Esteemed

"It's important to bring the facts to life. And that can include gossip. The material, political, and spiritual status of your world should be a part of what is considered when making or writing a piece. This is where we live; the world around us influences our reactions and opinions."

-- Elizabeth Swados, At Play: Teaching Teenagers Theater

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It's been a while since I was in a newspaper.

The reporter showed up during one of my residency workshops at Grandview High School in Bellevue, KY. We talked for a while and then the article appeared last week. It's always good for a theatre to get any publicity these days, even for its secondary programs. Normally, theatres only get covered if there are shows or auditions of note, but this local paper decided to look for something different. And they found it: an actor at a large nearby theatre teaching kids how to use performance to boost their self-esteem.

As far as this story goes, I only wish two things. One, that I had mentioned all the wonderful workshops TCTC sends out each day--everything from an hour with Tom Sawyer to how we can use acting skills to stop bullies. While I enjoy the "Self-Esteem through Self-Expression" workshop, I must say that in my short experience (two months), kids seem to get most out of our "Art Alive!" workshop. In an hourlong session, kids learn to ask questions of paintings that they may never have had to ask before, which in turn causes them to question how they see the world. (In fact, I gave one day of my Grandview residency to analyzing paintings in just this way. I told them that truly understanding a painting can boost their connection to others and the world.)

And two, that I had chosen a better wardrobe the day the reporter came. Those beige loafers look ridiculous.