What I did was...
After a few years of directing the free summer education program, I told the theater company that they needed an education manager. Their marketing director was doing all the school contacts, audition registration management, and distribution of information to schools, and she was already swamped with her actual job. So, I wrote my own job description. I told them I will work for them. I waited for them to say they would pay me, and then I immediately breezed into their office space, set up a card table and my laptop, and began to work. I create new projects, I connect the company to the surrounding arts education culture, I create metrics and take data. I don't give myself hours if there's no work to do, and I don't go home until the work is done.
What I did was...
One day I happened to mention that what I'd REALLY like to do is teach Shakespeare.
“Why not?" my boss said.
What? We're a contemporary company, we do new plays, not classics. Why would Shakespeare education fit?
“Because free in-school education fits the mission, because you love it, because everyone wants a Shakespeare teacher."
....Oh.
So I reached out to ten of my favorite local public schools to do a brief needs-assessment, found that the interest was there, made a schedule, and created curriculum, and a brochure, and my first semester I delivered Shakespeare workshops to 4 wildly different classrooms. My favorite classrooms with my favorite teachers. (And now, my favorite students.)
What I did was...
Shorten the duration of the summer programming in order to increase enrollment.... and then add a two-week Shakesepare program to the end of the summer.
Anyway...
I'll have students performing Shakespeare in the park in 2020.
I am doing exactly what I want to do.
After a few years of directing the free summer education program, I told the theater company that they needed an education manager. Their marketing director was doing all the school contacts, audition registration management, and distribution of information to schools, and she was already swamped with her actual job. So, I wrote my own job description. I told them I will work for them. I waited for them to say they would pay me, and then I immediately breezed into their office space, set up a card table and my laptop, and began to work. I create new projects, I connect the company to the surrounding arts education culture, I create metrics and take data. I don't give myself hours if there's no work to do, and I don't go home until the work is done.
What I did was...
One day I happened to mention that what I'd REALLY like to do is teach Shakespeare.
“Why not?" my boss said.
What? We're a contemporary company, we do new plays, not classics. Why would Shakespeare education fit?
“Because free in-school education fits the mission, because you love it, because everyone wants a Shakespeare teacher."
....Oh.
So I reached out to ten of my favorite local public schools to do a brief needs-assessment, found that the interest was there, made a schedule, and created curriculum, and a brochure, and my first semester I delivered Shakespeare workshops to 4 wildly different classrooms. My favorite classrooms with my favorite teachers. (And now, my favorite students.)
What I did was...
Shorten the duration of the summer programming in order to increase enrollment.... and then add a two-week Shakesepare program to the end of the summer.
Anyway...
I'll have students performing Shakespeare in the park in 2020.
I am doing exactly what I want to do.