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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=john.poulsen@uleth.ca href="mailto:john.poulsen@uleth.ca">John Poulsen</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=dkeith@SILK.NET
href="mailto:dkeith@SILK.NET">dkeith</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 06, 2002 8:37 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: TIME FOR REVOLUTION? WILL THE PLAY GO ON?</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Dear Don:
<P>I applaud your efforts.
<P>Break a leg.
<P>John
<P>dkeith wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE="CITE">
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<FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>I am a high school drama teacher with 31 years
of experience. I need your help and support.</FONT></FONT> <FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>I have never cancelled a show, and I have worked
under many political dicatorships , yet this year because of the recent events
in B.C. Politics I am facing the withdrawal of all my voluntary
extra-curricular work, aka directing a play.</FONT></FONT> <FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Our school is well known and respected for the high
quality of our work, and over the last 20 years we have produced some of the
greatest plays of dramatic literature, from Sophocles to Shakespeare, Brecht
to Miller.</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Our recent
repertory included <I>The Crucible,The Good Woman of Setzuan</I>,
Aristophanes' <I>The Birds</I>, an original production of <I>Frankenstein</I>
(written and directed by my colleague), and my personal favorite<I>, Our
Country's Good</I>,</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>We
always try to pick plays which have a strong social or political context
because we enjoy teaching our students that theatre has an important social
function, and should challenge the audience to think.</FONT></FONT> <FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>This year we decided to dedicate the entire year to
Shakespeare, and we have already mounted a production of <I>Twelfth
Night.</I></FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>The second play,
<I>Much Ado About Nothing</I> has been cast, the sets and costumes designed,
ready to go into rehearsal, and we are faced with the possibility of canceling
the show as a protest to the B.C Government and their draconian legislation.
Drama teachers are withdrawing their voluntary services in many school
districts.</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>I have a
wonderful group of talented students, and they have already indicated
that if we cancel the play they are behind us 100%. They want us to stand up
for what we believe in. They put it in writing, and are following up with some
individual political protests of their own.</FONT></FONT> <FONT
face=Arial><FONT size=-1>After many sleepless nights I have decided that we
should continue with a play, maybe not <I>Much Ado,</I> but something a bit
edgier, a play about civil rights, or oppressive governments, or standing up
for yourself. These are the lessons I want to teach my students through
theatre. I want to wake them from their feeling of helplessness. Me too. This
is the only way I know to teach. I don't want to miss an opportunity to give
the students a special voice in this difficult time.I have a plan, but I am
struggling to find a script.</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT
size=-1>I welcome suggestions of scripts - ensemble works are preferred.
(25-35 actors)I will direct it class time only (this is a Performance class,
and we meet outside the timetable) so I am limited to a few hours a week. Our
protest only covers extra-curricular, voluntary time.The production dates are
late April, so we have time to produce "one hell of a barn storming 50-75
minute, shake your bones, noisy protest." Suggestion and comments please.
Should I cancel, carry on with <I>Much Ado About Nothing</I>,
or...</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Please forward your
ideas.</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>I thank you in
advance.</FONT></FONT> <FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Don
Keith</FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>Kelowna Secondary
School</FONT></FONT><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=-1>KELOWNA
B.C.</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>