PROJECTS

THOUGHTS 2026

Dear Colleague,

There is one thing that the US can give to the world. They say that the US is the most powerful military in the world, three times more powerful than China, WOW! That is nothing compared to the hidden gem of the US, Theatre Education, probably at least ten times bigger than the rest of the world combined. It is our responsibility now to imagine and test future possibilities and applications of theatre. There is a sense of urgency. The road has been paved since the 1960s, and now it is time for our contribution; we are the people we were waiting for. There are times when beauty is crushed, and theatre education might be moved to the chopping block; we might not have much time in terms of decades. Shouldn’t what happened to the Kennedy Center be a wake-up call?

Right now, the University departments should prioritize reinforcing and supporting the High School theatre program in their vicinity, the base of the movement. This would be extremely easy, since it can be incorporated into the classes' curricula and will be welcomed, encouraged, and supported by the administration if presented from real-life experiences to our students, and from a recruitment perspective. Imagine there in Boone, you decided that you want the Theatre High School Program to be the best in the state in five years…Truly, would it be difficult at all? Together, we can stage biannual Theatre for Babies performances that are so simple and effective! This will build community support, and we start training the future audiences from the beginning.

When it comes to theatre with seniors, the university that will create a credible study with nursing, psychology, and business will make history. I have it all figured out in my portfolio. This will give employment to our students. Let’s be honest: when we say we prepare our students for the professional world, we forget to mention that the professional world is just anecdotal and confined to urban areas. Let’s create a real, substantial professional world, as nursing does. I have taught a special study class on Senior theatre and sent the students to the nursing home. I know it works firsthand. One of the student groups kept going for a full year after our class ended. The next step is to combine this with Group Psychology or Occupational Therapy and have the insurance pay for the rehearsals. Please watch this video from Spain. All of this is so easy and doable!!!