Tag Archives: Performing Arts Teachers

Drama teacher Madeline Michel garners prestigious honor at 2019 Tony Awards

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It isn’t every day that a classroom educator receives a prestigious honor at an elite televised awards show, but drama teacher Madeline Michel of Charlottesville, Virginia did just that. She gained national recognition at last night’s 2019 Tony Awards when she captured the Theatre Education Awards during the Creative Arts Awards portion of the broadcast. Madeline has taught theater at Monticello High School in the Albemarle County Public School District for the past 12 years.

The award, which is presented jointly by the Tony Award and Carnegie Mellon University, recognizes the top k-12 drama teachers in the nation, and celebrates education for the performing arts. Madeline is the fifth recipient of the award, which was established in 2014.

Madeline says her teaching philosophy is to shut up, listen, watch, find out what’s important to her students, and follow their lead. And then offer encouragement and guidance where and when the teens need it. It’s an approach Madeline says she developed when she began teaching in 1980 in Baltimore, and one she’s refined over her 12 years at Monticello High. It was her creation of an inclusive drama program, inviting all kinds of kids, and the permission she gives those kids to express themselves freely onstage that resonates so strongly with them. Her student-written and performed plays have won numerous regional awards, including this year’s grand prize at the Virginia Theatre Conference.

“I’m proud to share this award with my students at Monticello High School,” Madeline remarked. In her acceptance speech, the stellar educator lavished praised on her students. “This award is for all of the students who have found their voice and who speak for themselves, their families, and their community through theater and play writing,” Madeline concluded.

Congratulations, Madeline! To read more about Madeline and her performing arts program, click here.

Teacher of English and Drama Jill Novick is a former actress

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Jill Novick

Teacher of English and Drama Jill Novick was formerly an actress

Many talented classroom teachers have also made a mark in fields other than education. This is certainly true of Jill Novick, a high school English teacher who is also a gifted actress.

Jill was born on January 20, 1966, in Westchester County, New York. She attended Mamaroneck High School in Mamaroneck, New York, where she graduated in 1984. Jill began acting when she was a child, and while still in high school participated in a program entitled the Performing Arts Curriculum Experience. While in the program, she performed in over 20 plays and musicals. At the age of 17, the young actress was accepted into NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Jill’s career as an actress spanned 20 years. During this time, she garnered roles in a number of commercials, but she is probably best known for her part as Tracy Gaylian in the 1996-1997 season of the hit series Beverly Hills, 90210. She also played the part of young Theodora Reed on the television series Sisters.

When Jill decided her Hollywood career was concluded, she returned to college to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming an educator. She spent two summers as a teacher and director for the Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW) at Cal State Northridge. TADW is an intense six-week summer program for teens. While working on her teaching credential, Jill taught drama for two summers at Panorama High School in Los Angeles. Once she earned her credential, she accepted a position as an English teacher at Culver City High School in Culver City, California, where she worked for six years. In 2012, she accepted a position as the Creative Director of Theatre for the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, a position she kept for five years

Currently, Jill is teaching English in Alburquerque, New Mexico. She is also working on her Master’s degree in Education at University of Northern Colorado.

Kudos, Jill Novick!

 

Dance Theater shares moves in Black History Month celebration

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Below is a marvelous video about the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which offered two free dance classes for elementary and junior high school students in Miami on February 7, 2019. The classes helped the students to commemorate Black History Month. You can read more about the dance theater at the following link: at  Miami Herald.

Veteran Heatheranne Bozeman continues to serve as a teacher

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What does a committed and hardworking veteran do once their military career has concluded? With the assistance of Troops to Teachers (TTT), they can continue their years of service as a classroom teacher, like retired US Army Captain Heatheranne Bozeman. She is a strong believer in Troops to Teachers, because she has personally benefited from the program. After she concluded her military service, the program helped her prepare for and gain a job as an educator. She retired as a military police officer in 2012, and now works as a television production instructor at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, Florida.

“I’m that person when I was in uniform and they would thank me for my service, it just seemed like ‘No way, I’m so grateful for the military and for the service they gave me’ and it’s kind of the same with teaching,” confesses Heatheranne. “They’re the ones (the students) that keep teaching and growing me. So, if you look at your time in the military as what it’s brought to you, then teaching is gonna be the same way,” she continues.

To learn more about Troops to Teachers, click on https://proudtoserveagain.com/. To learn more about Heatheranne, view the video below:

Dee Green: Teacher and Hollywood “Three Stooges” actress

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Dee Green appeared with the Three Stooges in the comedy short Brideless Groom (1947).

Many talented teachers achieve success in fields other than education. One such teacher was Delores Mae Green, who is better known as Dee Green.

Dee was a beloved music and choir teacher who was also an acclaimed actress in Hollywood. Her claim to fame is that she worked with the Three Stooges. She is well-known for playing the part of one of Shemp’s potential brides as the plain, tall, and fawning Miss Fanny Dinkelmeyer in the comedy short Brideless Groom. She also portrayed the homely and unattractive fiance in I’m a Monkey’s Uncle and the daughter of King Rootintootin’ in Mummy’s Dummies.

Dee was born on November 16, 1916, in Peoria, Illinois. After she concluded her career in show business, she earned her Master’s degree in music. She taught music and choir classes at Peoria Heights Grade School in Peoria Heights, Illinois, in the 1960’s. Throughout the late 1970’s and early 1980’s she taught Language Arts and Drama at Roosevelt Junior High, which is now known as Rockford Alternative Middle School, in Rockford, Illinois. She produced many annual events, including a production of Babes in Toyland and numerous elaborate Christmas pageants that included every student in the school.

Dee inspired more than one of her students to pursue a career in theater. Some of them eventually earned success on Broadway in New York. She was often described by her students as kind and generous, and a woman of great courage, talent, and vision.

This amazing chalkboard champion passed away from cancer on April 24, 1985.