TheatreAddict.com - Bakersfield Drama Blog

This is part 3 in a multi-part series of discussions on the state of live theatre in Bakersfield by local thespian and educator Rob Long. It is our shared purpose that this series should inspire dialogue and improvement in the areas discussed and be contructive in nature. You can contact Mr. Long on myspace by clicking the link in his name above. If you would like to publicly contribute to this discussion, feel free to email your thoughts to me at aaron@theatreaddict.com

So when I shifted from Junior High School to High School, I attended West High, and for my Freshman year of theatre I met Melanie Hanson. It was an interesting year of Drama 1, and in the summer between 9th & 10th grade I lived in LA and worked semi-professionally for the California Youth Theatre, playing Silius in their summer festival's producion of As You Like It, in the John Anson Ford amphitheatre, across the freeway from the Hollywood Bowl.

But when I returned to school that fall, Melanie Hanson was gone, and I met Perry Ware.

High School Theatre Teachers, Part 1: The Old Guard

That's right. When Perry Ware came to West High, he was the young gun of what I'm going to refer to as the old guard. I came to know many of these teachers in the coming years, once I got into ComedySportz and started putting together High School Improv workshops through the various teachers. Remembering that my analysis of the Bakersfield theatre scene really starts in the late 80s, following are the theatre teachers I've known since that time. There are notable entries I've left out, specifically Peg Pauly and Kristi Hurry (who I met as Gadeke), but both have passed on, and I'm more interested in looking at those practitioners who have some contribution to Bakersfield theatre.

Cathy Henry: Long time mainstay of South High School, she moved to Ridgeview when it opened and taught theatre there until last year, when she took over the librarian position. Arguably, she is the largest contributor to the local theatre scene, as she does work with the theatres once or twice a year (to my knowledge).

CJ Pope: Moved to Stockdale High School when it opened, and has taught theatre since, as she does today. Her theatre is arguably the best funded of the high school theatre programs, as the parent booster club seems very successful at raising money, so much so that the theatre successfully mounted a production of Beauty and the Beast in Spring of '05. Her productions are consistently well attended, according to reports.

Al Gaines: Al was the theatre teacher at East High in the early 90s, teaching his students a great deal about video production. A video production program was established at East, and Al decided to run that rather than theatre. The video production program now creates a newscast of the daily bulletin every morning at East. Al and his family occasionally participate in local theatre, mostly Stars/BMT, but a lot of his energy these days seems to be put behind the raising of his kids and their theatrical exploits.

Perry Ware: Perry started with West High, and was lured to Liberty High in the late 90s. Perry and his brother used to build sets for the Melodrama and the other companies, but I'm not sure if they still do any set design or construction. My instinct says not, that there were too few companies willing to pay for their work or its quality to make it worthwhile. Perry seems to stick to his program at Liberty, and is often unseen even by the other theatre teachers.

Jacquie Thompson: Jacquie took over the theatre program at BHS, and has created a thriving entity there with the resources at her disposal. Her program has use of the Harvey Auditiorium - the largest theatrical venue in town other than the Civic and Centennial Garden. She is driven, dedicated and energetic, and yet those qualities are all placed firmly behind the works of her students.

Pat Power: Pat and Larry are recent additions to this group. After Peg Pauly left Foothill, the program went to Michael Bahr, who was there for a couple years and then to Pat. Pat has carved an interesting niche at Foothill, hosting the High School Shakespeare Festival every year, and infusing stage combat values in many of his performances. The tech on his productions is impressive, as is the wide array of productions Foothill puts on every year.

Larry Orr: When I was working on the ComedySportz High School League, North didn't have a Drama teacher. I went through Patti Brundage and Patti Ford in order to get an improv program off the ground. Somewhere after that experience, Larry Orr came to North, and has been there since. They tend to stay pretty quiet out there North of the River, and sometimes Larry's program flies under the radar.

I list these people here because I believe they are the greatest underutilized theatrical resource in town. All of them are experts in their field. All of them have been doing theatre for decades, and know the craft inside out. And yet, next to none of them participate in the theatrical community... why?

There isn't really an answer there - it could be as simple as how draining a theatrical program is on its leader, or it could be as complex as frustration with the community and voluntary withdrawal from it. I don't know, and I can't speak for them. I can only look at them and wonder why it is that they are not more influential, more involved in shaping theatre here. Why don't we seek them out for their expertise? Why aren't they the guru on the mountain, a valued resource for the Grasshoppers who need guidance?

I see the capacity in this community for a thriving flow of actors coming out of the schools - there are what, 16 KHSD schools in the district that graduate theatre students every year. Let's say 10 kids come out of each school each year, and let's say half of them stay in town for whatever reason. That's 80 people every year that should be joining a thriving theatre community. Where are they? Why isn't there a career path from the high school, that has been articulated from either higher education or local internship that gives these kids somewhere to progress to, and values their education? We'l get back to this under talent pool... but for now, let's say that many of the theatre teachers are protective of their students and programs because of how they have been exploited in the past by more than one producing entity (myself and ComedySportz included).

High School Theatre Teachers, Part 2: The Young Guns

As happens over time, people cycle through and things change. In recent years, many of the programs at the local high schools have changed hands. I'm going to focus on the people who run the programs in the Kern High School District, and the people who look like they've taken the jobs for the long term. Those people have positionned themselves in places that they could be staples of the theatre community, not just at their own schools, but throughout the city for some time to come. For argument's sake, I'm going to leave myself out. I'm also going to discuss Porter Jamison under a separate blog, so don't feel I'm leaving Garces out. Also outside the KHSD is Dan Letlow at BCHS. Not forgotten, but the element of tenure is a powerful factor in a teacher's ability to be a keystone to the community. No slight intended.

Jenna Widelock: Jenna took over East, and is still there. Jenna runs her own production company, along with Ashley Bretz, and is still active in local theatre. They spearheaded the Vagina Monologues, produced a popular burlesque show called Toulouse, and are trying to mount a production of a play called Titsling. Their ambition doesn't stop with Bakersfield, however, as many of their productions find homes in Los Angeles.

Genia Owens: Has become the theatre teacher at West High after a few teachers came through. She tends to focus on her career and her family, and to my knowledge doesn't participate in theatre locally outside of West High.

Sheila McClure: Arguably the teacher who is MOST involved in local theatre. She started at West, went to Arvin, and has taken over the program at Golden Valley High School. She has quite a following of kids who are skilled in tech, performance, and direction, and she has put those kids to work in the shows she works for the local producing organizations. She runs her own production company along with David Lollar, and the two of them have been integral to productions for BMT/Stars, the Empty Space, and the now defunct Candlelight. And those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Lollar made himself controversial last year by criticizing the social nature of the talent pool, such that important comments he made regarding audience development were lost in favor of defending a perceived soap opera. Both of them are still idealistic enough however that they are still involving themselves in the theatrical community on a regular basis.

Kimber Peaker-Lozano: Stabilized the theatre program at Centennial after a revolving door of theatre teachers over 4-5 years. She loves to perform, and is the epitome of a driven theatre instructor - energetic and charismatic. Her productions are usually impressive, and her program is always well represented at festivals. She seems like a prime candidate to be involved in local theatre, and yet, I don't know that she is.

Carla Stanley: Left East for the theatre job at Shafter High. She's a gifted tech, and prefers technical theatre to the performance aspects of the job. She recently directed for the Gaslight Melodrama, and seems willing to involved in the theatre landscape. Certainly, at the very least she would be a wonderful resource for technical theatre.

Carr Wheat: I don't know much about him, but he took over South High's program following Kristi Hurry's passing away. He's young, I believe he was a student of Larry Orr's, and he is still establishing himself.

Jennifer Resolme: Newest to teaching theatre, but certainly well-versed in the skill, Jennifer has taken the Ridgeview job this year. She is deeply ingrained in BMT, and despite the last couple years teaching English, seems poised to infuse the same enthusiasm in her students that she brings to the stage. Assuming she sticks with the job, she may very well become a pwoerful force in local theatre in the years to come.

I am struck by the difference in the old guard group and the young gun group. Many of the younger crowd are energetic, enthusiastic, idealistic, and in that context it seems like you can view the old guard as grizzled, jaded, and realistic. Where does that come from? Is it the politics of the educational system? Is it the natural process of aging and conserving energy? Or is it a gradual withdrawal from a theatre community that may or may not valu their involvement?

These people are a tremendous resource... one that I believe could be better utilized on many levels. But we'll get back to solutions...

Please... add...

-Rob Long

http://www.myspace.com/lightningtempest

longsword@cox.net

June 15th, 2006

posted by TheatreAddict.com  # 11:29 AM