Mann Show packs the house in SEPTEMBER!

I'm planning to see these plays (on these days) during the month of September:

Want to come along?

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
at The Warehouse Theatre
Sunday, September 17, 3:00 PM
TICKETS: $15

EATEN ALIVE
at CentreStage
Friday, September 22, 8:00 PM
TICKETS: Free

INTO THE WOODS
at Greenville Little Theatre
Saturday, September 30, 8:00 PM
TICKETS: TBD

I'm not a real big musical theatre guy.

BUT.

This...this video by a band called OK Go has got my attention.

This is what musical theatre at Mann will look like.

And along those lines. Does anyone mind if I take down the old show posters hanging in the auditorium? No disrespect intended, but Mann Theatre doesn't look like that anymore.

Hitch's REAR WINDOW

For those of you not lucky enough to be in my third period Film Criticism class, run--don't walk--to Guidance and request a drop/add.

It's got to be the best class at Mann right now.

We just watched REAR WINDOW, a 1954 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It's not as flashy and effects-laden as most films are today. In fact, the few visual effects used in the film are pretty lame. But...the film itself...the writing, the acting, the directing...it's a masterpiece. And it still works. Ask anyone in Film Crit. That moment when Thorwald spies Jeff and Stella looking at him...wow. The whole class gasped. It was great.

So...this weekend if you're at the video store, check out REAR WINDOW. There's even a more recent version with Christopher Reeve, though I doubt it's as good as Hitchcock's.

2 days down. (178 to go.)

It's would be easy, I think, for a teacher to lose his way...to begin to think that his job was about pleasing his principal, making friends with other teachers, getting lost in the rah-rah culture of a large, public high school.

I'm here for you.

If you ever get the impression that I am more interested in things other than teaching you, listening to you, or knowing you better, pull me aside and let me know.

I am pouring everything I have into building a place for us to create theatre...to learn and work together...to leave a legacy for future Mann students to live up to. Hold me to that. Keep me focused. And don't forget to commit yourself to learning, listening, and knowing me.

MANN SHOW 2007 UPDATE

People are already buzzing about our spring production. Last week I received a commitment from a professional graphic artist and illustrator to design the MANN SHOW 2007 graphic identity mark. Upon completion, I will be making unique MANN SHOW wearables available to interested students. Unlike any logo apparel you have ever seen, the MANN SHOW collection is certain to cause quite a stir on campus. So stay tuned...

Make sure you try the MANN SHOW 2007 links. I'll start updating them regularly in about a week.

How difficult should a high school drama class be?

I'm thinking a whole lot about this the night before school starts...how rigorous, how tough I should be.

I mean, the goal is that you guys learn...not become frustrated. Then again, you guys (I generalize) have a reputation for being very lazy. Sometimes a tough teacher makes you focus...makes you think...makes you try.

And sometimes a hard teacher can totally discourage you.

So I've got to find the balance between hard and easy. Maybe I'll shoot for this: I'll set up the tests to favor those students who really try. If you're not lazy, if you want to learn, I'll make sure that our tests give you an opportunity to show me that you're learning, that you get it.

Does that make sense? Just try, OK? Don't be lazy.

What do you think?

EXTRA CREDIT: On your next test, write this actor's real name on the bottom of the first page. Got it? Their real name on the bottom of the first page. I WILL NOT MENTION THIS BONUS IN CLASS. IT'S ONLY FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO READ MY BLOG.

"I love it when a plan comes together."

RESPECT.

Keep it REAL, ENTHUSIASM, SELF-DISCIPLINE, be PREPARED, ENCOURAGE others, COURAGE, and finally, TEAMWORK.

These qualities make up what I believe to be the most important concept you can learn about the theatre: respect.

When I was a kid, my favorite show on television was THE A-TEAM. This show had it all: action, adventure, comedy, drama...Mr. T. I was especially drawn to the characters on the show. Hannibal was the leader. Smart, brave, cocky...always with an unlit cigar in his mouth. Face was the pretty boy. The best actor in the bunch. An even keel to balance Hannibal's temper. B.A. Mr. T. He was the bad ass. Tough, strong, mean when he had to be. B.A. hated to fly, but there's no one you'd rather have in a fight. Then there was "Howlin' Mad" Murdock. The wise fool. Comic relief. The guy on the team I most identified with. They always though he was crazy. We all knew better. He was a genius.

The A-Team was my dream team as a kid. And ever since then I've always wanted to be a part of team like that.

The theatre provides each of us the opportunity to be on a big-time "A" team. Respectful theatre people are team players. One of my main goals this year is that we form an incredible team for our spring production. Are you down with that? I hope you are. I'm casting my "A-Team" every day.

Real men wear zip-up cardigans.

In THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), the Cowardly Lion (played by Bert Lahr) gives a thrilling speech on a subject I believe is key to having respect:

"What makes a King out of a slave? Courage. What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage. What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage. What makes the Sphinx the Seventh Wonder? Courage. What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage. What makes the Hottentots so hot? What puts the ape in ape-ricot? What have they got that I ain't got?"

His friends: "Courage!"

"You can say that again!"

Of course we all know that the Lion always had courage, he just never realized it as such.

Here's a video clip that gives a fairly odd example of a courageous man, being courageous. This guy was a major influence on my life growing up, and perhaps he was for you, too. As you watch the clip, notice how steady he is the whole time...how controlled...how respectful.

Seriously guys, this clip makes me tear-up everytime I see it.

Good man, Mr. Rogers...good man.

Critics All Wet on Shyamalan's WATER

Like that headline? If I was a newspaper editor, my favorite part would be coming up with clever-sounding headlines.

Basically, I want to know what you thought of this highly unusual film from one America's most intriging directors, M. Night Shyamalan.

As you can guess from my headline, I liked the movie...or at least I didn't hate it as much as most film critics did. It was a very strange film...a clumsy film in many respects. But it was also an ambitious film, a film that tried very hard to be something special. This is not a cynical film, nor is M. Night a cynical filmmaker. I think that's why I liked it more than I hated it. M. Night is a "believer." You'll hear me say that word a lot this year. I may even ask you what you believe in. When I do, I'm trying to get at what you love...what you're passionate about.

M. Night is passionate--I think--about outsiders and misfits. He thinks that there are big, important things worth believing in. And he loves a great, mind-bending tale...and knows how to use the language of cinema to tell his stories.

He and I have a lot in common, I think.

How about you? What did you think of LADY IN THE WATER?

And what do you believe in?