Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington High School
Students at Upper Arlington High School drawn to the dramatic arts have many ways in which to start their journey to the stage. The Upper Arlington Community of Theatre’s productions and the vocal music program’s musical are two options that offer valuable pre-graduation experience.
Upper Arlington Community of Theatre: Educating through Experimentation
For most high school drama clubs, exchanging a classic stage show for an intimate one-man performance dealing with topics such as mental health and suicide would be a risky decision. But UACT has never stuck to plays that have “typical high school material,” says UACT director Greg Varner.
From performing a stage adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five to spurring dialogue about acceptance and tolerance in The Laramie Project, the theater program aims to “explore performative options and ways to build community,” says Varner.
In the spring, this goal will be manifested through UACT’s presentation of Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan. Varner says the company’s decision to present the relatively new work in lieu of the previously planned The Diary of Anne Frank shows the importance of flexibility and fluidity in planning performances for the year.
“One thing that is interesting about how we do theater at Upper Arlington High School is that we want to always have a plan, but always be responsive to our options,” he says.
Approximately 120 students participate in UACT’s five rotating academic options and seven to nine performances throughout the school year. In addition to performing on stage, they are involved in many aspects of the production and design process, Varner says.
“I decided that the most effective and most invested company would be one that was built on the success of students,” he says, adding that students are in charge of everything from lighting and costume design to prop creation and rehearsal management. “This approach to production has anchored a sense of ownership that strengthens the company.”
Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington High School
Varner says shows such as Every Brilliant Thing embody UACT’s mission to present “purposeful, meaningful and timely theater.”
“I never want someone to come to one of our shows and say, ‘That was good, for a high school,’” he says. “I want someone to see our performances and feel just as satisfied as they would at a university-level performance or one from a local theater around Columbus.”
Every Brilliant Thing will be performed by UACT May 4, 5 and 6. Additional details will be announced on the company’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/uatheatre.
Vocal Music: Emphasizing Creative Collaboration
Although some educators might cringe at the mention of “booster parents,” Eric Kauffman – UAHS’s vocal music director who is in charge of producing the school’s annual musical – says collaboration has been the key to success.
“Our booster organization, top to bottom, they want to help, they want to do everything they can to make this a great experience, and in addition to that, they understand the philosophy of, ‘We’re not doing this for the kids, we’re doing this with the kids,’” Kauffman says.
An involved community of parents and alumni allows Kauffman to offer his students memorable learning experiences. He says the goal is to teach those involved in the musical – casts for previous productions have ranged from 50 to 100 students – the skills necessary to excel in the professional musical theater world.
Photo courtesy of Upper Arlington High School
“They kind of show (the students) how to do things so that they can take on some tasks on their own,” Kauffman says. “They can learn from this and they can pass this on to future generations at Upper Arlington or future generations in their family.”
The support of the Vocal Music Boosters also enables investment in external resources that make stage productions shine. Most recently, the students performed The Wizard of Oz using the same backdrops, props and costumes that appeared in the 1999 Madison Square Garden version of the show.
Kauffman says the relationships formed within UAHS’s performing arts family have been paramount to the musicals’ success.
“I think the community has always had a great tradition and a great expectation of the musical theater program,” he says. “I think the booster organization is really the strong catalyst behind why our success has blossomed over the last 15 to 20 years. I just really don’t know how you would do it any other way at this scale.”
More information about the vocal music department can be found at www.uavocalmusic.org.
Amanda Etchison is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
