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FLAGPOLE.COM • NOVEMBER 17,2010
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SCHOOLED IN THE ARTS
Theatre productions keep coming through
out November and December. Here's what's
coming up in the next few weeks:
ArtsIOglethorpe presents Grace & Clone by
Tom Zeigler on Nov. 19 & 20. Contact www.
artsoglethorpe.org. Athens Little Playhouse's
presentation of The Frog Princess continues
Nov. 19 & 21—perfect for children ages three
and up. Call (706) 208-1036 for reservations.
The ALP auditions for Rapunzel, a new twist
to an old story, were held last week, and the
production is slated for Feb. 25-27 & Mar.
4-6. Call for more info.
Rose of Athens Theatre is touring with its
production of Frankenstein Lives! It is
available for booking through March.
RoA will also perform in the Convention
and Visitors Bureau/ Athens Historic
House Museum Association's third annual
Christmas Spirits Holiday Tour on Dec.
11. Call (706) 208-8687 for tickets and
info.
North Oconee High School presents
Broadway Breaks Boundaries Revue on
Nov. 17 & 18; Prince Avenue Christian
School presents 0, What a Tangled
Web on Nov. 19 & 20; while over on
campus, UGA's Improv Athens performs
on Nov. 17 at the Balcony Tneatre, and
the UGA Department of Theatre and
Film Studies presents Samuel Beckett's
Endgame on Nov. 17 & 18. See www.
drama.uga.edu. j
► The premier production of Circle
Ensemble Theatre. The Threepenny
Opera, continues on Nov. 19 & 20 at
New Earth Music Hall. Directed by Joelle
Re'Arp-Dunham, the production features
several Athens music and theatre lumi
naries including Dodd Ferrelle, former
frontman for Rags and current leader
of the Tinfoil Stars; singer-songwriter
Nathan Sheppard; Kathleen Hogan (Robert
Redford's The Conspirator); Lisa Mende
(“Seinfeld," “Friends," 'Sex and the City");
Mirla Criste (Broadway production of Miss
Saigon); and Lynn Halverson (Twist, Zorro!
The Musical). For info and tickets, see www.
circleensemble.com or call (706) 362-2175.
Check it out!
Children's theatre veteran Jay HoU directs the
Young Actors Studio's Miss Nelson Is Missing
on Dec. 10 & 11 at the Seney-Stovall ChapeL
Describing the process, HoU said, "To accom
modate the overwhelming number of young
auditioners, Miss Nelson's class has grown
from seven to 17 children, making for an even
more hystericaUy chaotic classroom." Check
www.youngactorsstudio.googlepages.com for
more info.
Cries from fiscal reformers jeopardize perform
ing arts programs because they are seen as
frills and not important to the success of grad
uates. I asked Athens Academy drama teacher
Lorainne Thompson to question her students
about the value of these programs. Here is
just a handful of the powerful responses given
by some of the Academy's graduates:
• "Working with the cast and crew taught
me about the importance of collaboration
and building relationships. Currently, I am
doing research on public-private partnership
development project models in urban slums in
India. The value of teamwork and communica
tion I learned through drama has foUowed
through, even in the research I am conducting
today."
• "One of the biggest things I gained from
participating in theatre was self-confidence.
I felt comfortable growing into the person
I wanted to be. I learned about teamwork,
leadership and communication. While I am not
working in the theatre, I have gained so many
things from my experiences that help me on a
daily basis, including a greater appreciation of
the arts."
• "You learn more about human interac
tion and communication through acting than
anything else."
The Circle Ensemble Theatre product ion of The Threepenny
Opera is at New Earth Music Hall on Nov. 19 & 20.
• "When I was onstage, I had a voice.
I could communicate what I was feeling; I
could have a platform for that communication,
and I possessed a bravery I didn't have in the
other aspects of my life... If I could have that
strength in that environment if I could get
onstage in front of a ton of people and make
them feel something, I could do anything."
• "As a very insecure 13-year-old, being
a part of theatre transformed my personality.
It boosted my self-esteem. What most people
who aren't a part of theatre don't understand
is that it really is a team that puts on a per
formance. I learned how to work with different
people, how to problem solve and how to be
resourceful While theatre is not my career, it
will always be a part of who I am—part of the
person I have become: someone confident,
someone who is a patron of the arts, some
one who found her place—not on an athletic
team—but on a performance team. For that I
am always thankful"
The words could have been taken from how-to
books for success in business, relationships
or living a fulfilled life. But they are from the
experiences of young men and women who
have learned these things by participating
in theatre—hardly a "frill" or a clever little
t-shirt slogan. Thank you, drama teachers, for
giving our kids, and us, this incredible gift
Rick Rosa thealre@nagpoie.com
JASON WHITE