Be A Techie:) » Wonka

Wonka: life-changing

Carol Broos — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:03:20 +0000

I just finished directing six DIFFERENT casts of Wonka with 117 fifth through eighth graders. This was a life-changing experience for many of them. You see I follow the Randy Pausch theory of “brain-fake.” He states that you get students to learn something they really don’t think they are learning. Since I want every student to participate, or allow every student that wants to be on stage, be on stage, the students and parents think this is all about the show and performing. WRONG. It is about bonding, helping others, and taking risks. Students learn a lot about themselves and about other students in the school. Since Sunset Ridge is a small school of 297 students, many of the students have known each other since the age of three, eighty-five percent of the kindergarten class they start with, they will graduate with in eighth grade. This offers some wonderful experiences and some not so interesting history. But, by having the students work across grade levels it creates making friends outside their comfort group, which is my main goal. It expands their “friend base.” The other goal is taking risks and doing something you thought you could never do, perform, sing, and dance on stage. The memories of the show will last with students and parents forever. This IS why I teach, I create memories, friendships, and teach risk-taking.

Wonka, Wonka, and more Wonka

Carol Broos — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 17:42:23 +0000

There are two weeks until Wonka goes up. Every show I do has it’s own life, it’s own problems, and it’s own individual personality. This show is not different from any other. First, the show was moved to the fall, since I will be on a sabbatical in the Spring. Second, rehearsals were moved to the morning at 7:15am because many of the “theater kids” are involved in Fall sports.

The personality has been excitement. We all know that junior high students love to sleep, and sleep in. Well, at 7:15 over seventy 11-13 year-olds are singing and dancing. This has been so exciting for me and the rest of the cast.

Finally, this is the first time EVER, two weeks out and everyone knows their lines and songs. It is going to be so much fun when the show finally goes up, plus we are doing six shows!

Wonka=97 students

carolbroos — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:22:03 +0000

That’s correct! We are at 97 students in Wonka already. I am giddy with glee. I anticipated a smaller cast this year due to show being in fall, rehearsals in the morning, and no fourth graders. Every day I have three or four students come to me wanting to be a part of the production. Already many have their lines down and songs memorized, they got their scripts only two weeks ago!! What a great start… YIPPEE! We had our first read-through and the cast is amazing.