The three phases

Teaching drama is an interesting job.  Teaching middle school drama is an adventurous one.

There are three phases to coaching a production (at least for me).  First it's all excitement and experimentation.  Actors get to explore their characters, scripts are welcome at rehearsal, and everybody is just happy to be there.  The second phase is the frustrating one; the one where I start to get mean.  I have to point out flaws in the abilities of my teenagers.  Finally, when the production is ready to go up, I'm nothing but a proud mamma with good things to say.

I'm in the middle phase right now, and I hate it. We're at the point where I can feel the time crunch.  I see the days ticking away on the calendar and I know that we are pressed for time.  But I feel like I'm the only one playing a hurry-up offense.  I'm pushing these kids and there's just no response... how do other directors do this?

Granted, I reach this point in every production, and it always passes.  I know they can do this, and I know it will come together.  Argh! does every director feel this way?

The last thing I want to seem is whiny.  I love these kids and I know they are doing a great job.  I just know what this show CAN be.  These kids see the big productions of our high school, and I know they have high expectations for themselves.  I worry that we won't make it there. I need to have more faith in them.

One of our biggest difficulties is the double casting.  It takes 45 minutes to block a scene... they run it ONCE, then it's time to switch out with the next cast.  They don't get to run it enough times to get the lines down and get the nuances.  We even have one part that is triple cast.  Today one of the actresses didn't even get to rehearse.  

I need to find a way to push past this phase and become the beaming proud director. 

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