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Subject: My final comment on the drama program Author: Jennifer Martina [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 03:55:52 02/14/03 Fri In reply to: Corey 's message, "Mr. Gaudet, I hope you read this..." on 23:43:31 02/01/03 Sat I really tried to hold my tongue on any further comment toward the drama program but I simply can't restrain myself on this one. I think that the problem with the troupe and the drama program is mostly bad direction. You need a knowledgeable, experienced, professional sponsor to educate and bring the troupe to its full potential. Wesley Chapel has never had that. Young, inexperienced students need a lot of molding to be good actors. You can't just throw them out onto the stage and say "Just have fun!" Even if they do have fun and even if they try their hardest, they're going to suck. Not necessarily because they are talentless, but because they have no constructive direction. The only reason any of the events we took to states in the past got Superiors was because of the talent, experience, and hard work of the actors. I never got any useful feedback from the director on competition pieces, and especially not in plays. I really think "The Boarding House Reach" was our best play so far and that was mostly due to the CAST's own interpretation of the script itself and their work on the sets and costumes. After getting a "Superior" at districts last year, my duet scene with Rusty only got a "good" at states. Rusty and I are both experienced and reasonably talented and we put a lot into interpreting this scene and practiced very hard on it. All the negative comments made were technical(having to do with staging, etc), things that are supposed to be caught and fixed by a trained observer's eye. An eye that should have belonged to our sponsor. Its no secret that I did not agree with Mr. Gaudet on a professional level. But I did cooperate as a professional in competitions and plays, with only one exception (my choice to leave the "Guys and Dolls" cast was because of a lack, I felt, of professionalism on the director's part). I always put 110% effort into everything I did concerning plays and competition, even if I didn't get along with the director. The current thespians should be putting 110% effort into all they do for the program, whether they do or do not agree with the sponsor. However, their efforts can only propell them a certain distance. Only a competent hand can take them the rest of the way. My suggestion for thespians that want to pursue an acting career is to experience as much theatre as possible outside the high school stage. Participate in community theatre, see professional plays, talk to working actors or actors in drama school. I wanted to help out by sending my acting professor from UT but there was apparently not enough interest. You need to understand that in the real world, acting is nothing like it is at WCHS. Its dead serious. You have to have your shit together or no one will give you a chance. You won't get into anything outside of this high school if you don't start taking it seriously. Hopefully this school will someday be able to equip you for professional challenges. For now, you have to do what you can to salvage your acting experience. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> Subject: My final comment about your final comment about our drama program Author: Corey [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 16:14:33 02/14/03 Fri Hey Jenn... I don't really appreciate everything you said, but you have the freedom to say what you want, and I respect that. If everything you said is what you truly believe, then i'm really sorry that you didn't get anything more fulfilling from our program before you left. Yes, Mr. Gaudet is not god's gift to directing, but you know what? I'll do anything for the guy! He's earned my trust, and I look up to him as a mentor, and more importantly, as a friend. I seriously can't imagine doing a play where I didn't have a director I didn't feel I could talk to, or that I can't smile with and sometimes goof around with. And if you think that "Boarding House Reach" was our best play so far, then wait til you see "The Odd Couple", cause we are going to blow you away. Things have changed a lot since you left, and you just might be surprised. About our sponsor not being knowledgeable, experienced or professional, I ask you a question. How exactly does one become knowleadgeable or experienced in ANYTHING? Every great director had to start somewhere, and just because he hasn't won any awards, or hasn't been 'critically acclaimed' doesn't mean he wont ever. And even if he doesn't... even if he just stays a small town drama teacher for the rest of his life, then he can be proud of all the lives he has touched, and all the people who he has affected. Not a lot of people know how much he would do for us to succeed, and isn't that what is really important? He sacrifices day and night for our plays, productions, and competitions. What more do you want of him? Also, your memory of him is a little skewed since you haven't worked with him in a year, and even then you didn't even give him a chance. I'm sorry that you feel you didn't get any directorial help with your scenes for districts last year, but I sure did, and This year, tremendously. Mr. Gaudet is becoming a better director and sponsor every year, and I'm really jealous of the students he has coming up as freshman, cause they are gonna have the time of their lives. Our troupe is getting better, even if we didn't do as well at competitions this year as last year, we sure did work a lot harder this year. Because this year, we didn't just rely on our talent to pull us through. Most of us that did well actually worked hard for a long time to do well, and those who didn't have learned from their lessons and next year, are going to be spectacular. Not to mention, not every person in our drama program wants to go into theatre. Not every person is constantly thinking about 'how will this help me in the real world'. There is no reason for our thespian troupe to turn into a sort of 'military accademy' to strictly force people to act better. We merely hold out a helping hand. Thespians is a step towards a future career in the proffesion, but it is not the end-all be-all of acting. If people are serious, then we try to help them as much as possible, and we definantly hope that they take other steps in being prepared for the future as well. I'm sorry if OUR BEST isn't good enough for JENNIFER MARTINA. In conclusion, I think it was totally wrong of you to take a stab at our sponsor, director, and leader like you did. I don't know if you got the wrong impression from the post that you had replied to, but we all care for each other, and if our program isn't working well, it's the fault of everyone here. But, our program IS working well, (our sales figures and audience reaction are proof of that, as well as our current troupe size, which is almost 4 times as large as when you came here) and if you have anything to say at all, please try to keep it productive and non-critical. I'm sorry if my reply has changed the way you look at me, but this is how I feel, and I'm not going to let what you said go unanswered. Corey "The Monsoon" Monson

[> [> Subject: Re: My final comment on the drama program Author: .jaclyn. [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 18:41:06 02/17/03 Mon Yea...I'm not trying to hold my tounge on this line of crap i just read. Mr. Gaudet has to be one of the greatest teachers I've ever met. One man who inspires, who cares, who is fricken smart! When I read your revolting letter I laughed. This IS high school. We learn, we make mistakes, we don't do everything perfectly and professionaly because we are...hm... what's that word...o yes, STUDENTS! I feel sorry for you, for the way you feel about Mr. Gaudet. That man has helped me so much and others. I know people that didn't want anything to do with acting or being infront of people but after help from Mr. Gaudet they seemed like totaly new people. The night of districs what Mr. Gaudet said to us hit each one of use like a ton of bricks. That was to help us. I am greatful he said that (although, not at the time). What he said put us into the right DIRECTION to further help us next time. It's not Mr. G's fault that we all didn't do so hot, it was the fault of the people who screwed around for months, that didn't care, that didn't practice, that just kept procrastinating. How could he fix that... how can you mold these people into great actors if they don't care? Drop a ton of bricks on them, just what Mr. G did. It was a lesson for all of us. Everything Mr. Gaudet has taught me I will take with me everywhere for the rest of my life. He hasn't just taught me little school drama crap but REAl things for the real world. And, if you think "The Boarding House Breach" was your best production...I just have to laugh at you futher. You just wait... Well, you wrote what you thought, and so did I. I just have one little thing to ask of you. Please, don't use such profanity such as "shit" on our troupe website, it's distastful, disrepectful and un-professional. Thank you and have a nice day.

[> [> Subject: Re: My final comment on the drama program Author: Rob/Robert [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 10:07:55 03/02/03 Sun You know, You more than likly don't know me Jen... I am not apart of the trope but I hope to be next year, so I dont know how states and compititions went. I never wanted to perform in front of an audiance of people but I do now. With that said, The only reason I want to is because of Mr.Gaudet, He inspired me... he still inspires me, He IS the best teacher I've ever had. This slander is unnessacery, your opinion could have been kept to yourself... not every one thinks the same as you. Mr.Gaudet has been and will be a mentor to me in the following year to come. He laughed and cried with the troupe and with his classes, He is a selfless man, he gives and gives and all he asks for is respect... and that letter, let me tell you, was utmost disrespectful. like corey said, you haven't been here in a year, things have changed. Mr.Gaudet has opened a door of all new opportunities for me, Before I knew Mr.G I totaly had no idea how fun drama is. I now not only have a teacher who is great at his doings, I also have a friend I can talk to about anything and every thing, laugh with and make the best damn plays in the history of W.C.H.S, You just wait... you'll see, "The Odd Couple" Will knock your socks off! I know that I'm not the only one who has Mr. G as a teacher and thinks that he is selfless, I've heard from many, many people in school the very same, I'm glad to have Mr.Gaudet as a drama teacher and a Friend. I, Whose goal in High School is to become a Thespian, Can tell you honestly that we here at W.C.H.S have the best damn Teacher, And I for one am proud to be a soon to be (hopfully) Thespian! Good day.