Memo #1- Theatre is my Life

I chose this topic because theatre is my life. I love theatre and it is one of my many passions in life. Of course, we can never find the answers that lie right in front of our noses so it took me a while to reach this topic. I first wanted to focus on the connection between college writing and high school writing. I was going to look at high schools that taught classes that students would get college credit for. After I thought about it for a while I realized that was not a topic I was extremely passionate about. I delve into other topics that had to do with college writing. Although I love working in an academic department within my college the idea of comparing high school and college writing did nothing for me. Finally once I stopped thinking so hard (and had a nice sit down with some professors,) I finally came up with my topic. 

I have been involved in theatre for many years now. I not only perform in local community productions around the state I also, work for a theatrical summer camp and constantly direct theatrical afterschool programs around the state. We can easily say that theatre and children are not an unknown realm to me. I direct a lot of these programs where our main purpose or function is to put on a show. I am usually the creative mastermind behind the show; so many times though I see students who want to contribute to the creative process. Young people are very creative. My boss at Rhode Island Youth Theatre where I do the summer camp had developed this program call “Young Playwrights.” I remember growing up and always trying to write plays but I never knew how. I had read many in classes (mostly Shakespeare) but we never once had a lesson on how to construct a play. What a wonderful idea for students to write plays and perform them for their class or even their schools or communities. This “Young Playwrights” program is an outside affiliate to the public school system. I want to see playwriting brought into the classroom. I always loved to write, but as I got older my love of writing died but my love of theatre grew and maybe if in school we had an assignment where we could write a play I may have learned to love writing again. The arts are a wonderful way for students to express themselves and I feel as though bringing playwriting into the classroom is a wonderful way for student to creatively interact with the arts through writing.