Fall 2012 Wrap Up by Rob Dunn

Fall 2012 Wrap Up 

Rob Dunn

Once again, time has flown by and we are nearly at the end of the Fall semester.  It is one of those paradoxes where though the months have sped past, there were certainly weeks that seemed to drag on ceaselessly.  Over the last few months we were able to do and plan some exciting events for the Ed Theatre program.  First, we were able to host a Theatre of the Oppressed Workshop facilitated by noted practitioner and activist Jeremiah Drake.  We also instituted the first “Ed Theatre Club Happy Hour” which we hope will be a new tradition wherein Ed Theatre candidates can get together socially to relax, get to know each other away from the world of academia, and chat about anything and everything.

The Readings on the Road series took a big step forward this year with the re-launch of “Fable Talk”.  The cast, which included Kat DeLapp, Emily Evans, Wendy Rojas, Lisanne Shaffer, and (ahem) me, performed for families at Hamilton Heights Parent Association Halloween Event and at Harlem’s Help USA shelter in late October.  We also got to take the show to PS 161 in late November, where we had the opportunity to facilitate Jono Waldman’s pre-show lesson plans, as well as participate in a post-show Q&A with the audience, hosted by Jono and Talia Marrero.

I’d also like to offer my congratulations to Professor Katona and the candidates in her Fundamentals of Teaching Theatre course on a successful production of Disney’s The Jungle Book Kids.  Their hard work with students of PS 161 certainly paid off!

We are almost at the point of looking ahead to Spring 2013, but before we get there, the Ed Theatre club and program have put together some great events occurring between now and the start of the next semester.  First, we have the Thesis Share/Artistic Lab/Holiday Party on Thursday, Dec 13th.  The festivities kick off at 7pm when we’ll get to see the candidates from Content Research 2 perform their thesis topics.  Immediately following, we will kick off the end of semester Holiday party, which will start conservatively on-campus, and will become considerably less so when it is time to move the party off-campus!

On January 19th we will be hosting the Educational Theatre Mini-Conference, which will be headlined by the one and only Jonothan Neelands (if you don’t know him, trust me, he’s big time in the Ed Theatre world!)  The cost will is a mere $20 if you sign up early and space is limited!!  Sign-up details will be coming soon, so be on the look out!!! (You can probably tell my increasing use of exclamation points that I’m very excited about this, and you should be, too!!!!)

Another thing to keep an eye out for: the officers of the Ed Theatre Club are hoping to launch the “Ed Theatre Club” page on Facebook, so if we try to friend you in the coming weeks, please accept us! (We will try to get everyone, but if you don’t see a request from us, please track us down and let us know!)

If I may be serious for a moment, I would like to say how proud I am of the candidates and faculty in the City College Educational Theatre community.  Many of us were personally, or through loved ones, deeply affected by the devastation brought on by Hurricane Sandy.  Our compassion, generosity, and resolve were truly inspiring through these extraordinary circumstances.  I feel lucky and honored to be a part of the CCNY Ed Theatre family.

Finally, I would like to wish a heartfelt farewell to Paul Caccamise, EJ Jewell, Megan Ludlow, and Lloyd Woodcock who will be graduating this semester. We will miss seeing you around CCNY.  Please be sure to stay in touch and visit often!  And to all of my CCNY colleagues, have a safe and happy holiday season!

-Rob Dunn

Vice President, CCNY Ed Theatre Club