Curioser and curioser
Mar. 18th, 2005 11:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
windelinaLast night at the school, I was also handed a letter that arrived for me.
It's handwritten, printed, unsigned:
* * * * *
Dear Windy,
I have seen "The Crucible." What you have done is not very good.
The kids are saying you play favorites. That's not fair and it is no quality any person in a teaching position should have. Shame on you.
Did you even try to teach these actors how to project their voices, enunciate, speak slower, so that the audience could hear? Perhaps the youngsters can hear, but believe me, those of us over 50 couldn't hear.
I have a grandchild in that play and very much wanted to see and hear all of it. But after struggling to hear and understand, and not being able, I fell asleep. Believe you me, I wasn't the only one in the audience, by far.
All the conversation is directed to the sides of the stage, too. The sets need to be canted out, toward the audience.
I am not identifying myself because I have gotten the clear impression you are the type of person who would take it out on my grandchild. I got this impression from the kids, who know you.
* * * * *
- I'm not even sure if this is for real. It's odd that someone over 50 would address it as "Dear Windy" and most people of that generation write, not print. (Part of me wonders if it's the old theatre teacher being weird. She's still at the school and came to the show, I believe. And the way this person talks about the show suggests a knowledge of theatre.) I don't think it's one of the kids playing a prank, because it was mailed, and it just doesn't feel right.
- I play favorites, their grandchild is in the show...therefore their grandchild is a favorite. Right? And actually, after I cast "The Crucible" I heard from at least three students who've been in shows with me in the past who were wondering why I didn't cast them. Certain students get cast alot - because those students are damned talented. But favorites? Not in casting. In who I talk to and joke with, maybe. But the thing is, except for a handful that I think are pretty damned dumb, I like all the kids. I see value and worth in all of them.
- I "would take it out on [their] grandchild" too. And the kids are saying I'm like that. Well, the possible reality is that the grandchild came home in the middle of rehearsals, which are a bear, and complained about things which is completely reasonable and expected, and grandparent stuck to that. The reality is...most of those kids love me. They hug me, they light up when they see me, the way they crack jokes with me...I know I've made some of them feel bad when I've had to ride their butts, but they get the warm fuzzies when they do it right.
- I'd sorta been expecting something like this fairly soon. Now that things have been consistently good in the theatre department, it's time for someone to start bitching.
- If this person wasn't a passive-aggressive dorkwad and had signed their name, I would contact them and tell them YES I worked incessantly on diction and projection and cheating out. And achieved moderate successes. I sat at the back of the theatre every night and for the most part could hear and understand fine. When I couldn't, the kids got a note about it the next night. Monte also sat back there with me and he corroborates this (since I knew the script backwards and forwards, my opinion on what is "clear" might be suspect since I know what they are supposed to be saying and can unconciously fill in the gaps).
If this person questioned their grandchild about it, and said child was honest (or even exists), that child would have mentioned that every night they got reminders on diction and projection.
I can only say that this person clearly needs a hearing aid.
- Invoking the nameless masses not once, but twice (others slept, other kids are saying this).
Since it is unsigned, this is not about someone genuinely concerned. Because if they were really concerned, they would want to fix the problems and that means having a discussion about them. No, this letter is about being insulting and trying to scare me into doing what they want...whatever that is.
It does bring up a few things I'm considering doing though
- make sure the kids know that if they truly have a problem with what we're doing, with something I've done - they can come talk to me about it
- I'm unsure how to address the "favorites" issue, since I'm not even sure it is a real issue. But I might send out "spies" in the form of a few of the seniors to ask around and see what the student opinion is.
- Email the cast of the Crucible, letting them know I got a letter with some questions and concerns but it was unsigned, claiming to be a grandparent of a cast member, and ask that if they know who the person is, they have them contact me because I would like to discuss it with them. (Except that I'm sure someone who would write this letter would interpret that as me trying to get back at their grandchild.)
I'm sure there's complaining about how I cast things. There always is and always will be. Every actor says "I could've done it better."
I'm concerned that some student really believes I don't have the best interests of the show and the kids at heart - but this letter may not even be real, and how do you respect something unsigned?
Considering how much I put into these shows - the time, the costumes, the energy, the commitment - they are getting a bargain. And after seeing a few other shows around town, they're getting a damned talented director in the bargain. Not to mention the fact that I did the Auditioning Workshop for free, and am doing the Spring Scenes without any pay either. Simply because I like these kids, and I see a need for them to have these experiences.
I'm not hurt by this letter - how can I be hurt when I know in my heart how much I love these kids? How can these sorts of barbs even touch me compared to that? And if you could read the notes and letters I get from the kids, I've touched them and taught them and showed them what they are capable of.
Mostly I am curious, in that sort of a crossword puzzle sort of way.
It's handwritten, printed, unsigned:
* * * * *
Dear Windy,
I have seen "The Crucible." What you have done is not very good.
The kids are saying you play favorites. That's not fair and it is no quality any person in a teaching position should have. Shame on you.
Did you even try to teach these actors how to project their voices, enunciate, speak slower, so that the audience could hear? Perhaps the youngsters can hear, but believe me, those of us over 50 couldn't hear.
I have a grandchild in that play and very much wanted to see and hear all of it. But after struggling to hear and understand, and not being able, I fell asleep. Believe you me, I wasn't the only one in the audience, by far.
All the conversation is directed to the sides of the stage, too. The sets need to be canted out, toward the audience.
I am not identifying myself because I have gotten the clear impression you are the type of person who would take it out on my grandchild. I got this impression from the kids, who know you.
* * * * *
- I'm not even sure if this is for real. It's odd that someone over 50 would address it as "Dear Windy" and most people of that generation write, not print. (Part of me wonders if it's the old theatre teacher being weird. She's still at the school and came to the show, I believe. And the way this person talks about the show suggests a knowledge of theatre.) I don't think it's one of the kids playing a prank, because it was mailed, and it just doesn't feel right.
- I play favorites, their grandchild is in the show...therefore their grandchild is a favorite. Right? And actually, after I cast "The Crucible" I heard from at least three students who've been in shows with me in the past who were wondering why I didn't cast them. Certain students get cast alot - because those students are damned talented. But favorites? Not in casting. In who I talk to and joke with, maybe. But the thing is, except for a handful that I think are pretty damned dumb, I like all the kids. I see value and worth in all of them.
- I "would take it out on [their] grandchild" too. And the kids are saying I'm like that. Well, the possible reality is that the grandchild came home in the middle of rehearsals, which are a bear, and complained about things which is completely reasonable and expected, and grandparent stuck to that. The reality is...most of those kids love me. They hug me, they light up when they see me, the way they crack jokes with me...I know I've made some of them feel bad when I've had to ride their butts, but they get the warm fuzzies when they do it right.
- I'd sorta been expecting something like this fairly soon. Now that things have been consistently good in the theatre department, it's time for someone to start bitching.
- If this person wasn't a passive-aggressive dorkwad and had signed their name, I would contact them and tell them YES I worked incessantly on diction and projection and cheating out. And achieved moderate successes. I sat at the back of the theatre every night and for the most part could hear and understand fine. When I couldn't, the kids got a note about it the next night. Monte also sat back there with me and he corroborates this (since I knew the script backwards and forwards, my opinion on what is "clear" might be suspect since I know what they are supposed to be saying and can unconciously fill in the gaps).
If this person questioned their grandchild about it, and said child was honest (or even exists), that child would have mentioned that every night they got reminders on diction and projection.
I can only say that this person clearly needs a hearing aid.
- Invoking the nameless masses not once, but twice (others slept, other kids are saying this).
Since it is unsigned, this is not about someone genuinely concerned. Because if they were really concerned, they would want to fix the problems and that means having a discussion about them. No, this letter is about being insulting and trying to scare me into doing what they want...whatever that is.
It does bring up a few things I'm considering doing though
- make sure the kids know that if they truly have a problem with what we're doing, with something I've done - they can come talk to me about it
- I'm unsure how to address the "favorites" issue, since I'm not even sure it is a real issue. But I might send out "spies" in the form of a few of the seniors to ask around and see what the student opinion is.
- Email the cast of the Crucible, letting them know I got a letter with some questions and concerns but it was unsigned, claiming to be a grandparent of a cast member, and ask that if they know who the person is, they have them contact me because I would like to discuss it with them. (Except that I'm sure someone who would write this letter would interpret that as me trying to get back at their grandchild.)
I'm sure there's complaining about how I cast things. There always is and always will be. Every actor says "I could've done it better."
I'm concerned that some student really believes I don't have the best interests of the show and the kids at heart - but this letter may not even be real, and how do you respect something unsigned?
Considering how much I put into these shows - the time, the costumes, the energy, the commitment - they are getting a bargain. And after seeing a few other shows around town, they're getting a damned talented director in the bargain. Not to mention the fact that I did the Auditioning Workshop for free, and am doing the Spring Scenes without any pay either. Simply because I like these kids, and I see a need for them to have these experiences.
I'm not hurt by this letter - how can I be hurt when I know in my heart how much I love these kids? How can these sorts of barbs even touch me compared to that? And if you could read the notes and letters I get from the kids, I've touched them and taught them and showed them what they are capable of.
Mostly I am curious, in that sort of a crossword puzzle sort of way.
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no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 06:00 pm (UTC)I don't know about the letter being mailed means it's any more "real." You've got creative students in your care - I bet they'd think of adding that extra touch of "maybe it's legit" if they were messing with you.
I'll second your suspicion on another area: As a non-theater person, it seemed obvious to me that the author(s) of the letter either had training or had been involved in the past. If I were writing a testy old-person letter, I never would have used the term "canted out". It probably would have read a lot more like something penned by Abe Simpson.
Still sucks to get this sort of crap, though.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 06:30 pm (UTC)If they'd talked to me in person, they would've spared themselves the embarrassment of me also judging them on poor grammar and syntax...
no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 06:00 pm (UTC)You must be shocked and appalled. Unsigned letters don't deserve a response.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 06:29 pm (UTC)What's amusing is that if this person had talked to me I would have said "yep, you're right" to their concrete complaints. Yep, they kept forgetting to cheat out; yep, they are lazy speakers; yep, they don't always speak loud enough.
Of course, Monte's response was "Most of the play is YELLED and it wasn't aloud enough for you?!"
no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 06:28 pm (UTC)I know that during the Auditioning Workshop I was honest when I explained how knowing the director can be a factor, and how directors DO play "favorites" because it's easier to cast someone you KNOW will work hard than an unknown factor.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 06:53 pm (UTC)If you do, and then for some reason have to discipline the grandchild, or if for some reason you don't cast the grandchild in a future show on a borderline call, you will be second-guessed. You will have to deal with the QUESTION of "are you punishing this students?" for the rest of that student's duration at the school. Even if you are completely objective - it is hard (as you know) to be able to justify every borderline call.
The fact that you don't know who wrote the letter is GOOD for you. It is PROTECTION for you. Now you can continue to do your job, make your judgment calls, kick ass when it needs to be kicked, be lenient when it is time to be lenient, without anybody thinking you know who wrote the letter.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 08:17 pm (UTC)I hate to say it, but
Date: 2005-03-18 08:37 pm (UTC)Next time you see the kids, say you spoke with someones nice grand mother, whos grandmother was that who came the the last show??? Then say, A HA!
Re: I hate to say it, but
Date: 2005-03-21 02:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-03-18 08:40 pm (UTC)If you're old, sit in the front row, turn up your hearing aid, or don't go to high school productions. Don't blame the director!
The letter itself, however, doesn't seem right. It seems so forced somehow. Beyond that, I believe a real grandparent wouldn't be afraid to sign such a letter. Those folks have lived too long to be afraid of a high school theatre director. Sounds more to me like someone who wanted a cover story and a good excuse to remain anonymous. That doesn't deserve any of your energy whatsoever.
Gotta love high school politics.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-19 06:49 pm (UTC)The audience would be limited to 30 people, all of whom would be required to drink at least two cups of coffee before the presentation. They would be seated in uncomfortable folding chairs right up on center stage. The actors would dispense with props and blocking and would merely stand in a circle around the audience, reciting their lines through bullhorns.
If Tech-tard could figure out how to run periodic electrical shocks through the audience's metal folding chairs, that would be a bonus.
no subject
Date: 2005-03-21 03:25 pm (UTC)damn parents
Date: 2005-03-22 06:48 pm (UTC)