Below is an excerpt from the January 2023 issue of the Bay Farm Beat.Click here to access the full issue.
Personal Accountability: Students take ownership of their role and place within the production, learning lines, choreography, or songs to the best of their ability and ultimately create a production they’re proud of.
Teamwork: No show is performed without the work of multiple people in different capacities, like sets, costumes, actors, directors, and many more. You may not be close friends with all of them; however, each piece of the puzzle is necessary and deserves respect. Everyone involved is a part of the ensemble working together to tell the story.
Memorization Strategies: Students use and share different tactics and note-taking strategies for memorizing lines, songs, movements, and the order of the show. This is made easier by practicing active listening as well.
Flexibility: Live theatre is an ever-changing experience, and being able to go with the flow is not only a skill but a necessity.
Accepting Constructive Criticism: Students receive feedback from the director and suggestions from their peers, which they practice incorporating into their performances or politely disagreeing with and discussing better options.
Time Management and Deadlines: Any theatre student learns to understand the value of time and deadlines because, barring a major disruption, the show must go on. Lines, choreography, and blocking must be learned, and the show must be presentable by the final dress rehearsal!
Confidence: Performing is one of the safest ways to push boundaries and step out of your comfort zone. Acting onstage encourages students to become comfortable speaking in front of large audiences and helps students develop the confidence to use their voice.
Motivation and Passion: Being involved in theatre demands motivation and passion. By example, we teach each other that success comes to those who are committed to the task at hand and that the more we invest ourselves into our work, the prouder of it we will be.
Accepting Disappointment and Bouncing Back: Students don’t always get the role that they want, but if the show is cast right, they get what they need to be challenged without being overwhelmed. Theatre teaches students that it’s alright to be disappointed in a role but not okay to wallow in it. A production is only successful when every part is played well, and students learn to bounce back and put their full effort into the place where they’ve landed in the show.
Doing Hard Things Can be Fun: It’s tiring, challenging, and sometimes very scary, but the pride a student feels after the final curtain call is unmatched. Theatre teaches students that pushing themselves and facing their fears creates a production to be proud of, and they’ll remember that for the rest of their lives.