Summer is almost over

It turns out a lot more people were reading this blog than I thought. So, I'm sorry that I just stopped writing it. I didn't know anyone was reading. However, it was pretty much the end of the term when I stopped, so I actually didn't have much to write about. Summer is almost over though, one more year of school awaits me in just a few weeks.

I am currently doing the Fringe thing with TIRED WAVE STOP! in Edmonton so I find myself with quite a bit of time to just hang out while Steve, the writer/performer, hands out flyers to people hanging out at Fringe... a surprising number for those who haven't been to the Edmonton Fringe Festival. So, I'm reading, reading, reading. I have one hundred plays to read for an exam in the winter and I have just finished my second (yikes, I have to really get on the other 98!). They were two plays I had never read before, which was great! The Bacchae and Hippolytus, both by Euripides. Very interesting interpretation of the Greek gods.

I've also been doing some reading for the drama class I will be teaching for 9-12 year olds. I am starting to get excited about the possibilites of working with a group of that age to create our own collaborative piece. An interesting point that has come up in a few readings that I would love to explore is how to incorporate the feel or the effects of the digital world into live theatre. What is it about video games, social networking and other digital interactions that connects so strongly with youth these days (it has to something other than good marketing on the part of the multi-million dollar companies right?) and how can theatre incorporate those things to be more appealing to that demographic?

I feel I may learn more from teaching this class than I have in some of my master's level classes.

Thesis Pains

Wednesday was THE day... the day I had to hand in my thesis proposal to the graduate committee. It's done. It's in. Now I sit back and wait. Phew... one less meeting to go to.

So what happens now? We begin "negotiations". The committee will come back with either a flat out now or yes - but this is not very likely. What they will probably say is that I need to change something here and adjust something there. So I will go away and try to make those changes and re-submit it. Then they may come back again with more things they want fixed. Eventually they will either accept the proposal or one of us will say enough and stop the revisions.

I'm not entirely sure whether I want to cross my fingers for an eventual acceptance or an eventual/immediate decline. On the one hand I am truly in love with Cicely Hamilton - she's pretty awesome - and I would love to have the time to study her for months and months. On the other hand my proposal feels more like it was written by my advisor than me and it is so far removed from any practice of making theatre and from what makes me excited about theatre that I feel it is more of a chore.

On the other, other hand I may not even be in a school where I have the option of writing a thesis.

Getting What I Want... Finally

So, the program I am in, although having many merits and giving me a great amount of knowledge, was disappointing in the sense that it was really something different than what I thought it was going to be. I was looking for something that would give me the skills to work in the field of dramaturgy instead of just having a large body of knowledge on theatre. Unfortunately the program is designed and run by people who are academics and believe that we all want to be academics and professors and that's that. Which has proven a bit frustrating at the times I have tried to negotiate my own goals within their goals for me within the program. I finally had a breakthrough today. The department has agreed to allow me to drop one of my classes this term and take three classes in my final term instead of the normal two. I will look for an independent study unit to do as my third class next term in the area of dramaturgy (I'm hoping to arrange a dance dramaturgy unit). This will allow me to get three dramaturgy credits that have some practical value. This term I will have to let one class go, that because of no other reason than the size of the class, is Theories of Directing.
So that being taken care of, I now focus much more attention on my thesis and hopefully have time to do some of my own learning/projects that will keep me excited about theatre!

Term II

So, I am back from my extremely lovely holiday and am getting ready for the second term to begin on Monday. At the moment I feel that I am slowly being buried in snow even though I'm on the 15th floor! The snow on the window ledge just keeps growing and growing! Good thing I have lots of work to get done before classes start and not many places to go. Tomorrow will be my last day of freedom from school work and I will spend it getting some pre-school work done. I have some prep reading to do mainly plus getting back into my thesis work and some prep work for my TA positions. Monday kicks off with a bang at 10 am! Even though I am suppose to have a steady schedule of Monday - Wednesday 12-3pm, this Monday I will go to the class of one of my two TA positions. The prof may just be stuck in another city due to snow so the class may fall on to me (just handing out syllabus and stuff though - nothing too hard), then I'm off to a meeting for a show, my class, another meeting for my second TA position and finally a meeting with my thesis advisor to get organized. It's going to be a crazy first day! Let's hope the snow has stopped by then.

It all comes down to this...

So this is it, the last week of first semester as a grad student. What can I say about the experience? Not much because my brain feels like porridge. I've been working on the last assignments that are due and let me tell you, thinking has become extremely difficult. It's like I've pulled a muscle in my brain.

I've got two major assignments still in a state far away from done. An essay and the second draft of my play. Thank goodness the thesis proposal is in a place that I can hand it in without too much regret. However, the next week (the last week) is going to be a struggle to get the other two things done. I could use a week of sleeping in watching movies and having fun... no work included!

I am thankful for the month off that is coming up in just over a week. Even though I will be preparing myself for next term by reading, at least it is a month! A full month of puppies, nephews, sisters, parents, friends and cozy home! Emotional rejuvenation is in store for me soon and I need it!

Countdown continues

Only four class days left! But... lots to do still.

The best news is that all those critical theory readings are DONE! Now I just have to get through the test (which we have not been given any details on yet - yikes!) and the essay. Other than that, a bit of thesis proposal updates and the small presentation for that and the second draft of my play are the only things left on the list. Too bad they are all rather large things. 

Here's hoping...

The Countdown!

14 days left of classes!!!! I'm counting down.

What still needs to get done you ask? A bucket full!

1) 15 articles to read for critical theory - I'm a bit behind :(
2) 1 critical theory test
3) 1 critical theory essay 10-12 pages long
4) the second draft of my play
5) Present my thesis proposal

Plus all the work for my research position assignment that I've been putting aside to get my homework done.

I have plenty of time to get this all done... right?