My favorite gift this holiday season did not come in a gift bag, it wasn’t wrapped in printed paper, and it wasn’t even under the tree this year. It didn’t even cost that much. The best gift this season was getting to sit next to my five-year-old cousin as he saw his first play. There … Continue reading
AATE 2013: When Worlds Collide
The theme of this year’s American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) National Conference was: Empowerment Through Artistry and Advocacy. The four-day conference certainly lived up to its name (though that didn’t stop me from suggesting an alternative title later on in this post), and I’d like to share my reflections through an advocacy framework … Continue reading
AATE 2013: Reflection, Action, and Advocacy: Teaching Artist Professional Development
Will you be spending next week at the AATE National Conference in Washington, D.C.? If so, I hope to see you next Thursday morning at a session I’m co-facilitating with my UT colleague, Lara Dossett all about teaching artistry! The session description is below, and we hope you can join us! Reflection, Action, and Advocacy: … Continue reading
Classroom Contracts, Check-ins and Inclusive Community Are For Everyone
Whenever I work with young people, creating a classroom contract that outlines expectations for respectful behavior and collaboration is a no-brainer. Even if it’s a one-time workshop, establishing these kinds of expectations gets everyone in the room on the same page and definitely affects the group’s productivity in the session. We decide on reasonable expectations … Continue reading
Engaging Very Young Audiences
By the end of college I had sworn off acting as a career choice for myself. I yelled from the rooftops, “It’s not who I am! It’s not for me! I’m not an actor!” From time to time I still stomp around saying these words. While I identify first and foremost as a teaching artist, … Continue reading
OTW 2013: Igniting Creativity, Collaboration and Connection
As I gather my thoughts and reflect on this year’s One Theatre World (OTW) event, I can feel my eyes refill with happy tears. Joyful, teary-eyed reunions, new connections, delightful performances and engaging, inspiring sessions filled my week. For fifteen hours a day for three days, I was surrounded by creative, passionate artists who both … Continue reading
Same But Different
Do you ever have moments where two of your worlds collide? This happened to me today in such a lovely way. I’ve written before about my participation in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare at Shakespeare & Company, a place I have since worked professionally and a place that will always be special to me. Today … Continue reading
Is the Moon a Balloon?
Is the moon a balloon? It can be. A balloon can be anything… anything you want it to be. On January 8th, my flight from Philadelphia landed in Austin a little after noon. By 2:00 I was in the Oscar Brockett Theatre on campus in rehearsal for The Balloon Project. The Balloon Project is an … Continue reading
Intersections at IPAY
I don’t know about you, but 2013 is off to a running start- emphasis on RUNNING. Life has been moving at lightning speed these days, and in an effort to both keep up and catch up, I’ll start at the beginning. The time: January 4th, 2013. The place: The Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia. … Continue reading
10 Lessons from First Semester
I wish I could come up with a more original metaphor, but my first semester of grad school truly was a whirlwind. So far graduate school has disrupted my artistry, my practice, my thinking, my writing, and my life in all of the best ways. This semester was equal parts terrifying and exciting. I can’t … Continue reading
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