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CLOUDY Temp: 39 °F Wind: SSE at 4 mph Wednesday, April 2, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend March 15, 2003 Choreographer Suzee Grilley, far left, shows high school students some warm-up exercises during Theater Day Friday at VIBES. At center is North Medford High School freshman Courtney Veronneau; at right is North Valley senior Whitney Fitzgerald. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Future actors get a taste of the craft High school students work with drama teachers, actors and choreographerson Theater Day By BUFFY POLLOCK for the Mail Tribune Students from five area high schools were caught missing class and acting out Friday — all in the name of higher education. Theater Day offers young thespians a chance to mingle with local acting celebrities, get feedback from judges and see how they measure up against students from other schools. The annual event was put on by the Rogue Community College 2+2 Outreach program at VIBES Main 1 teen club in Medford. "It was kind of a competition without being a competition," said Michael Fitzgerald, drama director for North Medford High School and a 20-year Broadway actor. "This gives the students a taste of what auditioning for people they don’t know is like. They get to get different perspectives about their acting from judges other than their teachers." Event coordinator B.J. Taylor said Theater Day encourages students to pursue a college education, even though many assume they don’t need a degree to work in theater. The day kicked off with a panel discussion including teachers, local actors, choreographers and students, followed by two sessions in which students performed scenes they’d been rehearsing for the past several months. Performances were reviewed by 12 judges, including choreographers, drama instructors and professional local actors such as Robert Greygrass. Recently back from a national theater tour, Greygrass spoke to students about his life as an actor and the importance of higher education. A dance workshop was conducted by Ashland choreographer Suzee Grilley to get students moving — not to mention laughing and working up an appetite for the free pizza they received from Abby’s and Papa John’s as a reward for their antics. Heather Petersen, a North Medford sophomore whose performance of "Disturbed" kept the audience hanging on her every word, was excited about having her talents reviewed by some fresh faces. "I thought it was a good experience to see other actors my age and see what their experience level has been," she said. "I like being judged by someone other than my teacher, and it was really interesting how you could tell each school had a different style." In addition to North Medford, participating high schools included South Medford, Eagle Point, Grants Pass and North Valley in Merlin. Taylor said several schools were unable to attend this year because of budget cuts. John Cole, who teaches speech and theater arts at RCC, said it was important to encourage students to seek higher education, especially in a time when budget cuts were limiting the enrichment programs available. "We really wanted to just encourage the kids to be well-rounded and learn all they can get their hands on," he said. "Everyone talked about how, if you’re going to be a movie star, fine, but get some skills. Get an education, too. "Whether you are an actor or a liberal arts major or a psychiatrist, education is the key. It can make a difference in anything you do," he said. "Today was about the craft. Not about the celebrity part of it, but about the nuts and bolts of acting. How much more there is to learn and why they love what they love." A workshop similar to the one conducted for students on Friday will be held for the public at 7 p.m. Sunday at VIBES Main 1, on Main and Front streets. Cole cautioned the workshop will involve mature content. The cost is $2. Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S