now: Nov.20, 2010.

On the closing night of our fall production, we will officially celebrate our 10th anniversary of APR Theatre! Join us for a revival production of The Dining Room (our 1st APR production in 2001) on Nov.18-20 at the Academy of the Pacific Rim.

We are looking forward to reuniting with our Thespian alumni and honoring the growth of our program in the past 9+ years. Please pass along the information to anyone and everyone in our APR community! It will be an evening of celebration and pride as we reflect on how far we've come. (We started with a small empty room and only 15 people with a simple dream of theatre at APR and we've grown into a program spanning grades 5-12 with a stage, lights, and a huge space in which to perform! There's no stopping us now!)

More details about this very special celebration and ticket information will be released this fall. For now, save the date and we'll see you there!

Reflections on 9+ years of APR theatre

As we prepare to enter our 10th anniversary season of APR theatre, I've been reflecting on where we started and how far we've come in just nine years. I came to APR entrusted by Spencer Blasdale and Piel Hollingsworth to start a theatre program. What began with teaching middle school drama classes during the day and a handful of dramatic high school students after school has blossomed into something amazing. We started with an empty small cafeteria and roughly 15 students who wanted to put together some simple productions, which is how The Dining Room came to be, with a borrowed table and china cabinet and some rented portable stage lights. Within 2 years, we founded our own HS Thespian Troupe with just a few members and started a winter tradition of student directors experimenting with writing and directing one act productions. In 2008, we made our next big leap by purchasing our own portable stage, curtains, and expanding our lighting system to accommodate our new shared performance space in a new Multipurpose Room (a.k.a. the "Great Room"). And as we moved into our 2009-10 season, we launched our next expansion of our theatre program offerings with Zoom Into Productions by Students (ZIPS) allowing our HS Thespians an opportunity to have complete creative control in their own spring productions.

Who would have believed that a small charter public school in Hyde Park, MA could come so far in so little time. I find myself standing in awe and so proud of what we, together as a school community, have built and where we are going in the years to come.

Many thanks to everyone, current students & families, alumni, and our adoring fans at APR!

Welcome!

Can you believe it? It's new, it's different, it's taking APR Theatre into a whole new dimension! This blog will be our new up to the minute place to give our public the latest news and information on our program and events. It will also give us a place for students and families to comment on our events, offerings, and even classroom projects. I'm looking forward to seeing how our students will once again help to shape how we study drama and examine with a critical eye all things theatre!