The Mike & Duane Show – not your typical school assembly

I work at a school that’s atypical in a number of ways. It’s a 110 year old, co-ed, private K-12 school (housed in one building) in the heart of Chicago, and our educational philosophy is based on progressive, constructivist, democratic ideals. We are pretty intentional about things like building a safe, productive community in which everyone’s voice is welcomed, in which challenging one another and challenging previously unquestioned ideas and assumptions is encouraged, and where differences are valued as strengths, especially when our differences challenge one another to be more knowledgeable, more thoughtful people. We have a common language and shared ideals with which everyone is familiar and by which everyone strives to abide, including:

• Our motto: “Everything to help and nothing to hinder.” – Francis W. Parker (our founder)
• “A school should be a model home, a complete community, an embryonic democracy.” – Francis W. Parker
• “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” – 1 Corinthians 12:26 (We are not a religious school, but this biblical quotation is a guiding adage that has been part of our expectations for one another for generations.)

There’s a lot of history, and a lot of tradition, at the school. But it’s not all about being serious and stoic. We try to be a place where the whole person is welcome – whether that whole person is a student, a family member, or a faculty or staff member. And that means that we share gifts, abilities, talents (and challenges) that are parts of our ‘real world’ lives with one another, even if those things might not be welcome in other, perhaps more traditional schools. At our school, students and teachers laugh together (and cry together), and teachers share things about their ‘real lives’ that the school culture in other settings might discourage – things like our whole identities, our political beliefs and convictions, what we did over the weekend, and when we are an awesome break dancer. (Which I am not.) And one of the things we love to share with one another is HUMOR!

A relatively new tradition at our school (ranging back to at least 2006) is the annual Mike and Duane Show – a production that essentially boils down to a comedy sketch show presented primarily by faculty and staff, with occasional student involvement. It includes comedy routines, dances, music videos, and always a princess number. It’s a pretty serious undertaking and a beloved piece of our school community.

Last year I shared with you the “Bad” video that was a part of the 2010 Mike and Duane Show. (And it’s totally worth revisiting, or visiting for the first time if you’ve never seen it.  How often have YOU watched your Assistant Principal dance Michael Jackson through the halls while being backed by a gang for faculty and staff?!)

This year, I thought I’d share a little more – both present and past. This year’s show was fun. It included lots of singing and dancing, a video/live performance of an original tune, a high school science teacher showing off his aerial acrobatic skills, and a crazy music video mash-up of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” Katy Perry’s “Firework,” Onyx’s “Slam,” and Ok Go’s “End Love.” (The links will show you video of these acts.)

But, to give you an idea of the tone in which the show is presented, here was this year’s introduction (inspired by The Electric Company, of course):

(And in case you want to know, Duane is a counselor in our Middle School, Mike works in our afterschool program for K – 5th graders, and Casey (Hudetz – thus “Chudetz”) teaches in the Middle School computer lab.)

Every year's show features a faculty number which typically recreates some pop culture dance from the previous year – ranging from the Jai Ho to the Sound of Music flash mob in Amsterdam to this year’s Double Dream Hands, of which I was a part. See if you can spot me:


And there is typically at least one performance by faculty and staff who actually live up to the title ‘dancer.’ This year, said talented folks did a remake of Janet Jackson’s "Rhythm Nation."

There are MANY a great Mike and Duane act from years past. Here are a few of my favorites:
2007:

(The prince is played by our assistant principal, the cop is our technology facilitator, and the cab driver is one of our high school science teachers.)

2008:


2010:


For us, part of being a community means making time to laugh together and making time to share our talents – both those of the students and those of faculty and staff. And we like to have fun. Isn't that how school should be?!

Confessions

I must confess.  I am rather infatuated with Darren Criss.  (Not in the "Yeah, we hang out and actually really like each other and frequently chat about the intricacies of our personal day-to-day lives" sorta way, but in the "I've never met you, probably never will, and yet I think you are truly delightful" kind of way.)

There are many reasons.  Here are a few:

• 1.  He's crazy talented.  (I mean, have you SEEN him sing?!  Go watch this right now!)
• 2.  He makes me laugh.  (Did you watch the Harry Potter Musical?  You should.)
• 3.  He ROCKS the pink shades.
• 4.  He knows and acknowledges his own roots and he's a man comfortable enough with his own sexuality to say what needs to be said.  And he does it explicitly and with kindness.  True ally.
• 5.  He seems genuinely joy-filled.

Watch this:


Also, I have a favorite Darren Criss quotation.  It is this:

“Be nice to people because nobody likes an asshole.”

Right?!

I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for this talented man.

UPDATE 5/28/11:  Hahaha.  Deliciously true.  

The Nutcracker: a re-envisioned holiday classic

I saw a brilliant play this past Thursday. The House Theatre of Chicago put on a version of The Nutcracker unlike any you are likely to have ever seen. I've seen several versions of the classic tale as told by other companies in the past, showcasing diverse artistic interests - both dance and theatre - including the Boston Ballet's classic version set to the Tchaikovsky score and the Ballet Rox Urban Nutcracker rendition that similarly follows the story penned by E.T.A. Hoffman but uses both Tchaikovsky and a little Duke Ellington in a modern retelling. But this production was something totally new, and in some ways so much better.

In its promotional material, the show, currently playing at the Upstairs Theatre of Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf theatre house, is described as follows:

When their son is killed in the war, David and Martha are unable to help their daughter Clara comprehend the loss. Instead she retreats into a nightmarish world in which evil rats are trying to destroy her. Just when all hope seems lost, Great Uncle Drosselmeyer arrives bearing a mysterious gift that may help Clara and her army of toys defeat the rats just in time for Christmas.

The House’s completely re-imagined version of The Nutcracker isn’t the dusty old ballet you remember. It weaves together riveting dialogue, astonishing puppetry, beautiful song, spellbinding spectacle, and a thrilling eight piece string orchestra to tell a darkly moving story of magic and mystery that you never knew existed.

Sound interesting? I thought so too. Staying true to select structural points that have carried the traditional Nutcracker for decades (the dinner party, the gift from Drosselmeyer, the coming of the rats, the great battle), The House Theatre's version brings a new life to the old tale. Writers Jake Minton and Phillip C. Klapperich create a world whose depth distinguishes itself from the happy holiday piece we're so familiar with. There are no Sugar Plum Fairies or dancing sweets. No prince. Little revelry. And no dreams one can easily wake from. Instead the traditional story of The Nutcracker is transformed into the dark, yet playful, psychological journey of a little girl struggling quite deeply to deal with the death of her beloved brother. Her story is told through the true-to-life "play" of children battling to understand a world of adult hardships that are anything but joyous and protective of innocence. Strikingly true to the psychology of a child struggling with the loss of a loved one, I was moved, sometimes nearly to tears, while still laughing (quite loudly at times) at the rich comedy built into the characters and the script.

And despite the "feel good" sense you walk away with, you are also reminded of the difficulties and hardships the holidays can carry. The show's director Tommy Rapley said in November, just after the show opened,

Not to get too personal on you, but my family has lost some pretty key players in the past year and a half, and the holidays have changed for me because of that. They still have candy, and magic, and Santa, and warm cocoa and fireplaces, and twinkling lights, but they also have loss. Deep loss. And I’m not the only one. There are a lot of families in this world who gleefully watch their children open presents as they mourn for someone whose presence is sorely missed. Making our Nutcracker helped me to identify that for myself. This play is about people who are having a hard time at Christmas. It’s not always cookies and bunnies all the time for everyone out there, and I’m proud that we acknowledge that. I’m also proud that in our story we persevere with lifted spirits by the end, as we all will and do in our personal lives.

What an important truth to acknowledge. And what a strong voice reminding us of the power of the arts, including theatre, to serve humanity. To make us feel less alone. To allow us a place to reconnect.

Rapley goes to to paraphrase Jake Minton, (the play's co-author and the actor who plays Drosselmeyer) , saying that

We think of the theatre as a safe place to come together — with friends and strangers alike — and exercise our emotions; to practice for the things that may, and probably will, happen to us in real life; to share with others in the triumphs and losses of fiction, so that we may endure our own facts with strength and dignity.

Perhaps that what I enjoyed so much about the production. It wasn't just a happy (unrealistic) story. It captured the joys and deep sorrows of life and intermingled them richly, just as is true in our everyday world.

In an interview with the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce (The House Theatre was highlighted the Member of the Month in May 2006, as their main office is in the Lincoln Square neighborhood), the House Theatre was described in the following ways:

The House Theatre presents all original work, with most plays written and co-written by its prolific members. The plays are built on the myths of their generation and spring from influential pop culture like rocket ships, monsters, space, movies like Star Wars and E.T. "The stories are mythic, epic and playful," explains Nathan [a founder, Nathan Allen]. "We want our audiences to have a great party and celebrate life." But make no mistake: the players may be whimsical, but the subject matter is as serious as Shakespeare. Explains House Theatre founder and writer Phillip Klapperich, "Our treatment of the subjects is never childish. We include elements that could be found in stories for young people, but we've woven in serious topics." Actor Chris Matthews puts it this way: "We want to break your heart, but we want to trick you into having fun while your heart is breaking."

Pretty accurate, if you ask me. It was truly my pleasure to see such fresh and truly rich theatre this past week, and I am looking forward to keeping my eye on this young company. I am sure there are good things to come.