Blog

Your reading material for the week:

• I post this because I spent four years in the theatre department at Boerne High School. And I can tell you from four years of near daily onstage and backstage experience that our sets were never even close to being safe. This is a sad story, but it’s a wonder this didn’t happen sooner. Simply put, I don’t think our high school teacher (for 10th-12th grades) had the technical training or knowledge to know how to make our stage safe, and with a per show budget of approximately zero dollars (or so it felt), he couldn’t afford to make them safe either even had he known how. In Texas schools there’s a rule (so I’ve heard, but don’t quote me on it) that all sports monies must be matched dollar for dollar with monies for the arts. Either this rule wasn’t around when I was in high school, Boerne chose not to abide by it, or the monies went to the other arts divisions (marching band, choir, etc.) because it seems like the high school theatre department saw none of it after necessary royalties were paid. We had tremendous moral support from our principal, but the district provided no monetary support to make things easier, better quality, or safer. I truly feel for this kid. Especially because it could have so easily been me or one of my peers eight or nine years ago. Accidents happen. And anyone who says the theatre is not a dangerous place has clearly never worked in one. It’s the risk we all take doing what we love. But I don’t know about this case. On one hand, with all the educational and community theatre I participated in as a teen, I was aware that it was at my own risk and that the school and/or theatre would assume no liability for injuries or accidents, were they to happen. On the other hand, if nothing has changed safety-wise since my schooling days at BHS and the set was not properly secured (and it doesn’t seem that it was), then I think the school district needs to pony up some funds to help pay for this kid’s medical bills (and trauma, no doubt) and invest in some safety training for the technical theatre department so this doesn’t happen again. Safety should always be first and, unfortunately, outside of being reminded that we needed to be careful, it never was. I hope that changes.
• This is a totally fascinating read about a family that was discovered living in the remote wilderness of Russia, devoid of human contact for 40 years. Amazing.
• More professional female theatre director goodness right here! YES.
• And even more here. Things are looking up! Bravo and well deserved!
• We all need to read this. Just for the reminder of what is truly important in this life and to not let ourselves get totally swept away in the job or the art, as it can be so easy to do.

Happy reading!