"I am the kind of director that likes whimsy, metaphor and uses design to layer themes throughout my shows."
During the past several months, Christine Branyik Thorton has been kind enough to share her insights as a drama teacher. She has also recounted her students' tribulations and triumphs as they have progressed from the tedious rehearsal process to an award-winning performance at the Saskatchewan Drama Festival, where her talented actors took second place (in the entire province!). For these reasons, and many more, Christine Branyik Thorton is featured as our Drama Teacher of the Month.
Christine has been teaching drama at Lampman High School for eight years. She enjoys plays that teach by showing, not just telling. She loves literature-based plays as well as works that offer heightened emotion and the potential for humor.
Christine was kind enough to offer some advice to teachers, students, and lovers of the stage.
When did your love affair with drama begin?
I have always loved drama, since as far back as I can remember. I had two teachers in elementary school, a math and history teacher, who loved to write musicals. I didn't realize until later how lucky I was to be in a school where I had the chance to be in musicals - let alone original ones written just for us and our particular voices and talents, until much later in life. I am very grateful to them - so thank you Mr. Turner and Mr. Davies!
I think the first community theatre show I ever did was for Victoria Operatic Society in the British Pantomine "Dick Wittington and his Cat" I was 12. I grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada- a city blessed with great British traditions, including the Christmas Patomine! I remember being a chorus number on the big stage at the MacPherson Playhouse thinking, ”This is pretty good. Yes, I could do this forever.”
Why / how did you decide to become a teacher?
I've always taught. First my brother and sister playing school (they may not have as fond of memories of that as I do!), then as a fine arts roving summer playground instructor in high school, that carried on through to university and after my BFA and embarking on a career in theatre, I just realized how much I missed teenagers and decided to get my BEd and head into the classroom permanently.
I also teach Visual Arts, English and Social Studies and currently work reviewing resource material and as a curriculum reference committee member for the Provincial Ministry of Education.
What are some of the biggest challenges of teaching drama? The biggest challenge for me has been confronting the issue of justifying the value of the arts, over time I think that I have learned the greatest advocacy you can provide for the arts lies in the relevance, context and ownership you place within the generation that you teach. It's a seed that I have had the pleasure to see bloom in my teaching career - in the past year or two students from my first few years of teaching began their own professional careers and just recently, have returned to to offer master classes. That was pretty good! And worth the wait too.
The greatest rewards?
The best reward by far is the kids themselves, watching the program grow and knowing that you have helped them make an investment in the quality of their own futures. I love the feeling of community we have created as past students come out and support current students, often driving long hours and juggling schedules to come out to a show or competition. I just love watching them carrying that sense of team and commonality beyond the walls of our school and town and feeling a connection beyond graduation.
What are some of your favorite productions in the past?
- A Chorus Line
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood
- The House of Blue Leaves
- Steel Magnolias
- The Marriage of Bette and Boo
What are some of your proudest moments?
Oh, a performance I did in university as The Princess Puffer in The Mystery of Edwin Drood - really loved every minute of doing that role, I worked hard and think I got pretty close to my best that time. In that show I had the melancholy "sad song" and after I sang it the audience just sat in a long moment with this wonderful lighting cue and then clapped - that moment in between was pretty cool.
As a teacher it is every time I get a email or message from my former students keen to tell about what they are doing whether it is theatre related or not. As a director, when I watched the kids win big for Steel Magnolias and Conflict - if I ever find myself method acting and need a euphoric moment - those'll be the ones.
As a designer it would be the Moliere show "Sganarelle" - I designed it completely out of garbage and recycled goods, it was quirky and unique. The actors and director did an awesome job of taking it one step higher and letting the design become almost an additional character in the show.
If a student approached you and said they wanted to become a professional actor -- how would you advise him/her?
I tell them - surround yourself with exceptional people who challenge you, always take the opportunity to learn, be humble, take risks, work hard, and give more than you take, but don't be afraid to receive...
I offer them the mantra below that I read one time in the book The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, so I can't take credit.
"The brick walls are up there for a reason. They're not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."
I tell them that theatre picks you, you don't pick theatre - it will always be part of you no matter what happens. And finally, that it is 90 % craft, rehearsal and dedication - 10 % luck.
