I had the chance to go to the Stratford Festival this summer.http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/ It wasn't easy squeezing it in with graduate school, my kids' summer jobs, a "refreshment" trip to the Leelaneau Penninsula with family and friends, and preparations for a new school year. But it was worth it!
First of all, I learned a new work strategy. Our work is very serious, very important. Sometimes though I get freaked out, considering some misshap a "tragic" event. But after I saw A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, I remembered that mishaps are comedic, without the singing and dancing, but certainly with costumes! My son (the college wrestler) threatened to "break out in interpretive dance" while he was talking. Tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight!
More importantly, it was fascinating to watch the young woman who played the bride, who was paid for and awaiting pickup, in this comedy also play Maria in the tragedy West Side Story. In fact, all of the actors play two or more roles in other plays. Tony played a minor role as a jousting soldier in Cyrano de Bergerac. Colm Feore playe Cyrano but also played Macbeth. (You can see him in a video on the website. He was fantastic!)
It makes me think of all the roles we play--sometimes bit parts, another time a magnanimous hero, other times a clown or in disguise--often in the same season! And we as teachers and learners all have the potential to play all of those roles.
My professor, Louise Cowan, told us at the Dallas Insitute of Humanities and Culture where an academy of teachers were studying "classics" and learning how to integrate them into the classroom that comedy and tragedy have different flavors, that the whole of each "tastes" or "feels" differently from the beginning scene. I hope that this school year will have its own distinctive flavor and that it includes lots of learning and laughter.
Lucia
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