This week, I was unable to join Aleeza and Caroline in our first meeting with the students from T.C. Boushall Middle School due to a prior commitment. However, after talking to my group members, it has come to my attention that the first meeting did not go well. The students were disruptive and failed to do as they were told. Aleeza also mentioned that they enjoyed running around and playing with instruments that were sitting in the room. I had the weekend to reflect and come up with some ways to make the students more focused and participate in the activities.

If the children are as wild as I’m told, perhaps the best way to get them to cooperate is by being active the entire time they are rehearsing. At first, I toyed with the idea of having them participate in some physical pre-rehearsal theatre exercises. However, the kids may never want to settle down if they are all wound up from the get-go. Therefore, I think we should incorporate into rehearsal some sort of physical activity either throughout the entirety of rehearsal or at least until the students are too tired to be active. Maybe the kids would enjoy dancing when its their turn to read their lines, or having everyone dance until you it is your turn to read your lines, in which case you must remain very still.

This week we did not meet with our group: Higher Achievement – Boushall Achievement Center. These middle school students attend the T.C. Boushall Middle School located on 3400 Hopkins Road. We will be meeting on Thursdays from 6:15-7:15 pm starting Thursday, September 29th. Alan Delbridge, one of our site contacts, told the Act II group that our group will be on the smaller side. I think having a smaller group will be not only more beneficial to us, but also to the students as well. The rehearsals will feel more personal.

When we first meet on September 29th, we plan to start the session with a few theatre games to show the students that they can have fun in this casual setting. In order to introduce Act II of Twelfth Night, we will go over the cast list with the students and, depending on how our session goes, will assign parts. We will not begin rehearsing until the following week so the students are not too overwhelmed.