The drama club
The CHS drama club, sponsored by Ms. Baldwin has the whole 2022-2023 year mapped out.
At the time of the interview, the club meets 2:10 to 4:30, Monday through Thursday. During these meetings, “we do improv games, write plays, write scenes, and work on confidence building,” says Baldwin.
Most of the time, during these meetings, the students are working on games to better their confidence and help them find who they are via the world of drama. When asked, multiple students said that drama was a way for them to escape.
When asked ‘Do you find being in the drama club as a release?’ 3/4 students said “Yes,” whole heartedly. Many of the students love acting and describe the club room as “calm.” They say they love their fellow club members, and that the club is really fun.
Despite what students may make it seem to be, the drama club is actually Ms. Baldwin’s first time sponsoring a club. She says “Yes, it’s my first time leading a club,” whilst laughing. “When it comes to building the the drama program, you need people, so, one day, I said: ‘Hey, a drama club interest meeting, it’s happening on such and such date,’ and about forty-five (45) kids showed up. From there, I took lead.”
Students who are in the drama club / drama classes have all said the same thing. They all adore Ms. Baldwin and her ways of teaching. Some students have complained about past teachers but have no negative criticisms for Baldwin. She also takes students on field trips as an education vacation from school to watch plays in person.
“The Shakespearean Festival,” “Alvin Ailey,” and more, are all places Baldwin wishes to take her students.
These outings are meant to both entertain the students and teach them by watching professionals do what they strive to. When watching these plays, the goal is for students to study how adult actors make the audience feel – how to really capture the audience. From this, they start thinking about what plays they would have to do.
“We have ‘No Child’ by Nilaja Sun coming up,” says Baldwin. When asked what plays will be coming up, she says, “We’re thinking of doing ‘Poof!’ by Lynn Nottage.” Baldwin also said she wrote the Black History Month play with a couple other teachers as well.
She has the whole year planned when it comes to the plays. Baldwin even plans to have students write their own play at the end of the year. “In Ms. Baldwin’s Classroom” is what it’s supposed to be called. There are other shows to be written during the summer seemingly, and will be ready to perform by the beginning of next year.
The club is (as of March, 22, 2023) currently working on “No Child” by Nilaja Sun. The performance will be sometime April or March.
Photos: Annebelle Ruiz
Comentarios