Civilizations are remembered for their arts.
I am teaching a theatre appreciation class at a junior college this semester.
This is a first for me.
You’d think by now I would have taught this class before, but I haven’t which makes it fun and challenging.
As we study each time period of theatre, it is interesting how much isn’t focused on the politicians, but the arts of the time period instead.
Oh, I know that’s what this class is to focus upon, but really, who remembers who was King when Shakespeare wrote his plays?
It’s Shakespeare who counts. I”m certain there are many important things which occurred during his lifetime, but he was an integral part of the history of the world and that’s what we recall. HIs plays have transcended the generations since then.
Meet Eli Broadway Philanthopic Billionaire
Eli Broad is a philanthropic billionaire. He made his wealth through construction and insurance. It’s what he did after making his fortune which matters.
He built an art museum in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles, can you imagine?
From the New York Times:
“Mr. Broad also spearheaded the effort to build the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Frank Gehry-designed building that has become an anchor of downtown. His decision to locate the Broad museum just up the street from the concert hall — bypassing Santa Monica and Beverly Hills — has also been seen as crucial to downtown’s emergence.
The decision to build a museum to house the Broads’ sweeping personal collection of contemporary and postwar art — 2,000 pieces, including works by Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst and others — came in a city where, until recently, many fine works of art had been hidden away in private mansions.”
This man gets it.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find a city with too much arts? Is that even possible?
I don’t think so.
We’ve lived in an arts community for thirty years (Columbia, Missouri) and let me tell you–there is a difference. People there were creating new arts all the time and the community supported everything. And it continues!
Here we were in a town of 125,000 and we had a professional modern ballet company. I believe that’s extraordinary.
Now if every community could just have an Eli Broad….
If you are interested in other arts posts, check out This is What the Arts do for You which is an interesting premise I must say.
Speaking of creativity and the importance of the arts, I have a radio theater play sprung from the short story of The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe.
Here’s a fifteen minute dramatic radio play adapted from Edgar Allen Poe’s classic, gothic story, The Cask of Amontillado. This script has 15 + roles (plus crew) and was written especially for the classroom! Strengthen your students’ listening, speaking, and reading skills all at once. It’s a one stop shop!
In addition, a teacher could use this script with students who are distance learning. #DistanceLearningTPT
The product includes:
- A note to the director
- Edgar Allen Poe–a short bio. –
- Catacombs Information
- Information about the story of which the radio play was adapted
- Sound effects suggestions and how to use them
- Music suggestions with links
- How to stage a radio play with a floor plan for your use
- Radio theater terms (such as “up and under”)
- 14 page radio play script complete with sound and music cues written by an award winning author, me!
- Original song composed by an award winning music educator
- Two corny commercials which can be used in the play or switched out with one of your students’ own!
This is a crowd pleasing radio play created by an award-winning drama teacher and author with 38 years of experience.
HOW DO I USE THIS SCRIPT IN MY CLASSROOM? If I were you, I’d use it with a short story unit studying mystery and macabre, drama, gifted or reading. It’s terrific for the end of a semester and will impressed parents and others attending.
Looking for a freebie or two? Check out: Free Stuff!
Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net
