BACT Blogger Genevieve Visits Our Offices!

A few weeks ago, we were visited by BACT Blogger Genevieve! Genevieve has conducted several interviews for our blog before, so we thought it would be a treat to have her tour our offices and spend some time seeing what goes into making theatre for young audiences happen! Genevieve is 11 years old and in sixth grade at Kensington Hilltop School. She loves theater and has been going to productions since she was three years old. Genevieve enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and playing piano. She lives in Kensington with her parents and two younger siblings. Genevieve just played Hamlet in her school play. She thinks BACT is awesome and everybody who works there really inspires her!

If you are age 9 and up and interested in becoming a BACT Blogger, fill out an application today! We are accepting applications through September 30th for our 2014-2015 Season!

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     I got more and more excited as I pulled up to the Bay Area Children’s Theatre (BACT) office in Piedmont. A few summers before, I had been at the same building to put on the Youth Education Program version of Annie Jr. I looked around curiously at the small, cozy office filled with cluttered desks and posters of previous plays.
     Nina Meehan turned to say hello. As a child, Nina wanted to be the next Jane Goodall and play with chimpanzees. She had no idea that she was going to become an amazing executive director until much later. Nina was also one of the first people to start BACT, an idea that she and her friend came up with while working for a company that did productions for schools. Nina loves working with such great people to come up with an exciting line-up of shows to do in the next season.
     I also chatted with Rebecca Posamentier, the Youth Education Program Director. While in school at UCLA, Rebecca studied some theater, although acting isn’t what she ended up doing with BACT. Part of what Rebecca does do, though, is reach out to kids who don’t know about the Youth Education Program. They put notices about the next children’s performances in the playbills and talk about classes at the productions. Rebecca is friendly, outgoing, and enjoys using her talents with children.

     Min Kahng, the marketing manager for BACT led me down a short hallway to another little office where Eden Neuendorf, the associate producer, was working. Eden is a big part of putting on productions. She helps to find a script that fits the different locations and has a cast that will work well for the story. Eden also does a bit of hiring, as well as does the workshops for the school productions. Her favorite part of being associate producer, though, is how every day brings something different and comes with problem solving.
     Derek Travis Collard, who is the development director, walked in and shook my hand. I recognized him immediately from interviewing him as Frog in BACT’s Frog and Toad. He admitted that he preferred being an actor over development director because he’s been acting for so long (he was on Broadway at nine years old!), however being a development director has its highlights for sure. He loves meeting people who want to support BACT because he believes bringing theater to children is so important.
     Last, I spoke with Min Kahng, who I mentioned before. He’s the marketing manager for BACT. Before I started the interview, I had been wondering what a marketing manager does, exactly. Min explained that he partly does advertising, and partly helps the audience understand BACT. Before starting at BACT, he did ads for Safeway. When Nina was looking for somebody to be marketing coordinator, he volunteered. He was just promoted to marketing manager this year! However, he isn’t just a marketing manager. He first started at BACT in the year of 2008, as a pianist for The Emperors New Clothes. He also enjoys writing. Min’s most recent play that he has written for BACT was Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

     There are some really great shows coming up at BACT. Derek Travis Collard is very excited for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane because he really enjoyed the book when he first read it. Both Min Kahng and Eden Neuendorf can’t wait for Three Little Birds. Eden loves it because of how colorful and happy it is. Min is excited because it is a unique and lesser known book. He thinks it’s cool how Bob Marley’s daughter wrote it!
     I noticed that all the desks in the office were personalized. I saw tons of posters over Eden’s desk, and Derek Travis had candy and toys. I saw pictures of families on almost every desk. I really liked that everybody seemed happy and comfortable in their work space.

     I had so, so much fun touring the office and talking to all these awesome people. I really love BACT! Special thanks to Min Kahng for organizing the whole thing, and to Nina Meehan, Rebecca Posamentier, Eden Neundorf, and Derek Travis Collard for letting me interview them.

BACT Spotlight On - Actor

With BACT's brand-new show The Gold Rush Musical! getting ready to embark on its Bay Area school tour, we decided it would be exciting to get to know one of the cast members: Khalia Davis. Khalia is also a teaching artist with our Youth Education Program, teaching theatre and drama at three different school locations.

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BACT: You have worked with BACT in many different capacities. Can you outline those roles for us?

Khalia: My first introduction to BACT was last summer when I performed in their show Click, Clack, Moo as Cow #2 at Children's Fairyland in Oakland. At that same time I was also their musical director for their summer theater camps. We did Annie, the musical. I had such a wonderful time that when I was asked to come back for this past summer, I couldn't say no! I played Sally in The Cat in the Hat at Children's Fairyland and at Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley. I also worked at the same summer camps but this time wearing a different hat: choreographer. I was way more in my element and comfort zone in that role, as I have more experience directing and choreographing for kids. Currently, I am gearing up for the fall school tour of The Gold Rush Musical! as well as workshopping the new children's musical, Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy (based on the hit book series). While being a performer, I am also the director for two different after school theater programs: Wildwood Elementary School in Piedmont and Alamo Elementary. I am also assistant directing and doing the choreography for Disney's 101 Dalmatians, Kids at Beach Elementary School in Piedmont!

BACT: Phew! That is a lot! Do you consider yourself an actor first? An educator first? Or a combination of the two?

Khalia: That is a great question! I have always been passionate about acting and performing. It wasn't until about 4 years ago that I realized my true passion is in children's theater and entertainment. I have been teaching drama and dance to kids since I was a kid. It is a blessing that while trying to make a full-time career as a performing artist in family entertainment (theater, television, web, and film all included), my other jobs are revolved around teaching kids theater!

BACT: How does your acting inform your work as an educator?

Khalia: I think teaching kids is what has fueled my ability to perform for kids because I get to witness first-hand all their antics and adorable shenanigans in class. As an actor, you take on many roles that help tell a story. As a teacher, you take on many roles to help these children grow and learn. Sometimes I have to be stern and authoritative so my children can understand the importance of the lesson and the respect they should show me and each other as ensemble members. Then, there are times when I am the nurturer that lends a sympathetic ear to a child who is reticent to audition or perform due to shyness or nerves. Other times I am the goof ball who shows my class how easy and fun it is to just let loose and be silly and over the top. Acting is such a wonderfully freeing art form and getting to showcase that for the kids is awesome!

BACT: What do you most enjoy about being an educator? An actor?

Khalia: As an educator, I love seeing the process my children go through in creating a show. The final product is always a wonderful way to showcase how much hard work, energy, and heart these little ones put into it. I enjoy facilitating the use of their imaginations or finding ways to get kids to come out of their shells. Some of my favorite times being an educator are when I get students who have behavior problems but by show-time, the same kids find a way to be helpful whether by knowing their cues and lines or gathering props or sets.

As an actor, I love telling stories. I have the opportunity to affect an audience. I have always loved performing for people even when I was little. I started as a professional child actress and model, and I couldn't get enough of being on stage or in front of a screen. When you are acting, you are not yourself anymore. There is something very magical about that transformation. There is also something magical when an audience allows themselves to be transported to that time and space you have invented for them to enjoy. Being an artist means I never have to lose my imagination and love of creation. Being a children's entertainer means I never have to grow up.

The Gold Rush cast: Khalia Davis, Alex Lydon & Steven Shear

 

BACT: You are in the midst of rehearsals for The Gold Rush Musical, which will tour schools in October. What are the differences, if any, in preparing for a touring show versus one of our mainstage shows (i.e. Cat in the Hat, Click Clack Moo)?

Khalia: The major difference I have found are the added responsibilities that we have when prepping for a touring show. We are not just the talent but also the stage hands and facilitators for discussions after the show. We have to be in charge of setting our own costumes, props, and set pieces. After a mainstage show, we may go out to the audience for a meet and greet but with this tour, we will be holding talk backs that provide kids an opportunity to ask us direct questions about our show, characters, and educational content. Mainstage shows operate in the same theaters all season long, but with a school tour, we travel all over the Bay Area and perform in all sorts of spaces. Some of the schools will have an actual auditorium with a stage. Some schools will use their multipurpose room with no stage space. We have to be ready to make those adjustments on the fly. The time it is taking us to mount this production is also significantly faster than for a mainstage show. We were required to be off-book before we even started rehearsals so that we could start immediately with working on our feet.

BACT: What are you looking forward to the most performing with BACT this year?

Khalia: Being a young woman of color, I was always looking for the black actress in anything I saw as a child. I wanted to see a representation of myself up on stage because then I could believe it was possible for me to do it too. I am so honored that I get an opportunity to travel to all different types of diverse schools this fall hopefully inspiring other young girls of color who have the same dream I did or at least giving them a reason to relate to the material being performed. It is very special for me.

BACT: What words of encouragement, insight or wisdom do you have for the younger generation who someday hope to do what you are doing?

Khalia: Training hard, being professional, and having a positive attitude are what will get you ahead in this business. If you believe in yourself and what you have been called to do, then do it. Give it everything you've got, and support and encouragement will follow. Bring positive energy into any work environment because people will notice you and your light will shine the brightest.

BACT Spotlight On - Actor/Educator

As we prepare for the holiday season, we are excited to bring back one of our most popular shows from last year: Pinkalicious, the Musical!  We thought it would be fun to interview Pinkalicious herself, or rather the very talented actress who plays her: Katie McGee.  In addition to being a performer, Ms. McGee is also one of the educators for BACT's Youth Education Program (YEP). We asked her about both her life on-stage and her life as a drama teacher.
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BACT: Let's get right to what everyone probably wants to know. What is it like to play Pinkalicious? In what ways are you like or different from her?

Katie: Playing Pinkalicious is a delight! It is very similar to a crazy sugar rush - spaz, crash, and return to normal. I relate to Pinkalicious in a lot of ways. The relationship Pinkalicious has with her little brother, Peter, is very similar to the relationship I have with my little brother. Like Peter and Pinkalicious, we were very close growing up. Much like Pinkalicious, I was (my brother would argue that I still am) a bit of a bossy boots. Also similar to Pinkalicious, I love the color pink. When I was a kindergartener, I went through a phase where I would only wear pink. Red was a big wardrobe no no. Unlike Pinkalicious, however, I have always loved my greens. Yum!

BACT: Pinkalicious, the Musical was one of our most successful productions. Why do you think kids relate to Pinkalicious so much?
 
Katie: I think one of the biggest draws is the magic. She turns pink! And then red! Pinkalicious brings to life all of the wives' tales our parents told us. "Don't cross your eyes Tommy or they will get stuck that way." "Don't eat all of your Halloween candy Susie or your teeth will fall out." Also, many of the audience members know the story of Pinkalicious before they see it. Therefore the dramatic irony builds each time Pinkalicious eats another cupcake. There is something very suspensful about knowing a character's fate and watching them ignore your warnings.
 
BACT: We're getting ready for the return of Pinkalicious to the BACT stage this December. Will it be easy to jump back into the role? Will there be any new challenges the second time around? What are you most looking forward to about doing the show again?
 
Katie: Since closing, Pinkalicious has followed me around like a shadow. The kids I nanny for frequently request Pinkalicious living room performances. (I thought these requests would fade, but here we are in November and it is still happening!) Thanks to them my lines are pretty solid. I will, however, need to dust off my pink tap shoes and start practicing my footwork! I am most looking forward to reuniting with the cast and crew. They are a hoot!
 
BACT: You also help out with BACT's Youth Education Program. Can you describe what you do?

Katie: This semester I have been helping lead Montclaire Elementary first and second grade students on pirate adventures and jungle explorations. It is the BEST. BACT's curriculum is based in process drama. Teachers and students are in role (playing news reporters, jungle explorers, pirate captains, etc.) throughout class. While in character, students are asked to help teachers solve problems and make discoveries in real time. For example, last week I played a starving hunter. The student jungle explorers were asked to help me come up with alternatives to hunting. They concluded that they would help me plant crops and loan me some of their food. They were so sharp and generous!
 
BACT: What do you enjoy most about working with kids, specifically as it relates to theatre and dramatic arts? What have you found most rewarding about working with children?
 
Katie: Such a hard question! Many aspects of the job are extremely rewarding. Most recently I have enjoyed watching students make discoveries about human relationships. For example, last week I was participating in a pirate tableaux with a few first grade students. I was cast as a timid crew member opposite an evil pirate captain. I put on my best scared face and made eye contact with the "captain." I watched the lightbulb go off in the captain's head. As she observed my frightened face, her face got meaner and nastier. She discovered that our emotions and demeanor generate a reaction from others. Awesome!

BACT: Many teachers say that they learn a lot from their students. Is this true for you? What have you learned from your students?
 
Katie: I am constantly learning from my students. The teaching I do inspires a lot of what I do onstage. The biggest lesson I have learned happened while I was working as a music director for a student production of Peter Pan. It was someone's birthday and cookies were getting passed out backstage. One of the second graders was getting into costume and asked if either my co-director or I could set a cookie aside for her. We both said yes and immediately forgot to do it. Later while apologizing to her, she stopped us and said, "Guys, it's just a cookie." Now whenever I get worked up over something I say to myself, "Katie, it's just a cookie!" 


BACT: What advice would you give to any young actor who wants to one day take the stage (perhaps to play the next Pinkalicious or Peter)?  

Pinkalicious (Katie McGee) and Peter Pinkerton (Evan Boomer)

Katie: Start now! Pets, friends, stuffed animals, parents all make great audience members. Some of my best performances happened when I was five and performing for my dog Bob. The more you practice acting and storytelling, the better you get.

BACT: Great advice, Katie! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share your thoughts with us! We wish you the best with your students, and break a leg on the return of Pinkalicious, the Musical!

Why Teach Theatre? - A Guest Blog by Thomas Arndt

Thomas Arndt, who is the Program Assistant in the Youth Education Program (YEP), joined Bay Area Children’s Theatre in 2011 and worked as the Assistant Director for The Aristocats and Sleeping Beauty.  He is now directing Winnie the Pooh in Piedmont and Alameda with the Little Performers (ages 5-6) and Young Performers (ages 7-11) programs and is the Lead Teacher for Crocodile Junction, a Drama Residency at Montclair Elementary in Oakland (where he is assisted by the fabulous Katie McGee, who plays Pinkalicious, and Bryan Quinn, who was Farmer Brown in this summer’s Click, Clack, Moo).  Thomas grew up in Washington State, going to school in Redmond (where he played roles such as The Dentist in Little Shop of Horrors and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof) and spending summers farming with his family in the San Juan Islands.  He later attended Bard College in Upstate New York, where he graduated with a B.A. in Human Rights (Concentrating in Theater). 

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Hi folks!  I’m excited to be writing for Nina’s Notes, and thought I’d use this time to talk about some of my experiences teaching and working with YEP and discuss a question that I really enjoy answering: “Why teach Theatre?”  Thanks for reading!

There was a time when I thought Theatre would no longer be a part of my life.  I was in the middle of my college career and, faced with what I saw—and still see—going on the world around me, I figured that I needed to be more serious; I thought I needed to take on all of the problems of the world.  Looking back, I think that this mindset is actually indicative of exactly why I believe Theatre is so important to all people in general, and young people in particular.  It’s not that I think Theatre all by itself is going to save the world—that’s silly!  But I do think that it can do some really important things for all of us, and I know now more than ever that I want to and need to be creating and teaching Theatre!

Theatre teaches us to make choices.  When developing a character or directing a show, you can have lots of good ideas, but you can’t use all of them.  Theatre forces the artist to choose, take risks, make mistakes, rethink, and practice, practice, practice.  For example, in Winnie the Pooh Kids, which is an incredibly fun show to work on, we have been spending a lot of time on character development.  The characters are all so expressive and different, yet so malleable for each actor to make his/her own.  Each character of the story really illustrates a different side of human emotion and the kids get that.  We recently did some work with character walks, having the kids move through our rehearsal space putting attention into embodying their characters.  At one point, I had everyone freeze and just look at Tigger and Eeyore next to each other.  Totally frozen and soundless, they each were able to communicate such volumes about who they were as characters—it was quite striking to everyone there.  One of the most common refrains I return to in teaching theatre is “Drama means telling stories.”  It’s not a profound statement on its own, but I think it’s important to remember what we are doing and why we are doing it—we step onto the stage to communicate something, and to do so in a way that you can’t achieve with words alone.  I also think Winnie the Pooh is a great show because there are so many opportunities in the script for Physical Comedy and tongue-in-cheek laughs.  We also do this because it’s fun—to see and to do!

Theatre also encourages us to think about what I call “Big Picture, Little Picture.”  Theatre expands our ideas of what is possible.  And this extends beyond the classroom and the stage—creativity is a muscle and the more we use it, the more it grows.  Children need to experience seeing and feeling themselves in different roles than those they may have always assumed.  So Theatre encourages us to think big!  At the same time, we are also called in Theatre to get very focused on small details—an expression in the face, the movement of a hand, or a moment of a scene.  This practice helps us to look at problems up close, analyze them, and think and feel our way through.  And the amount of focus that this can teach is priceless!  At Montclair Elementary, we are really exploring all of this in our Crocodile Junction program.  Based on the Process Drama work of the late British Theater Education Expert Dorothy Heathcote, Crocodile Junction utilizes group storytelling to explore language arts, writing, and acting skills, while building creativity and teamwork. Currently we are building a story with the 1st Grade about Jungle Explorers searching for the Magical Monkey, and with the 2nd Graders one about Pirates searching for Captain Blagl’s lost treasure. In role as a character in the story (be it One Eyed McGregor, Jungle Jim, or Dr. Fleet, the world’s leading Piratologist, to name a few), I lead each class—who are also in character as part of the story—in an exploration that fills in details and builds unique narratives.  At the end of the semester, we will look through what we have done together and create a performance.  Process Drama in Crocodile Junction is an incredibly fun and powerful way to step wholeheartedly into Theatre and performance!

Finally, Theatre teaches us to speak up!  There are all kinds of actors, but ever heard of a quiet one?  (Okay, okay, mimes, I’m sorry! … Wait, excuse me, what’s that you’re saying?).  Being introverted and being shy are not the same thing.  Acting can teach us very literally to stand up on a stage in front of a group of people and speak powerfully.  And as I say when kids are really nailing an improv piece: “If they’re this amazing when they don’t know what they’re going to say, imagine what they could do when they know what they want to say!”

You have to do what you love.  Not for any big philosophical reason, but just because your life isn’t going to be very fulfilling if you are not.  I love Theatre and I love working with kids.  Seeing them light up with excitement about a project, work hard at it, and succeed in front of their families, friends, and community is absolutely thrilling!  And more than anything, I truly believe that the more young people can use Theatre to learn to make solid choices, expand their creativity, and speak up, the greater their possibilities will be in the future.  I see groups of BACT kids doing this time after time in our programs, and if we can do all that we must be doing something right.  So, Hip-Hip-Pooh-Ray for our kids!