INTRODUCTION Im here on behalf of the many students and community - - PDF document

INTRODUCTION I’m here on behalf of the many students and community members who want to Bring Back RB Theatre. The students feel so strongly that they wore campaign t-shirts and marched in the 4th of July parade. The community cheered them on and gave them the thumbs up. We share the passion and will express why a strong theatre arts program belongs at RBHS. While other programs, such as athletics, are retained at RB, the quality and quantity of theatre arts programming has

• diminished. Fortunately, musical productions have been reinstated and we thank the Board for that. However, we still

have no Fall Play. To provide students with a well-rounded education and the co-curricular opportunities they deserve, RB should – at the minimum -- produce published plays, Improv shows and full-fledged Broadway musicals every year, led by educators with theatre training. We’d like to see our curricular program built up with coursework and theatre education leadership as well. When comparing our theatre performance program with that of other high schools in the area, we found that that RB falls at the very bottom of the heap. Meanwhile, we have a lot of evidence about how high school theatre leads to academic achievement, student engagement and a diverse range of careers. RB had a rich theatre history before the cuts of 2011, with productions we were proud of. Let’s get it back. We’d like the shows to have larger budgets, experienced directors and the addition of a Technical Director, and we ask that you bring back Drama. Otherwise, this year’s class of 2015 will be the first to graduate without ever having experienced one single, solitary high school play. RBHS THEATRE THEN AND NOW In 1976, RB (Cary Libkin) and Niles East High School initiated the Illinois High School Theatre Festival (illinoistheatrefest.org) which has become the oldest and largest non-competitive high school theatre festival in the

• world. It offers professional development and clinics for students and teachers, and seniors get the chance to audition or

present their technical portfolios for scholarships. Over 40 colleges are represented and last year, 171 Illinois high schools sent over 4,000 students and sponsors. But not RB. This is a missed opportunity for our kids! In 2008 and 2009, RB hosted a college fair called “Passion for the Arts” with sessions on Theater, Theatre Tech, Music and more. Our kids need opportunities like this again.

In recent history, RB had over 150 kids involved in this co-curricular activity including performers, tech crew and

• rchestra. They rehearsed and prepared for the musicals for 3 months and performed to capacity audiences, including

the middle schools. During the Fall Play, students learned stage direction and stagecraft along with literary themes. Students want this back again and we don’t blame them. Our neighboring schools offer multiple productions every year. For example: High School Theatre productions per year Enrollment Carl Sandburg, Orland Park 4+ 3758 Downers Grove North 4 2266 Fenton, Bensenville 2 1500 Glenbard South, Glen Ellyn 4 1367 Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale 5 2781

• J. Sterling Morton West, Berwyn

2+ 3,200 Lyons Township 9+ 3981 Oak Park River Forest 12+ 3200 Reavis, Burbank 5 1764 Riverside Brookfield 1 1450 Victor Andrew, Tinley Park 3+ 2223 Wm Fremd, Palatine

4 2859

In addition, LTHS has a Playwriting course in the English department where teens produce an evening of student written, directed and acted short plays. Several schools do One-Act plays in addition to traditional 3-act plays. Stevenson dedicates two entire days every other year to shutting down all classes for a Fine Arts event called "Odyssey". These are just a few of the many theatre activities other schools offer. Even after equalizing the data based on school sizes, there is an enormous disparity here. Considering our stature as a high performing school, it is shocking to see all our neighboring schools offering more full productions each year and with enriching corresponding curriculum. RB built a strong theatre culture but lately, that program, its budget and its quality has decreased and we are concerned about the adverse effects on our students. We believe that out of all areas of study, Theatre Arts offers some of the most valuable lessons that a person can learn -- about life, about culture, about being human. It’s interdisciplinary,

• ffers a tremendous range of learning opportunities, and has been proven to increase student test scores significantly.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE High school theatre education is important because it leads to 1) academic achievement 2) student engagement and 3) careers and jobs. Academic achievement Evidence shows that high school theatre education improves test scores, reading comprehension, language skills, problem solving, decision making, social skills, collaboration and more.1 2 3 Theatre studies are beneficial for students because they naturally integrate the language arts, math and science, physical education, social sciences, history, dance, music and the visual arts.4 What other area of study covers all these bases? In addition, theatre education leads to significantly higher SAT scores: The College Board reports that consistently, from 2001-2005, students with experience in acting and play production scored 65 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 34 points higher on math. 5

1 The Value of Theatre Education http://ow.ly/yn8cp 2 The Effects of Theatre Education, http://www.aate.com/?page=effects 3 The Washington Post, January 22, 2013 4 The Value of Theatre Education http://ow.ly/yn8cp 5 Source: The College Board, Profile of College-Bound Seniors National Report for 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.

We didn’t look far before learning that low income kids do better in school and in life when they have an arts education including theatre. A 2008 study found they are 4 times more likely to have high academic achievement and 3 times more likely to have high attendance. They are also more likely to be a class officer and participate in a math or science fair. 6 Research from four longitudinal studies in 2012 concluded that:  At-risk teenagers with arts education (including theatre) earned better grades, had higher rates of college enrollment and greater career aspirations;  In adulthood, they also have higher rates of volunteering, and are more likely to vote.7 Engagement Participating in theatre arts activities gets students of all income levels engaged in school. It increases student attendance, fosters a strong school identity and connects the kids with their community.8 Here are kids with a very diverse range of interests and abilities, all benefiting from this valuable co-curricular activity – this non-athletic outlet -- that engages students with their school. How can RB not offer them a full program of this? Involvement in sports can help students develop leadership skills, but so do the theatre arts. There are countless leadership roles listed on every show’s Playbill. The responsibilities of a stage manager, for example, are unlike almost anything else at the high school level, and that comes under the tutelage of a Technical Director. In addition, theatre students learn to value and show respect for the opinions and ideas of others, work cooperatively and collaboratively, and express themselves with strong public-speaking skills.9 Theatre students work as a team, similar to a sports team, working together towards a common goal. Their goals include communication, connection and entertainment. And with theatre, everyone wins. Career and employment Theatre arts training provides vital career skills as well. Dynamic presentation abilities are useful in job interviews and business presentations, and strong people skills are essential in any employment setting.10 If students do aspire to careers in the performing arts industry, have no fear, there actually are jobs! The 2013 National Arts Index reports that:  As of January of this year, there are 750,500 businesses involved in the arts employing 3.1 million people.  In 2011, there were 2.15 million working artists and their earnings have kept up with inflation.11 On the home front, RB has alumni who are working actors and technical theatre professionals, passionate about their

• craft. They had a comprehensive program here to start them on their path, however. Today’s students don’t.

How can RB students gain acceptance to college theater programs and be awarded scholarships? To be competitive, they need a strong high school theatre resume and portfolio. At RB, they now have very little to show for their 4 years. Our students also need to audition at schools as large as U of I and as small as North Central College. Are we adequately preparing them for this? I’m afraid not. RB students are being underserved when it comes to theatre arts. We have retained all 26 of our sports options. Yet when else will our kids have a chance to do classics like Our Town or a work by Eugene O’Neill, Samuel Beckett or Shakespeare? Morton does musicals like Evita and Cabaret.12 Last year at RB, two teachers wrote an original musical

6 President's Committee on Arts and Humanities, 2008. http://ow.ly/yn585 7 New NEA Research Report Shows Potential Benefits of Arts Education for At-Risk Youth (March 30, 2012 National

Endowment for the Arts) http://ow.ly/yeGRu

8 The Value of Theatre Education http://ow.ly/yn8cp 9 The Value of Theatre Education http://ow.ly/yn8cp 10 The Value of Theatre Education http://ow.ly/yn8cp 11 Benefits of Arts Education (Americans for the Arts) http://ow.ly/ye2SU 12 Shows have a director and tech director with stipend of approx. $3,000. Musical allots 75 hours for a choreographer, a musical

director, a rehearsal pianist and a production assistant at about $30/hr. Per Janine Delmonico, Morton Theatre Dept.

called Northside Gal with a low budget, and although it gave kids a chance to be on stage, it was limited in scope, both as a production and as a learning experience. Our children grew up going to RB shows like Beauty and the Beast and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. They looked forward to doing more in high school than they did in middle school -- not less. They need opportunities every year so that they can move up from ensemble parts to featured roles as they gain experience, just like a ball player starts off in JV and develops into a varsity starter by senior year. CHALLENGES We know there are budgetary and staffing challenges, but we believe if our supportive administrators make this a goal, it can become a reality. Finding the talent to lead the school’s theatre education should be a priority at RB. To put on proper musicals and plays, maybe we can get an RBEF grant to offset costs. Or look into Illinois Arts Council grants and Artist in Residency programs. Or what about tapping our area universities for graduate students with theatre education degrees? And, now that our new teachers’ contract allows unlimited volunteers, perhaps we can utilize qualified members of the community. Students will pay to participate as well as raise funds, charge admission to the shows and sell concessions. With the right leadership, we can be creative and resourceful. WHAT RBHS DESERVES Our school deserves a theatre arts program that matches RB’s standards of excellence. Theatre is an intellectual pursuit and RB is a school. We need knowledgeable instruction from professionals who know how to prioritize a theatre budget and offer, at the least:

• A published play annually – add stipends
• A full scale Broadway musical annually – add Technical Director
• Improvisation performances—maintain program
• Experienced Directors – thoughtful hires
• A rich curriculum by educators with theatre education -- reach out

The community can look forward to RB’s outstanding productions. Children can become familiar with their future high school, senior citizens can see teenagers involved in productive pursuits. And, everyone is entertained. CONCLUSION A 2005 Harris Poll revealed that 93% of the public believes that arts, including theatre, are vital to a well-rounded

• education. 13

The President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities said this about theatre arts in high school: “The statistics on its efficacy in raising test scores, the morale of students and teachers, and the increases in attendance are persuasive. Observing arts integration in action is even more compelling. There’s a pride and a collegiality in an arts-integrated

• school. Learning seems more fun; students and teachers are more engaged, and the whole school seems like a more

creative place.”14 Theatre arts help all kinds of students achieve success in school, work and life. Please, let’s bring it all the way back! Thank you. Sheila Daily, Dawn Gmitro, Ellen Dunn, Brooke Schwarz, Cheryl Bennett, Cheryl Dowling and Karen Doornebos representing the community and RBHS students 7/8/14

13 The Value of Theatre Education http://ow.ly/yn8cp 14 President's Committee on Arts and Humanities, 2008. http://ow.ly/yn585