Acting Up (02-09-09)

This week, my wife and I had the pleasure of once more assuming the roles of play director, acting coach, and performance judge. For my part, I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed these roles when I was a full time teacher.

My wife and I began our first rehearsals for our Graham County Recreation Commission Junior High “Drama Fest.” She began her acting class, and I have selected the one act play, “The Princess and the Princess,” a fun bit of children’s theater.

Things could not have gone better during our first week. I held auditions while my wife helped students select and prepare various acting selections. The students, about twenty in all, seemed extremely enthusiastic, well behaved, and eager to face the challenges associated with acting.

Of course, the biggest challenge is the fact that while I would love to cast everyone in just the one role each student desires, there can only be one actor per role. We had several students vying for the same role, and I know that there will be some heartache as I announce the results of the auditions. However, on the positive side, my wife and I have discovered a plethora of acting talent among our junior high charges. While the play will be difficult to cast, I have no doubt that it will be very entertaining for our audiences.

This weekend, my wife and I had the pleasure of judging at the Hill City Invitational Forensics Tournament. First, we want to say thank you to Mrs. Pratt and Mrs. Ellis for asking us to judge, and for putting on such a fine tournament. It ran on time, the sections were balanced to accommodate last second scratches, the rooms were well prepared for each event, and the hospitality was a delight. We should all take pride in our annual tournament and in the quality forensics program being conducted at the high school.

I got to judge Duet Acting, Poetry Interpretation, and Humorous Solo Acting, three events that my wife is teaching during her acting class. As I watched the performances, I was reminded at the astounding potential of young people to act, interpret, and perform. While most (if not all) of these kids will ever pursue or find success in an acting or broadcasting profession, it is not due to lack of ability. These talents seems to go either unnoticed, or are discouraged in the daily routine of school. However, during the Forensics season, these kids are allowed to shine.

I had forgotten just how much I enjoy helping to show young people how to “act up,” meaning how to improve their performance “up” to their potentials. I had forgotten the satisfaction of writing a ballot, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of a performance while always encouraging the student to keep working, keep polishing, and keep reaching up to the stars.

So this week was a lot of fun for my wife and I. We got to work with kids both as a coach and as a judge. We got to “play” while preparing a “play.” Most of all, we have begun an exciting journey, one that we hope will lead a group of students to act up and reach up so that one day, they may shine on the stage.