Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2017 - 66

book

review

High School Performance
High School Theatre Operations for Architects,
Administrators and Academics
By Elizabeth Bracken Rand
2015 (available on Amazon); 215 pages
$14.95 softcover; $8.95 e-book
Reviewed by Phillip S. Grayson
In the 1960s, my high school drama program was run by an English teacher who
turned over the scenery design and construction to the woodshop classes, so I was
excited to read about current characteristics
of high school theatre.
This book provides a framework for
addressing all of the aspects of operating
a high school theatre. Elizabeth Bracken
Rand, a certified theatre arts teacher in
the state of Washington, has more than 30

years of experience operating high school
theatres. Even in the introduction, she produces, for architects, a list of functionalities
for consideration in configuring the high
school theatre. These lists are the book's
most valuable feature and range from the
"Rand Rep Plot Model" to "A Sample Liability Waiver Form."
Of primary interest is the major change
in teacher certification; the requirement of a
content area has created a shift so that a drama/theatre teacher is usually a theatre major
in college rather than a major in education.
Even so, Rand notes that many theatre programs require only a single course in technical theatre, leaving the teacher to solve the
design and execution of scenery, costumes,
lighting, sound, and properties. In addition,
many facilities have become performing arts
centers, which may require the teacher to
become the manager of all the other events

that utilize the space. Another change, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, is the addition of drama
classes at more than 14,000 of the 37,000
secondary schools in the United States,
which increases the teacher's class load.
The book starts with some theatre
basics for administrators with little or no
theatre experience. Rand identifies the participants in 22 job categories to produce a
large high school musical and provides in-

WHO IS YOUR
SAFEST HIRE?
They may look alike on the outside, but only one of them
is ETCP Certified - and that's the one who can make your
venue as safe as possible for audiences, performers and
crew members. More and more employers are using ETCP
Certification to fulfill their duty of care.
ETCP is launching a new certification for the Portable
Power Distribution Technician. Computer-based testing is
available now. For more information visit: etcp.esta.org
Employers who are serious about safety base their
hiring decisions on it - or face increased risk of accidents.
Whether you have entertainment technicians on your staff
or others bring them to your venue, insist on safety. Insist
on having ETCP Certified Riggers, Entertainment
Electricians and Portable Power Distribution Technicians
for your team.

Setting the stage for safety.

etcp.esta.org
etcp@esta.org

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TOP CONTRIBUTORS AND MEDIA PARTNERS
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ESTA * AMPTP * CITT * IATSE * IAVM * INFOCOMM * THE LEAGUE * TEA * USITT

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S p r i n g 2 0 1 7

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2017