Mrs. Dunklee - Who else would be this perfect as to be the lead director of the plays from the drama club? The answer is no one. Mrs. Marilee Dunklee is a wonderfully animated character, who loves to psyche up the cast with a good old heaping plate of energy! So if you're getting ready to join the drama club, you'd better come prepared with a three finger mouth and be ready to enunciate like you've never enunciated before!
Mrs. Thornton - Mrs. Mary Thornton is... how should I say this... awesome! She starts off by taking attendance, then manages the entire stage crew all by herself. She then moves on to (very effectively) lower the talking levels, help with the costumes, and do any other job that needs to be done. She deserves a very large THANK YOU for doing such a wonderful job in Oklahoma!.
Mrs. Feeney - If Mrs. Patricia Feeney can do anything, she can keep a beat. That is why Mrs. Feeney has been chosen year after year to be the play choreographer. The amazing thing is how well she can invent and teach the choreography so easily! She is a very large part that the play Oklahoma! did so well. We learned those dances in just a few practices with her!
I, Sarah, have recently interveiwed Mrs. Dunklee. I plan to interview the Ms. Feeney and Mrs. Thornton soon. Please enjoy the following.
How long have you been directing musicals at JSMS?
This will be my sixth year.
Do you do any other directing outside of school?
Right now I am working on my Christmas musical at the church, and I had been doing summer drama at a girls camp.
How much prep time is needed before the show and rehearsals?
More than I know. Now, this is just a guess, but I would say an average for blocking a scene is a minimum of about 3 hours. For musical numbers with ensemble...uh.. probably 2 hours.
Do you ever feel bad about casting decisions?
No because we make casting decisions for all the right reasons; a balance of seniority and talent. Whoever we cast grows into the role.
Are there specific reasons other than age why 7th and 8th graders usualy get lead roles?
Again it is a balance among seinority, talent, but also appropriateness, ability, size, personality.
What comments do you usualy get after the preformances?
Gasp Oh, Sarah, lets brag about ourselfs for a minute! I get comments like uh... "Just such a professional job!" "All the kids are so energetic!" Energy is huge. I have had people say that it compairs to High School and College shows. "How do little kids do that?!" "You can hear every word!" Comments like that.
Do you ever get any negative comments?
To my face? Ha ha, no!
Who do you think puts in the most time for the show?
It's a team effort. I put in alot of time ofcourse. Mrs Thornton puts in a HUGE effort, we both loose sleep. Parents put in above and beyond effort, the cast members put in so much time remembering lines, songs, EVERYBODY! Oh, and the stage crew!
Why do you direct?
I direct because of my passion for drama, my passion for kids, and my passion for exellence. My main goal is for kids to learn what it takes the achieve exellence and to know what it feels like to achive it.
What promotes you to choose certian musicals?
Well, we look for lots of good parts, parts appropriate for the kids that we have, you know, girls and boys, and how appropriate the story line and music is.
What is your best advice on participating in the drama program?
Come prepared to work, always be coachable, and be prepared to be proud.
What do you enjoy most about directing the drama program?
Oh, Sarah, I am gonna get tears in my eyes. Watching you kids grow from the quiet kids at the first rehearsal to a professional prefoming cast members and seeing how proud you are.
What is the most difficult part of directing the drama program?
Having such high standards and helping kids find true exellence that is inside of them.
"Every year I think is my last. Then I see you kids perform and I change my mind.
SHOUT OUT: "WE ARE ORDERING THIS WEEK! Trust me, you wont guess this one!"