Over on Artsblog, Meryl Goldberg talks about seeing a high school production of Sweeney Todd. My initial reaction is the exact same as hers: ‘high school students doing Sweeney Todd??? The material is beyond the high school level! The music too difficult! Is the director crazy???’
After reading this article, I’m singing a different tune. Yes it’s challenging. So why not challenge? Yes it’s beyond them. So why not give something to reach for? And shame on me for my knee jerk reaction – it’s that exact kind of reaction I rail against more often than on on these very pages. It’s a reminder to practice what I preach.
Goldberg provides a beautiful quote in the article (spoken by Janunz Korczak), something that I hope stays with me throughout my days working with youth.
You are mistaken if you think we have to lower ourselves to communicate with children. On the contrary, we need to reach up to their feelings, stretch, stand on our tiptoes.”
