Arts education and learning the power of storytelling took center stage in a recent outreach experience. Thomasville Center for the Arts joined forces with Phoenix Theatre to host a theatre workshop at Thomas County Central High School Thursday, Aug. 22.
The session was an extension of the previous day’s trip to the center, where students viewed an abbreviated performance of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” performed by Phoenix Theatre.
“Thomasville Center for the Arts’ Art With Schools Visiting Artist program is designed to bring working artist into local school classrooms to expose students, in a smaller, more intimate setting than our live theatre school shows, to exceptional art experiences,” TCA Outreach Director Mary Oglesby said. “The goal is to inspire, ignite, and leverage the arts to connect people to themselves and the world around [them].”
When planning its programs, TCA considers local and regional arts organizations that have goals similar to its own, Oglesby continues. These are collaboration, community, culture and creativity. Then, TCA offers them an opportunity to share their art with local schools.
Phoenix Theatre agreed to perform a one-act version of “The Crucible,” a play for which they’d previously set a full-length performance at Thomasville Onstage & Company’s Storefront Theater. Erin Grubbs and Hananel Jackson started the organization two years ago after years spent working together on various productions.
“We have the same theatre values and complimentary gifts and training, so we were a natural match,” Jackson said. “‘The Crucible’ was our first official production in Thomasville, and we had the pleasure of hiring a great group of actors to join us.”
TCCHS drama instructor Gabrielle McMullen said the center contacts every school in the region about art outreach offerings each year.
“The creative team for the Phoenix Theatre had also presented the idea of a school workshop with up to 40 theatre students,” McMullen said. “As a lover of theatre, I know that we are part of a living and collaborative art process, and I always welcome visiting artists and workshops. I hoped that students would have things enforced that they have learned previously and have help to better themselves as an artist.”
McMullen thoroughly enjoyed the workshop because the two-hour session gave students time to work and get comfortable with the guest directors without feeling rushed. It also hit on class goals and standards: connecting, responding, performing and creating.
“This workshop, I hoped, would touch on a few of these standards,” McMullen said. “Students were able to connect to characters by learning where to start when you begin a scene. Students had the opportunity to respond to the production they saw and ask questions about the actor's process. And students got the chance to perform and create in a short allegorical improvisation led by Erin Grubbs and Hananel Jackson. Having all four of my standard areas touched by a visiting artist was fantastic!”
Jackson and Grubbs wanted student participants to understand the power a story can have.
“We really wanted the students to take away the power of a story, to consider truth versus fact, and to imagine what they could do in the future to participate in the arts in a meaningful way,” Jackson said.
Jackson most enjoyed small group interactions.
“I loved working in the small groups with the kids on their allegories,” she said. “It was so good to hear what they care about and to craft a story with them.”
Sophomore Brittany Beckwith, 15, attended the workshop to gain theatre knowledge. Specifically, she hoped to learn more about how to better prepare for roles. She found the experience great and said she gained valuable insight into the acting craft.
“You have to want what the character wants,” Beckwith said of the main lesson she learned.
Her favorite part of the experience was the ending lecture.
“It gave important advice that could be used in the future,” Beckwith said.
Junior Charles Booth, 16, hoped to gain knowledge for furthering his dramatic pursuits. His favorite part of the workshop was the chair exercise, designed to practice instinct, awareness and focus skills. Students sat in randomly spaced chairs with one chair at the front empty. The selected player’s goal was to sit in the empty chair while the other players worked to keep that person out of the chair.
“It was very entertaining and made me think on my feet,” he said.
Sophomore Bailey Bush, 15, attended to learn about acting from a different viewpoint. Her favorite part of the workshop was the skits. Participants split into two groups. Each came up with an original allegorical improvisation idea that dealt with themes from “The Crucible.”
“The skits were so much fun,” Bush said.
Bush enjoyed the previous day’s abbreviated performance of “The Crucible” and how it tied into the day’s workshop.
“It was amazing,” she said. “They kept going back to the bigger picture: what is the story about?”
Mission accomplished.