Drama Teacher's Survival Guide

Education

Post Graduate work SMU, Indiana University, Ball State, U of Montana

MA in Directing University of Montana
English Minor University of Montana
BA in Theatre/Education minor Macalester College

Organizations

2010-2016 Member of the Montana Osher Life Long Learning Institute at UM [MOLLI] Council
2010-2015 Program Chairman for Montana Osher Life Long Learning Institute at UM [MOLLI]
2004-2013 Member of the University of Montana Drama Advisory Board
1995 Member of the Montana Arts Council grant evaluators
1993-95 Member of the Artists in schools/communities program review committee for Montana Arts Council
1992 Evaluator of the Montana creative drama /writing workshop
1990 Conducted workshops Montana Theatre Association
Past state treasurer of Montana Theatre Association
Served on Montana Arts Council for three years
Past President DKG
Past chairman of drama sectional Montana Education Association

Awards & Honors

2011 The Drama Teacher’s Survival Guide #2 was selected as one the best sellers in Missoula, Mt. along with James L. Burke’s Feast Day of Fools, etc.
2010 Received a Montana Theater Education Association Lifetime Achievement Award
2008, 07, 01 Named Best Local Actress The Best of Missoula Reader’s Poll Missoula Independent Journal
2007 University of Montana’s College of Visual and Performing Arts Department Odyssey of the Stars recipient
2000 Theatre at Sentinel High School named The Margaret Johnson Theatre
2000 First recipient of the Montana Theatre Educator Of the Year
1992 First drama person inducted in the Montana Forensic Educators Hall of Fame
1982 Earl W. Blank excellence award as a State Thespian Director
1968 Best Director awarded by University of Montana
1968 Outstanding Young Woman of Montana

Teaching

2010-2016 Instructor for Montana Osher Lifelong Learning, a division of The School of Extended and Lifelong Learning at the University of Montana
2000-2012 North Shore Acting Instructor MCT Performance Arts Camp
2000-09 Faculty Affiliate with the Department of Curriculum/Instruction University of Montana
2005 Helped revise teaching standards for certification of theater minor for Montana’s Office of Public Instruction
2004-5 Taught private acting lessons
2003 Taught class for Missoula Children’s Theatre Play Production Class
2000-04 Wrote the only MCHS curriculum for drama started in 1968 and helped write the new curriculum
1963-2000 Teacher at Sentinel High School
- Directed over 190 productions
- Finished her educational career teaching 1 Senior English class, and six drama classes; two which were production classes, four which were a semester long
1994-2000 Students involved in FIRST NIGHT MISSOULA, presenting an evening of improvisation
1993-97 Member of the task force at OPI who wrote arts in education curriculum FRAMEWORK FOR AESTHETIC LITERACY
1997 Conducted a workshop at the U of Montana’s TECHNOLOLOGY FOR CREATIVE THINKING on the use of PageMaker and digital photographs to put a program/brochure together
1997 Selected by the Senior Class to give the graduations speech
1997 Named teacher of the month by the parent involvement group April
1996 Held a discussion group for GENESIS: Breathing Life into Learning Through the Arts
1995-6 Conducted several Refusal Skills Workshops for students from all four of our high schools
1993-7 On selection committees for Principal’s Secretary, Activities Secretary, Record’s clerk and Dean
1990-98 Students involved and performing at Leadership Camp
1988 Taught summer class at University of Montana for high school theatre directors
1984 Taught an evening theatre class at University of Montana
1975-98 On steering committee for English Curriculum for MCHS
1980 Taught night school at University of Montana
1980 Written curriculum for arts in education [grades 1-12] for Missoula District One
1968-69 Taught summer theatre program at YWCA for 4-6th graders

Initiated at Sentinel

- a required and elective drama program
- a yearly full length play–viewed by the entire student body–free of charge
- Senior Night that includes senior awards and talent
- a consistent form & notification for building use which enables our janitors& administrators to know who is using the building and what is needed in terms of hours
- a restructuring committee which met during the summer (now known as the Principal’s advisory committee) who standardized the teacher and student handbook, looked at what were problems at our school and changed some school policies to help, not only the teachers but the student body, and established the form for ISS (in school suspension)
- designed the cover for the 1997-00 folder given to all students on their first day of class

Drama Competition

Participated from 1965-1977 winning several 2nd places at state as well as over 15 First Place individual events

Established and wrote, with the chairman of University Drama department and one other drama teacher, the original rules and regulations for the competitive drama program, still very much in use by Montana’s A B & C schools
Served as the first drama representative on the speech committee of the Montana High School Association.

Thespians

2004-8 Adjudicator for Montana State Thespian Play Festival
1971-1993 Montana State Thespian Director
1963-2000 Sponsor of Thespian Troupe #483

International Level

- 1990 Served on committee to revise the stationary
- 1982-90 Scholarship judge
- 1987-88 Served on committee to revise the scholarship program
- 1982 Adjudicated plays at International Conference
- 1974 Directed Arlecchino in final night’s production of World of Theatre at the International Conference
- Main Stage productions at International Conference
  - 1984 Elizabeth I
  - 1966 Beauty and the Lonely Beast

State level

1998 Wrote handbook for prospective participants at our state festival
1985 Established Montana State scholarship
1978 Sentinel hosted the first one act play festival that has evolved into the State Thespian Convention, held in conjunction with the University of Montana, Department of Drama Dance. This convention has grown to include over four hundred students, 14-16 one-act plays which are adjudicated, a banquet, viewing the University’s Repertory Theatre production, workshops, a teacher’s colloquium and class, and the Thespian Olympics.
1973 the one act play was dropped from state competition.

Acting Roles

2010s

Community Theatre Martha/Hospitality ’13
MCT Dr. Sawyer/Miracle on 34th Street ’12
MAT Martha/Arsenic & Old Lace ‘11
MCT Martha/White Christmas ’10
MAT Peter Quince/Midsummer Night’s Dream ’10
MCT Miss Lynch/Grease’10
MCT Mrs. Mopps/Christmas Carol ‘10

2000s

MCT Mustang Sally/Oliver ‘09
MCT Yertle the Turtle/Seussical ‘08
MCT Ma Burnside/Mame ‘07
MCT Aunt Eller/Oklahoma ‘07
MCT Bartender, Aristocrat/My Fair Lady ‘06
MCT Dance Hall Girl/Paint Your Wagon ‘05
MCT Marge Welch/Damn Yankees ‘05
MCT Aunt Tilly/It’s A Wonderful Life ‘04
MCT Widow Dougles/Big River ‘04
MCT Mrs. Chauvenet /Harvey ‘03
MCT Pirate/Pirates of Penzance ‘03
Video The Driver’s Test (U of M)
MCT Mother Superior/Nunsense ‘02
Video —Quest of the Mundane (U of M)
MCT Housekeeper/Man of LaMancha ‘01
MCT Betty/ The Foreigner ‘01
Video —The Bus Stop (U of M)

1990s

Video —A Solder’s Story (U of M)
MCT Reverend Mother/Nunsense II ’93
Participated in the opening ceremonies for U of M Centennial Celebration
U of M Veta Louise/Harvey
U of M Matron/Chicago

1980s

Video Madame Serafina/Gift of the Magi (U of M)
U of M Betty /The Foreigner
U of M Chorus Member/Cabaret
U of M Teacher/Grease
U of M General/Guys And Dolls
U of M Aunt Eller/Oklahoma
U of M Mrs. Higgins/My Fair Lady

1970s

U of M Aunt Eller/Oklahoma
U of M Madge/Philadelphia Here I Come
U of M Cook/Life With Father
U of M Housekeeper/Man Of LaMancha

1960s

U of M Madame Cot/Hotel Paradiso
U of M Grandmother/Clerembard
U of M Maxine/Night Of The Iguana
St. Paul Community Theater Lydia/Annabelle Broom
Macalester Fortune Teller/Skin of our Teeth
Macalester Mrs. Summey/Dark of the Moon
Macalester Lydia/Annabelle Broom
Macalester Mrs. Watty/The Corn is Green

“We make it ourselves!” from ARSENIC & OLD LACE

Judge Yertle from SEUSSICAL

Aunt Eller & Curley from OKLAHOMA

The evil Mrs. Sawyer–“You’re Fired” from MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET

Martha, the crazy & weird Aunt Martha, “I believe everything can be solved in the soul.” from HOSPITALITY

Community

Judged 4-H Drama Festival for over twenty years (again in 2003, 2004, 2006
Member of the oversight committee for pavilion in our downtown park 1996-98
Judged various talent presentations, including Miss Montana