In This Issue: New York, New York ISTA Scene Dec 09 20/11/09 17:30 Page 2

ISTA Scene Dec 09 20/11/09 17:30 Page 1 Creating worlds through theatre www.ista.co.uk sceneTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS THEATRE ASSOCIATION 2009-10 DECEMBER ISSUE 2 In this Issue: New York, New York ISTA Scene Dec 09 20/11/09 17:30 Page 2 ISTA – A Who’s Who Contents Board of Trustees 2 On The Threshold: The Calhoun Laramie Project David Lightbody – President By Marjorie Duffield Independent Producer, UK Based in the UK Dinos Aristidou 4 Theatre Group Dzieci and an Interview with Development Officer for Education and Learning, Matt Mitler Arts Council South East Freelance writer/director/consultant Based in the UK 12 A Practitioner’s Pathway Alex Clifton By Matt Mitler Theatre Director Senior Acting Teacher – RADA Based in the UK 13 ISTA and the American Museum of Natural Anthony Cunningham History High School Theatre Teacher at American School of the Hague, The Netherlands 15 Sound and Music in Theatre Susan Davenport By Greg Pliska Development Consultant Currently Interior Design Student Based in the UK 17 Interview with Kate Wetherhead: Ian Pike A New York based actor Freelance Script Writer Based in the UK Jen Tickle 18 Interview with Randy Ellen Lutterman of Arts Coordinator at the International School of Azerbaijan SpringboardNYC Honorary Life Members 20 Student Scene: Introducing Broadway Space Dinos Aristidou – UK By Carla Weiss Doug Bishop – Taiwan Ted Miltenberger – France Mike Pasternak – Switzerland Editor: Sally Robertson Artwork: Jo Doidge Global Patrons Print: Headland Printers, Penzance American School of the Hague, The Netherlands Encore! Ensemble Theatre Workshop, USA Cover photo: By Beth Griffin of Sarah International School of Azerbaijan Feinstein, a consumer at Cerebral Palsey, New York. International School of Geneva, La Chataigneraie, Switzerland International School of Geneva, LGB, Switzerland Back page photos: From Encore! archives provided by Susan Burke. International School of Hamburg, Germany International School of Luxembourg To submit material or comments for future issues please email Sally Robertson on [email protected] Regent’s School Pattaya, Thailand Shanghai American School – Puxi Campus, China © International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) 2009-10 St Julian’s School, Portugal ISTA and its editors accept no liability for the views, opinions and Taipei American School International Thespian Society advice contained in this journal. The editors reserve the right to edit any materials submitted for publication. Personnel ISTA Contact Information Sally Robertson – Chief Executive Officer International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA) [email protected] Watchbell, Old Hill, Helston Del Hayton – Operations Manager TR13 8HT Cornwall, UK [email protected] Email: [email protected] Jo Webb – Finance and Admin Manager Website: www.ista.co.uk [email protected] Telephone: + 44 (0) 1326 560 398 ISTA Scene Dec 09 20/11/09 17:30 Page 3 Snippets Editorial from our two 2009-10 December Issue 2 New York events – October 2009 While ISTA has no time for the occasional romantic From Tim Reid, Clarkstown dalliance, its 30-year history has nevertheless been High School North, USA marked by passionate affairs with a few special I wanted to thank you for the places. Stratford-upon-Avon was our first love – where tremendous TaPS my students else than the home of William Shakespeare would a and I experienced in New York. theatre organisation first fan the flames of passion? What a wonderful first for ISTA Like many first encounters, those embers are now and for us. The ensemble dead and dormant, with ISTA turning more to a sessions were great, the theatre marriage of convenience in London while the RSC performances thought provoking, theatres have been closed for renovation. Can love be and the master classes were rekindled next year with their re-opening? inspirational. I marveled at the Bali began as a holiday fling in 1997, but soon way that all the ensemble work, became a yearly assignation for TaPS and teacher workshops, until newspaper master classes, and theatre headlines and the spotlight of international attention forced us from public view. After experiences fitted together with letting things cool for a few years, and despite assurances that “we’re just friends,” the IB Theatre curriculum and the ISTA has been sniffing ’round Bali’s door yet again in hopes of reviving the yearly TaPS, goals set forth by the ensemble if only for the sake of the children. leaders. Sherri included a But the real story is one of new love, young love – October 2009 and for the first Macbeth scene in her ensemble time New York. This one we had to shout from the rooftops. With wonderful work, which the students opportunities for students (both from the U.S. and Europe) to explore incredible theatre, watched that evening and then encounter a new world of practitioners and experience the sheer presence of the Big experienced physical theatre with Apple as a backdrop – we are planning a very long engagement indeed, with New York members of the cast the TaPS every year and IB Theatre training for teachers. following day. Incredible! The All metaphors aside, as an organization that literally takes place across the globe, we students were abuzz with ideas have been indelibly marked by our geography. Stratford seemed such a part of ISTA in and enthusiasm when they the early years – defining our work, reinforcing our commitment to teacher conferences returned to school. Even as a and TaPS, the quiet calm of the place lending itself to wonderful intimate student work. chaperone I was able to garner And yet, there was always the canonical question looming – did we want ISTA placing some great ideas from the Shakespeare so emphatically at the centre of its programming? Perhaps we’d outgrown workshops and the informal Stratford as an organization – in any case, the intervening time away has allowed us to sessions Rob was kind enough develop and explore a number of alternatives, ones that just may allow us to return to to provide to share ideas and Stratford as a very specific tradition, rather than as a model for IB curriculum. address questions and concerns. Bali was one such alternative that came to embody a new direction for ISTA, away from the West, and in search of other traditions. ‘The real stuff’ as Rucina Ballinger said From Greg Varner, Director of when I first met her – not the tourist traps, but observing morning ceremonies, eating in Upper Arlington Community the homes of puppet makers, visiting and working with mask makers. A highlight for of Theatre (UACT) me was the year Rucina promised to give us the Kecak group that had just won the I recognize that there will be a prize for best Kecak on Bali: the ISTA group gathered in the gardens of our hotel and in follow-up survey coming, but I came three vans with hoards of people on each – she had literally shipped in the whole wanted to drop you a line to tell village to perform for us. It is a tremendous boon to ISTA to have Bali back on its map. you that the Level 3 training was, More recently, with our strong IB push into North America, it seems entirely hands down, the best appropriate that we turn our attention to New York, every bit London’s rival and peer as conference I've attended in 21 centre of world (and world-class) theatre. But if London’s West End has come through years of teaching. What a for ISTA and TaPS in the past few years, can we see different possibilities in New York? brilliant, practical, motivational, What about models outside the commercial and subsidised theatre? Rob Warren relevant, etc. etc, experience we (Atlanta International School) indicated early on that if we did TaPS anywhere in the had with Dinos and each other. U.S., it should be New York. Surprisingly, a number of European schools this year And the context of the museum opted for New York TaPS over the typically popular London venue. was miles beyond the experience To celebrate young love, we are dedicating this issue to New York, New York. In it, we would have had in a theatre. we have compiled a collection of interviews with artists working in the industry, an in- Rob Steiner generously depth look at a cutting-edge theatre company and a pair of resource packs from the provided vouchers for those of New York TaPS. We also offer some insight into one of our most recent and unique us who were able to return to partnerships – with a beloved institution, the American Museum of Natural History on the museum on Sunday for a Central Park West. leisurely visit. I would urge future [With thanks to DG for help with the metaphor.] participants to plan on the extra day specifically for this purpose. It was good to have quiet time to process and to dream. So thanks to all who put this training together. It was Editor, [email protected] remarkable! Scene | 2009-10 December Issue 2 | 1 ISTA Scene Dec 09 20/11/09 17:30 Page 4 ON THE THRESHOLD: THE CALHOUN LARAMIE PROJECT I By Marjorie Duffield This fall marks the “revival” Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” a Matthew, and the characters in this production of The Laramie Project at The bill she has been championing for years. town. They connect with the idea that Calhoun School on the upper west side (This measure expands the 1969 United this could be them, or their town, or a of Manhattan. The Laramie Project States federal hate–crime law to include dilemma they could face – to stand up to originally opened off-Broadway in 2000 crimes motivated by a victim's actual or something or to look away.

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