[jcstar]

Over the summer, I've been working in a few children's theatre workshops. Check out: www.myriadcentre.com for full details on what we've been offering.

Anyway, during the SWORDFIGHTING AND STAGE COMBAT workshop, I was helping the kids change into and out of costumes and was also supervising them and making sure they're being quiet backstage during the show.

We had 14 boys and two girls all between 9 and 14... and they had (wooden) swords. Fun.

They were good as gold during the matinee, simply because there was going to be prizes given out to the quietest children.

But, during the evening performance, one of the girls came to me and said that I was being too serious backstage. I wasn't fooling around with them and it was my job to keep all the children focused, ready, changed and quiet.

I tried to explain to her that I had to be "serious" in order to keep the children focused on the show. If I goofed off, I wouldn't be setting a good example during a show.

"Why do we have to be so quiet?" she asked. I explained that the dressing room is right behind the stage and any noise can be heard in the audience from backstage.

She thought that we were'nt allowing her to have fun backstage. I even tried to explain the difference between silly energy and focused energy and stuff like that.

She still didn't buy it and started to fool around and ge the other kids giggling. I turned to one of the other volunteers and said "You take over," as I had two boys to get changed for an upcoming scene.

I sort of feel that I didn't handle the situation the right way. She was acting like a diva, too (at 12).

I know I'm going to get that again in the new workshops. I'm just wondering if there's another way to explain it to a child?

Thoughts?

Andy.

[what_the_heck013]

That is exactly what I would have told her. Maybe she was bored. Is there a job you could have given her? It's important to keep kids busy at that age. Have her organize a few props or hand her some costumes to hang up. As somebody who has done a lot of theatre with kids the next age group up (14-18+), it's important to start them early on being professional and quiet backstage.