Shreds and Patches

A house manager speech is a short spiel presented prior to a theatrical performance, where the audience is welcomed and given some last minute information about the show and/or some basic theatre etiquette reminders, such as the duration of the show, where the restrooms are, and most importantly, to turn off your cell phones. It is fairly typical for the speech to be given by the director — as in, you! — or a member of the front of house team (the house manager or an usher). What information should be shared in the house manager’s speech? Here are the most common speaking points: • A brief welcome and thank you for attending the production. • “Welcome, and thank you for attending Central Secondary School’s production of Football Romeo by Lindsay Price.” • The length of the play and whether there is an intermission. • “The show is 2 hours long with one 15-minute intermission” or “The show runs 75 minutes and is performed without an intermission.” • Whether or not food or drinks may be consumed during the performance (and oftentimes reminders to unwrap candies or cough drops now). • Whether or not photography or video recording is permitted during the performance. If it is allowed, it is best practice to turn camera flashes off to avoid startling or blinding the students onstage. • A reminder to turn off cell phones and any other electronic devices. • Any safety reminders or directions, such as how to leave the theatre, or if there will be special effects (such as a strobe/flashing light or loud, startling sounds) that may affect the audience’s experience. • “If you need to leave the theatre, please use the exits in the rear of the auditorium. An usher will escort you back to your seat at an appropriate time in the performance.” “This production features gunshot sounds and strobe lights which may affect some audience members.” • Any content/trigger warnings — violence/stage combat, strong language, sensitive subject matter, etc. Adjust as necessary for your school’s community and intended audience. Please note that the duration of the show, safety reminders, and content/trigger warnings should also be communicated many times before the patrons arrive at the show, and in many different ways, such as on the show and ticketing websites, in social media posts, on signage outside the theatre, and reiterated by ushers as they take tickets, hand out programs, and/or direct audience members to their seats. Audience members should be aware of the show they’re going into before they arrive at the performance, so they can make an educated decision on whether they wish to attend. The best house manager speeches are brief, concise, and attention getting; the information is conveyed in a way that makes audience members follow the instructions, and then the show starts promptly. Sometimes though, the director gets a little emotional and starts waxing poetic about the process and hard work that has gone into the show, the speech gets longer and more drawn out, and the audience is left waiting impatiently for the performance to start. So to avoid holding your audiences hostage, read on for some helpful tips to improve your house manager speeches. First, do you need a house manager speech at all? Some plays or musicals, such as The SpongeBob Musical, have pre-show patter written into the show. If you’re giving an additional house manager speech on top of that, you’re just wasting time. Can the information be conveyed in another way? For example, could you post signage outside of the theatre, write a blurb in the show program, or have ushers verbally share the information with patrons as they’re taking tickets or directing people to their seats? If you still feel you need a speech, please keep it succinct. The plot of the show, the inspiration behind why you chose it, anecdotes about the rehearsal process, and special thanks can be shared in a director’s note in the program, on your school’s website or social media pages, or posted on signs around the theatre. We have to keep our egos in check and remember that when it comes down to it, the audience is there to see the students perform, not to hear us talk. Share only the most important information that absolutely needs to be conveyed. When possible, have students present the speech. You could have a student house manager or usher present the speech as part of their front of house duties. Or, you could have a member of the acting ensemble present the house manager speech. It’s great if you can pick a student with a smaller role or who has fewer lines in the show, as it gives them more to do. You could also split up the speech and have two or more students present it as a pair or trio, such as a small group of graduating seniors. Decide whether the speech will be presented live or pre-recorded. If the speech is presented live, you’ll need to add a lighting cue for the presenter and may require an additional microphone; if the speech will be pre-recorded, you’ll need to arrange time to record the speech and add it to your sound cue list. Finally, decide whether the speech will be standard/traditional or themed/in-character. There’s nothing wrong with a clear, straightforward speech with simple instructions. It’s easy to understand and does the job. But it can also be a lot of fun to have the speech presented in-character or in the theme or style of the show. Think Shreds and Patches in Shakespearean verse (or even iambic pentameter), or Rebootilization introduced by the SynCryn technicians. Themed house manager speeches grab audience members’ attention and get them into the theatrical mindset right away. Plus, they’re fun! No matter how you choose to present your house manager speech, just remember to keep it short, informative, and attention-grabbing — and then get on with the show!

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays About….Friendship. Bonds are important. Community is important. Having someone to rely on is important, so is being that person for someone else. What does it mean to be a good friend? We’re talking support, empathy, and thinking about someone other than yourself. There’s no better way to start that conversation than with a play. Click the link and you’ll be taken to the webpage for each play. There you’ll get the details and read sample pages. Hand this list over to your student directors and see what they think. All the best with your search!

Celebrate the new year with new plays! Over the past few months we’ve added some new scripts to the Tfolk catalogue. So if you’re looking for some new and exciting material to bring to your students, you’ll definitely want to keep reading. Explore themes of anxiety, empathy, expectations and surviving the teenage years – material your students can really understand and sink their teeth into. Click the links to read free sample pages from each play. Explore, Engage, and Enjoy!

Episode 195: Drama Teachers! We’re talking rubrics Drama teacher Lindsay Johnson loves rubrics. And she wants you to love them too! Listen in to learn her process for creating assessments and making them effective for your classroom.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Shreds and Patches by Robert Wing is a re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The location is a “wellness facility” for disturbed teens. Dane, our anti-hero, confronts his bullying step-father and self-centered mother with the help of his fellow patients and Dr. Osric. Will Dane be able to get through to his mother about “the king of shreds and patches” or will he be left in the dark? The play fuses Shakespearean speech with modern dialogue, reinforcing the notion that the teens and adults speak different languages. An excellent easy-to-stage competition piece! Why did we publish this play? Shreds and Patches is a great addition to the Theatrefolk catalogue and we’re thrilled to have it on board. The play puts the story of Hamlet into a modern context while still using the original language. It’s a perfect example of how one can take the parts of a text and synthesize new meaning. And let’s not forget the awesome character challenge. I love seeing Shakespeare in a new light and this play shines the brightest bulb you can get. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? I have the best job in the world. I am paid to introduce young minds to some of the greatest works of literature, Hamlet being one of them. (Though Hamlet is not my favorite Shakespeare play – The Tempest is. ) It’s my job to make Shakespeare come alive; I’ve got to really sell it to my everyday audience, my students, and I think I’m pretty good at it. Why? Because I don’t “dumb it down.” I “sherpa” my students through the challenging syntax and thematic acrobatics, but never strip away the glorious complexity of the language. Many instructional practices and teaching guides do this, but not “Shreds.” It puts Hamlet in a modern context without gutting the complexity (and beauty) of the language. Yes, I take enormous liberties with who says what and in which order, but it’s still “Hamlet.” There’s enough of the original script there to give students – and audiences – a taste of Shakespeare’s incandescence. That’s why I wrote this play; I never want Shakespeare to fade away. “Shreds” is a gateway to deeper exploration and deeper appreciation of Shakespeare for my both students and audiences. The way I see it, “Shreds” is a my little attempt to keep Shakespeare alive in the classroom and on the high school stage. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Shreds and Patches explores the traditional themes of Hamlet (inaction, madness, etc.) but its thematic bullseye is one that high school students really, really take to heart: parents can do enormous damage to their children. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? I love the final scene where the kids rush in to embrace Dr. Osric. Osric has stood up for them, risked everything for them, and the kids are deeply, deeply appreciative. The good doctor has restored their faith in adults and in themselves, and left them with the one thing none of them had at the beginning of the play – hope. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? In Shakespeare’s own words: “Be bloody bold and resolute.” (Of course, that’s from Macbeth, but it’ll do.) 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Decades as a social worker and a public educator have taught me that the quality of a child’s life is entirely dependent upon the adults in that child’s life. Period. Parents and teachers are instrumental in developing a young person’s sense of worth. The characters is “Shreds” have nothing. They are unloved and unwanted. In popular parlance, the are “broken.” Broken children sit in high school classrooms, drama classes, and in audiences in high schools, well, everywhere. “Shreds” was written for them. Students actors are acting out their own story. I wrote “Shreds” to give them hope, hope that comes from knowing that they are not alone, that they are powerful, and that there are adults who give a damn – like me.

Our website lists all of our plays with social issue themes but it struck me that they’re only lumped as “issue plays” without a good guide to sorting out which title addresses which issue. So I’ve categorized them for you to hopefully give you a helping hand in your quest to find the perfect script for your school. Check them out. As usual, all of the titles have extensive free sample pages for you to read. I think you’ll find the writing honest, fresh, and believable – three qualities sadly lacking from a lot of “teen-issue” plays out there in the world. Alienation / Feeling Alone in the World• Anonymous by Allison Green • The Art of Rejection: Two One Act Plays by Christian Kiley • A Box of Puppies by Billy Houck • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck • Huge Hands by Billy Houck Body Image• Body Body by Lindsay Price • The Four Hags of the Apocalypse Eat Salad at their General Meeting by Lindsay Price • The Battle of Image vs. Girl by Johanna Skoreyko • Hoodie by Lindsay Price • Breathless by Wendy-Marie Martin Censorship• Censorbleep by Lindsay Price Human Rights• Look Me in the Eye by Lindsay Price • Sweep Under Rug by Lindsay Price Racism• Flaky Lips by Lindsay Price • With Liberty and Justice For All by Jeyna Lynn Gonzales • Not Going Anywhere by Emma Fonseca Halverson • The Burgundy Letter by Kirk Shimano • Let Me In by Sholeh Wolpe *** Rumours and Lies• Have You Heard? by Krista Boehnert • The Redemption of Gertie Greene by Taryn Temple Individuality• Hoodie by Lindsay Price • Virtual Family by Christian Kiley • The Happiness Shop by Lindsay Price • A Deep, Poetic Journey Into Something by Forrest Musselman • Carrying the Calf by Shirley Barrie • Monster Problems by Lindsay Price • Stereotype High by Jeffrey Harr • Sixteen in 10 Minutes or Less by Bradley Hayward • Nice Girl by Amanda Murray Cutalo • Pressure by Lindsay Price • They Eat Sunshine, Not Zebras by Dara Murphy • The Super Non-Heroes by Taryn Temple • Smarty Pants by Bradley Hayward Identity• Box by Lindsay Price • Labeled by Lindsay Price • We Are Masks by Lindsay Price • Stressed by Alan Haehnel • Anonymous by Allison Green • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck • The Super Non-Heroes by Taryn Temple School Violence• Huge Hands by Billy Houck • Power Play by Lindsay Price • Clowns with Guns (A Vaudeville) by Christopher Evans • The Butterfly Queen by Christian Kiley • Life and Death in an Empty Hallway by Christopher Evans • Water. Gun. Argument. by Alan Haehnel Sexual Abuse• The Waking Moment by Bradley Hayward • Breathless by Wendy-Marie Martin Substance (alcohol & drug) Abuse• Bottle Baby by Lindsay Price • Floating on a Don’t Care Cloud by Lindsay Price • One Beer Too Many by Billy Houck Suicide• The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note by Lindsay Price • Chicken. Road. by Lindsay Price • The Butterfly Queen by Christian Kiley Teen Pregnancy• The Pregnancy Project by Lindsay Price • Among Friends and Clutter (one scene) by Lindsay Price Illness/Health• Chemo Girl by Christian Kiley • The Other Room by Christian Kiley • Red Rover by Christian Kiley • Waiting Room by Christian Kiley • Breathless by Wendy-Marie Martin • Shreds and Patches by Robert Wing • Inanimate by Christian Kiley • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck Depression/Anxiety• darklight by Lindsay Price • Fidget by Bradley Hayward • Among Friends and Clutter (one scene) by Lindsay Price • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck • who are we, who we are by Forrest Musselman Bullying• Finishing Sentences by Scott Giessler • Funhouse by Lindsay Price • Power Play by Lindsay Price • The Redemption of Gertie Greene by Taryn Temple • Sixteen in 10 Minutes or Less by Bradley Hayward • Carrying the Calf by Shirley Barrie Divorce• Split by Bradley Hayward Gender• Life, Off Book by Scott Giessler • Anonymous by Allison Green • Baalzebub by Rachel Atkins (Baalzebub – One-Act Version here) • Completely, Absolutely Normal: Vignettes About LGBTQ+ Teens by Bradley Walton • Finding Jo March by Laramie Dean • Thought Traps by Lindsay Price Empathy• Discovering Rogue by Christian Kiley • Boat by Lindsay Price • We Are Masks by Lindsay Price • The Butterfly Queen by Christian Kiley Dependence on Technology• Virtual Family by Christian Kiley • Inanimate by Christian Kiley