In this month's Newsletter... |
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- CETA President Welcome
- 2023 CETA Senior Scholarships
- CETA High School Festival HIGHLIGHTS
- Stand Up 4 Arts Education Day 2023
- Black History Month: Lesson Plans & Resources
- Center Theatre Group Tickets
- Free Lesson Plans: HowlRound Resources
- Monthly Student & Teacher Highlights
- 2023 CETA Conference
- Newsletter Editor "Hello!"
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Welcome to the new CETA Newsletter!
There are so many exciting things going on in theatre right now that it’s difficult to highlight only one. However, the recent production of Into The Woods designed and performed by students of the Pasadena Unified School District in partnership with the historic Pasadena Playhouse is worthy of our attention.
From the Playhouse’s Artistic Director, Danny Feldman:
"For the past 5 months, professional theater makers worked with students from four Pasadena Unified public high schools to unlock their imaginations, giving them control of everything from the sets, the costumes, the backstage crew, and of course, performances on stage and in the orchestra pit. The result was an unforgettable show, the perfect kickoff of our Sondheim Celebration."
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Bravos all around to all those who made this possible. As always, CETA is here to support you and your students. Stay in touch! |
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Gale Caswell
President, California Educational Theatre Association
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2023 CETA Senior Scholarships |
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Teachers, the submission window for the 2023 CETA Senior Scholarships opens March 1 and remains open until end-of-day on March 15. Please review the list of scholarships and nominate your seniors for awards you feel they might be right for by sharing the application links with them. Students should complete their own applications. There is no limit to the number of students that can apply from your school.
Applications open March 1- Due March 15 -Awards announced on May 1
BIPOC Youth Scholarship
The BIPOC Youth Scholarship seeks to support applicants from groups traditionally underrepresented in the theatre industry, such as those who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color in the state of CA.
Student requirements
- Must be a high school senior in the state of California.
- Must attend a high school with a current CETA member theatre advisor.
- Must identify as black, indigenous, or a person of color.
- Plan to declare a major or minor in theatre at a college, university or conservatory with the goal of working in theatre.
Submission Requirements
- Student-written essay detailing how a theatre degree will help you to elevate racial equality in theatre.
- The essay should have a 500-word maximum.
- A letter of recommendation from a high school teacher on school letterhead.
- You may view the rubric here.
Senior Acting Scholarship
High school seniors specializing in acting in the state of CA may submit a video audition for college scholarship money.
Student requirements
- Must be a high school senior in the state of California.
- Must attend a high school with a current CETA member theatre advisor.
Submission Requirements
- This is a digital audition.
- Choose two contrasting pieces totaling no longer than two minutes.
- The two pieces may be two contrasting monologues or one monologue and one song.
- Songs should NOT be acapella.
- Begin your video by stating both pieces (character/show). Your 2-minute time limit starts when you begin speaking/singing your first piece.
- Do not edit your video.
- You may review the rubric here.
Senior Tech Scholarship
High school seniors specializing in theatre design and/or technical theatre in the state of CA may submit a narrated digital portfolio for college scholarship money.
Student requirements
- Must be a high school senior in the state of California.
- Must attend a high school with a current CETA member theatre advisor.
Submission Requirements
- Please prepare a Google Slideshow, Prezi, or other digital tool showcasing the student's design and/or technical work. This presentation should be screen captured/recorded with narration from the applicant.
- Each applicant has a 10-12 minute time limit for the presentation.
- The presentation may include examples of costume, hair and makeup, lighting, set/props, graphic and/or sound design, stage management and/or technical director artifacts. Each applicant's portfolio will be unique depending on the type of design/technical theatre student they identify as being.
- You may view the rubric here.
Digital Portfolio Guidelines
- Introduction- 1 min
- Name, school, type of design/tech student
- Portfolio Tour- 1-3 min
- Scroll through some example pieces of your work (photos, drawings, artifacts) as you discuss your participation in class or in after-school theatre making. Pause briefly on each piece and explain so that judges may understand the scope of your work. Please label all pieces for clarification.
Highlight 2 Portfolio Pieces- 5-7 min
Following the tour of your work, choose 2 key pieces to explain in detail, including but not limited to:
- Context of piece (show, type of work, was it a class project or realized for a production, etc.)
- Your process (creative, theatrical, etc.)
- What was challenging and how did you overcome the challenge?
- Why did you choose this piece/what was successful?
- (Applicants may include multiple images in order to explain one key piece if needed)
- Closing- 1 min
- Wrap up/Thank you
- Future plans
Carolyn Elder Costume Design Scholarship
This scholarship is for a high school senior in the state of CA who plans to pursue a degree in Theatre with an emphasis in costume design.
Student requirements
- Must be a high school senior in the state of California.
- Must attend a high school with a current CETA member theatre advisor.
- Must plan to declare a major or minor in theatre at a college, university or conservatory with the goal of working in theatrical costume design.
Submission Requirements
- Letter of intent written by student outlining future goals in acquiring theatre degree with a focus on theatrical costume design (not fashion design).
- Please limit the letter to 500 words maximum.
- A letter of recommendation from a high school teacher on school letterhead.
Charlotte Motter Theatre Education Scholarship
This scholarship is for a high school senior in the state of CA who plans a career in theatre education.
Student requirements
- Must be a high school senior in the state of California.
- Must attend a high school with a current CETA member theatre advisor.
- Must plan to declare a major or minor in theatre at a college, university or conservatory with the goal of working in theatre education.
Submission Requirements
- An essay about the applicant’s view on the role of theatre, educational theatre, the value of arts in education, and their goals.
- Please limit the essay to 500 word maximum.
- A letter of recommendation from a high school teacher on school letterhead.
Mario Lomeli Scholarship (SoCal)
In partnership with the Drama Teachers of Southern California (DTASC), this scholarship has been created for an outstanding student participant of the CETA High School Theatre Festival and DTASC Festivals.
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2023 CETA HIGH SCHOOL
THEATRE FESTIVAL - HIGHLIGHTS!
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CETA's High School Theatre Festival was an incredible weekend full of outstanding performances. We are very proud of all the schools and students who performed during the festival.
A huge shout-out to Desiree Hill, our festival chair, and Annie Simons for coordinating and making all the theatre magic happen. We also want to thank Randy Shorts, Randy Long, the Los Osos High School Technical Staff, and the Los Osos Band Boosters for being so welcoming and our CETA Board for all of their assistance in making the festival run so smoothly.
Peter and the Starcatcher- Notre Dame High School
A follow-up email highlighting the whole festival will be sent out in the coming weeks! For now, check out some photos and highlights below!
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The Wizard of Oz- Jurupa Hills High School |
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The Play That Goes Wrong- Capistrano Valley High School |
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The Wizard of Oz- Jurupa Hills High School |
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Peter and the Starcatcher- Notre Dame High School |
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The Play That Goes Wrong- Capistrano Valley High School |
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On March 21, CETA joins with CMEA (Music Educators), CDEA (Dance Educators) and CAEA (Art Educators) to present Stand Up 4 Arts Education Day at the State Capitol in Sacramento. This is a day for Arts Advocacy. This year we are gathering in person for the first time since 2019 with much to celebrate! We have CA Theatre and CA Dance credentials and new arts funding with Prop 28.
Sacramento Capitol Park •
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Areas 22 & 33 - https://capitolpermits.chp.ca.gov/Home/Map
Stand Up 4 Arts Education Day will include student performances, an art exhibit, and legislative visits. The press conference and official welcoming ceremony will be held at 12:00 noon with guest speakers. In-person advocacy visits need to be pre-scheduled between 1-3pm with your legislators and should be arranged 2 weeks in advance.
If you would like to join us at the Capitol to advocate and perform, request a performance slot for your award-winning students through the CETA registration link by February 15, 2023. https://forms.gle/cdxRCcwQkZkLNgSV8 (performance slots are limited)
There are also ways you can join in STAND UP 4 ARTS EDUCATION on your own campus:
1. Create Themed social media posts that focus on art education facts: Music Monday, Theatre Tuesday, Dance Wednesday, Visual Arts Thursday, etc
2. Create mini videos using staff members from all curriculums on your campus to talk about what the arts mean to them.
3. Arts ed facts of the day for verbal morning announcements.
4. Lunch time arts focused pep rallies
5. Schedule a virtual meeting with your state legislators, which should be pre-arranged at least 2 weeks in advance.
6. Create an arts festival on your campus and invite board members, your superintendent, and other important stakeholders.
If you have any additional questions, please contact Amanda Swann, CETA Stand Up 4 Arts Education Chair at aswannie@aol.com.
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Black History Month
Lesson Plans and Resources
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Black History Month serves as an opportunity for educators and students to acknowledge and learn about the struggles and injustices of the past and present. By incorporating these lessons into our curriculum, we not only acknowledge the diversity of our society but also gain a deeper understanding of our shared history and the ways in which it has shaped our world today. We believe this is also an opportunity to reflect on the work that is ahead of us in the ongoing fight for racial justice.
As February gets underway, CETA joins communities across the country in celebrating Black History Month and recognizing the critical contributions African Americans have made to our country and our communities.
We wanted to share a fantastic resource from AFT (American Federation of Teachers). Through their Share My Lesson web page, they have put together a great set of free K-12 lesson plans and resources to help everyone celebrate Black History Month. These resources are free and are appropriate for all ages and grade levels. Review the resources and lessons HERE. A separate email will be sent in the coming weeks with more lessons and resources for us to use and share.
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Center Theatre Group Tickets |
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Center Theatre Group has two student-friendly productions coming up, so we wanted to share some information about these shows with you along with some discount codes for tickets! |
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February 19 – March 26, 2023
Ahmanson Theatre
The Secret Garden blossoms again for a new generation by the original creators, Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman and Grammy Award®-winning composer Lucy Simon. Follow young, orphaned Mary Lennox as she's sent from her home in India to live with her reclusive uncle on his haunted English country estate. Guided by an exceptionally beautiful score, Mary's unapologetic curiosity and the help of unlikely companions send her on a thrilling quest to untangle the pieces of her family's past and, most importantly—discover herself.
Go to https://www.centertheatregroup.org/promo, use the word MAZE and for performances Tuesday through Friday and Sunday evening through March 5, purchase Center Rear Orchestra tickets for $59 (Reg. $89), Center Mezzanine tickets for $49 (Reg. $120) or Balcony tickets for $39 (Reg. $40-$60). This offer is not valid on February 26.
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March 8 – April 9, 2023
Mark Taper Forum
Nearly thirty years after the Los Angeles uprising following the Rodney King verdict, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 returns home to the Mark Taper Forum to be reimagined with an ensemble cast for a new generation of audiences. A powerful piece of living record and one of the most important works in the history of the Taper, Twilight... is a stunning and seminal play that explores the devastating human impact of the five days of uprising following the Rodney King verdict. From nine months of over 300 interviews conducted during the year following the uprising, playwright and scholar Anna Deavere Smith crafted a play that goes directly to the heart of the issues of race and class. Twilight... offers stark insight into the complex and pressing social, economic, and political issues that fueled the flames in the wake of the verdict and ignited a conversation about policing and race that continues today. Originally commissioned by and produced at the Mark Taper Forum, this 30th Anniversary Production is set to captivate our city once again.
Go to https://www.centertheatregroup.org/promo, use the word INTERVIEW and purchase $55 tickets (Reg. $105-$120) or $35 tickets (Reg. $80-$95). Offer valid Tuesday – Friday and Sunday Evenings through March 26 excluding March 15.
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HowlRound: Free Lessons & Anthology: Essays and Conversations from the First Ten Years
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Along with free lesson plans created by theatre educators and curriculum writers for theatre classrooms, HowlRound has published its first anthology, featuring essays from each year of the last decade. The anthology celebrates a decade of publishing essays, live streaming events, and bringing theatre practitioners together to amplify progressive and disruptive ideas, and exists as a result of the thousands of theatremakers who have shared their collective wisdom through contributions to this commons-based free and open platform.
In publishing this anthology, they hope to further our vision of a theatre field where resources and power are shared equitably in all directions, contributing to a more just and sustainable world. The writing highlighted offers a much-needed reminder that alternatives to the status quo are possible, and we are making them together by practicing otherwise every day.
Here is the LINK to the free theatre lessons and Anthology
Do you have additional resources you would like to share with other CETA Members? Email links and files to mhrodriguez1221@gmail.com or share them with us on social media @CaTheatreEd.
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Student & Teacher Highlights!
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We would love to start celebrating our CA theatre students and teachers in our monthly newsletters! If there is a student, teacher, or administrator you feel should be highlighted, please submit them to us below!
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FEBRUARY STUDENT(S) HIGHLIGHT |
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Maya Gonzalez & Elizabeth Ramos |
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Maya Gonzalez and Elizabeth Ramos are Seniors at Grand Arts/Ramon C. Cortines Visual & Performing Arts High School. They are both leaders in the technical theatre program and are key aspects of the foundation of Grand Arts productions, the theatre academy, and the community at Cortines. |
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The tech theatre program continues to grow and train future students through their expertise and leadership. Throughout their four years at Grand Arts HS, Liz and Maya have been essential components of every production and the growing success of the theatre academy. They are dedicated, hard-working, and respectful individuals who will have very bright and successful futures. Theatre teachers Will Goldyn, Martin Rodriguez, and Luke Kanter cannot thank Maya and Liz enough for their leadership, hard work, and dedication to the theatre academy, the previous and upcoming productions, and the school. They could not think of any better students who deserve to be highlighted in all theatre programs in California. |
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FEBRUARY TEACHER HIGHLIGHT |
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Kathleen Switzer states, "Membership in the CETA organization allows me to stay up to date on important changes in the arts world and also connects me and my students with hundreds of other educators and students who share similar values and concerns. The CETA high school theatre festival allows my students to get feedback from professionals and take workshops from arts educators. The organization is an incredible resource for me, and I am so thankful that it was introduced to me back when I was a student myself."
Gai Jones says Kathleen is a superior Theatre educator who grew up knowing CETA as a student. She is an example of the continuum of our legacy to keep CETA progressing to serve the present educators and students.
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Save the Date: 2023 CETA Conference |
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Date: October 13-15, 2023
Location: Westin South Coast Plaza - Costa Mesa, CA
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CETA Members!
I am excited to begin this adventure as the editor of our Monthly CETA Newsletters. A HUGE shoutout and thank you to our Past President, Michael Despars, for supporting my transition into this role. You have put an enormous amount of groundwork into our newsletter process and your hard work has made it a smooth and seamless undertaking.
CETA has been such a welcoming presence for me since moving to Los Angeles in 2015. I am glad I can find ways to "give back" to an organization that has given so much to me and helped shape my journey as a theatre educator in California. After I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in Theatre Education + Theatre Credential- I moved to LA, and when I arrived, CETA was instrumental in helping me transfer my credential and land a job teaching high school theatre in LAUSD. I transferred to teaching elementary theatre while I worked on earning my Master's in Theatre Education from The University of Northern Colorado. I joined the Board of CETA soon after and now teach HS theatre at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts. It has been an exciting journey, and I look forward to all the great and exciting things ahead!
Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any thoughts or questions, if you would like to include important information in our newsletter, or would like to be involved in any way!
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Thanks!
Martin Rodriguez
Board Member - At Large, California Educational Theatre Association
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Follow us on Social Media |
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"It's communication - that's what theatre is about" -Chita Rivera
Please take a moment to follow CETA on Social Media. This is the best way to stay connected to our events, advocacy efforts and important information regarding theatre education.
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