As the leader of your theatre’s school program, it may sometimes fall to you to help your students balance their myriad obligations. After all, students have a lot on their plates: rehearsals, of course, but also academics, other extracurricular activities, interpersonal relationships, and personal well-being – both physical and mental.
The pressures of “doing it all” can reach a fever pitch in which a student’s health is in jeopardy – but it never needs to get to that overwhelming point. On The Stage offers a few easy-to-enact tips to help you guide your students in their balance of rehearsals, academics, and well-being during a busy show season.
The first overarching move you can make to help your students stay in control of their obligations is by offering them a balanced, realistic rehearsal schedule. As we’ve covered, a student’s theatre involvement is not the only obligation they have, so don’t plan rehearsals as if it is. Here are a few suggestions to help:
Consider the type of show you’re doing. Is it one act with no music? Is it a two-act with a wide array of dancing and musical numbers? How many students are involved? How experienced are they? Plan your rehearsal timeline accordingly. The last thing you want to do is start the process too late in the year, leading to enhanced stress, tacked-on and last-minute rehearsals, and a less-than-stellar end result, leaving morale low.
Additionally, when setting this timeline, remember that your actors are students first. This means that your schedule should align with the academic demands of your kids. (More on that later!)
When it comes to scheduling, you should always stress quality over quantity. Some school programs may have five rehearsals a week for three hours each – but if not much is getting accomplished in that time, everyone’s time is wasted and people are left feeling defeated.
That said, you can avoid overscheduling and run quality rehearsals by preparing in advance. This means that you, the rehearsal leader, as well as your students, know exactly what will be rehearsed each day. Ensure students are prepared with the right materials for the day ahead, and that you are in command of the timing and keeping your team on-track.
While tech week may be go-go-go, your entire rehearsal schedule does not need to follow that same trajectory. For the mental and physical health of yourself and your students, ensure you’re adding in buffer days during the show season. This has a variety of benefits, including:
When everyone gets on the same page early about time commitments, a balanced rehearsal schedule is a lot more achievable. Make sure that your students, as well as their parents and the faculty at your school, know:
Not only will this help students succeed in their many obligations, it will also thwart unnecessary questions/phone calls/texts/emails from concerned students and parents. In short: Get ahead of the chaos by setting expectations at the start.
The last thing you want is for your students to fall behind academically because of your show. But we get it – balancing school work and extracurriculars is hard! Here are a few ways you can encourage a good balance between academic efforts and theatre dedication.
Being busy with rehearsals is not an excuse to forgo homework and studying. That said, encourage your students to create study plans and organized schedules that will help them manage deadlines and properly allocate their time to academics and to your show. While keeping track of their academic progress isn’t your main priority or responsibility, gentle (or not-so-gentle, depending on their academic performance) reminders to prioritize school are important coming from you.
Within the school ecosystem, it’s likely that you know the other teachers that share your students’ time and energy. Keep open lines of communication with these people, especially during stressful times in both the academic year and the show season. There may be opportunities to provide flexibility for student deadlines on occasion. Remember: The worst they can do is say no!
Sometimes, rehearsals run looooong. That’s a part of life. But if you know your students have a major project or test coming up, but you also know you need to rehearse, find a middle ground by offering quiet study breaks between big scenes. This will help alleviate some of the students’ stress about school and also gives you a chance to regroup and plan for the next portion of the rehearsal process.
Many of your students are likely in the same classes. Some older students may have taken a class last year that younger students are taking now. That said, why not let your students help each other grow – both on the stage and in the classroom? Encourage them to form study groups or help them set up peer tutoring sessions. This has a variety of benefits: Students will succeed academically, form stronger bonds with their castmates, and come to rehearsals less burdened by academic obligations. Win-win-win!
Mental and physical health is of the utmost importance for students, whether during show season or not. There are ample ways to prioritize your students’ well-being. We offer just a few suggestions.
It’s not hard to spot the signs of mental burnout, stress, anxiety, or depression. Do a bit of research on the topic and keep your eyes peeled for students who may be feeling the pressure harder than others. Once you equip yourself with the knowledge about these issues, you’ll be able to be a better resource for your students.
If you’re coming to rehearsals exhausted, grumpy, and hungry, you’re setting a bad example for your students. Instead, encourage good behaviors that will lend themselves to a stronger mental and physical constitution. This means pushing:
These good behaviors are especially important during the winter, when our bodies tend to be a bit more run-down. You don’t want your kids falling victim to the flu, COVID, or a head cold.
Rehearsals can often be tense, stressful, and fast-paced. A great way to prioritize student well-being during rehearsals is by building in small moments of mindfulness that encourage everyone to slow down, take a breath, and reset. You can enact these during warm-ups, mid-rehearsal, cool-downs, or whenever you think people may need a bit of a breather.
Your students should look to you as a safe, calming presence. That means you set the tone during rehearsals; make sure that tone is a positive one. Remain supportive, encouraging, and positive. Dole out constructive criticism with kindness. Remain patient if a scene isn’t going the way you wanted, or your lead can’t seem to nail their big number. Your students may not remember every moment of rehearsals, or even the performances, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
As a theatre educator, you are not an island. Remember that parents and other school staffers are here to help in your quest for creating well-rounded students. We offer a few ways to engage with parents and staff before, during, and after show season.
Let’s face it – there are more than a few skeptics of the arts. And that’s OK! Make sure that you are communicating the intrinsic value of theatre to parents and support staff at your school – both in the creation of interpersonal relationships and in the advancement of academic growth. The more you communicate and showcase the value of theatre, the more likely you are to get more partners on your side.
The best way to create a team mindset is by keeping parents informed about your show season and all its many facets. Ensure they know about the rehearsal schedule, as well as any additional workloads the students may be taking on in other classes. Parents should be your teammates during show season, not your opposition. Create an open line of communication with them, and rehearsals will run smoother, guaranteed.
Much like involved parents, your school’s other staff members should not be your enemies. Work diligently throughout the year to create a culture of collaboration with other teachers, staffers, and leadership – not a culture of conflict. You’ll find that they may just have invaluable insight that will help your programs grow.
Planning your rehearsal schedules. Interfacing with parents and staff. Balancing the needs of your students. Getting funding for your season. Being a theatre educator can be overwhelming – but On The Stage can help.
OTS offers an all-in-one technology platform built for educational theatres with the flexibility to support students uniquely at every level of education – from universities to high schools to middle school and elementary school theatre. Our free professional, Broadway-caliber tools include theatre ticketing, box office management, fundraising, and more.
If you’re ready to elevate your school’s theatre program, book a personalized demo today.