You may or may not have noticed that this week, we are no longer Living Arts. We decided to rename ourselves, in the true spirit of the section, Entertainment. We will still continue to offer arts-related pieces, but will also cover happenings on campus and general-interest pieces. In the spirit of our name change, we are starting a four-week point-counterpoint series on the merits of Theatre, Dance, Music, and Visual Arts at Andover. Let us know what you think about our new image or our point-counterpoint. Email any comments or questions to phillipian@andover.edu. ——————————— Before I came to Andover, I dreamt of becoming an actress. I had starred in several school plays at my previous school and hoped to continue cultivating whatever talent I had at Andover. I can vividly recall my first audition: I was an overly eager Junior, excited to act but also nervous and scared of rejection. I sifted through the pile of scripts until I found a monologue with the perfect mixture of humor and drama. Self-consciously repeating the lines to myself, I practiced different intonations and techniques in GW. I thought my audition went well; in fact, my prefect told me that she had thought I was one of the better auditions. However, PA’s insular Theatre Department brusquely poked the stars out of my eyes. I did not get called back. At first, this was fine – I knew that Andover had many talented kids. I tried out again for Theater classrooms in the winter, but – yet again – was rejected. The rejection would not have bothered me as much if not for the advice a Senior actor gave me. He told me that in order to break into the acting scene at Andover, I would have to persevere. He said that I would just have to keep auditioning until they realized I was there to stay. He openly acknowledged the theater group’s tendency to cast fellow “theaterites,” and empathized with my problem. My Lower Spring, I took Theater 200 with Instructor in Theatre and Dance Judith Wombwell, Instructor in Theater. She remarked upon my ability, casting me as the lead in our final and advising me to act at Andover. By my Upper year, I did not think I could ever attempt to enter the acting scene at PA. The “theaterites” were too intimidating. I imagined the younger theater kids mocking my attempts, or resenting me if I was actually cast in a role. Now the Theatre Department has made it even more difficult for aspiring actors: it has changed the Theater Classroom-Drama Lab system. Now, instead of having multiple student-directed mini-plays as well as a couple longer plays, the department is now only offering Theater 520, a commitment equal to an academic class, and mini-plays, renamed Drama Labs. Though I had reservations about the Theatre Department before, this action actually upset me. I had found the original system flawless, at least in theory, if not in practice. Now, however, unless students are willing to commit sixth and seventh periods to Theater, they can only perform in the very short Drama Labs. Nevertheless, I do think that the theater group has become more inclusive over my four years here. I have known all kinds of people who have acted in plays. Still, the stigma remains, and if the Department isn’t careful, I think that elitism could easily return.
