Once more into the breach, dear friends.

My first class of the semester starts in about 30 minutes and here I sit thinking about teaching.  My Dad was a college professor for more than 30 years.  When I was a kid sitting in his class room, or because he couldn't turn it off, just sitting down to dinner with him, I saw my Dad inspire people to discuss, to explore and to think critically about what it is we do in this world.  My Dad taught sociology, which makes that sort of investigation and questioning kinda the point.  But the thing about all this that makes it relevant to me now is whether or not it is even possible for me to have the same impact on my students.  The class I will began teaching in 20 minutes covers stagecraft.  Or, put less snootily, building stage scenery.  Questioning the foundations of society rarely comes up.  Like most men in the western tradition, my self worth is quite tied up in being at least as good a man as my father. Now in some ways I feel pretty damn successful, but here I pause.  Can I make them think and feel and care as I describe the vagaries of plywood and the evils of luaun?  Probably not.  But today I think I will start with a simple discussion of why we are in the theatre.  A question they can answer and, hopefully, I can tie together into a cohesive and interesting lecture on the beauty inherent in building scenery for a living.  We'll see.