Theater may appear to be a fanciful escape, but drama offers real life lessons that continue after the curtains close. “Working with kids in theater is so much more than doing productions on a stage; it’s also about laying a training ground for invaluable life lessons,” said Marcelle Livesay Hamilton who will direct junior high students in music theater this summer. Young thespians develop discipline, team work, organization, problem-solving, self confidence, and the ability to discover joy while working toward a goal.

OCU’s Performing Arts Academy will host two residential musical theater programs for junior high students—a group who typically don’t have the opportunity to take drama classes in school. “Vocal performance is offered in middle school, but not drama,” Hamilton said. Those adolescent years are a time of self discovery and challenge.

Hamilton discovered her passion for theater early in life. During her freshman year of high school, she was cast in her first on stage role playing Laurie in Oklahoma! “From then on, I was hooked,” she said. Hamilton went on to major in theater at Abilene Christian and began a career in professional theater after graduation. When she moved to Dallas, she started directing as well. Hamilton continued acting until her children were born. But it wasn’t until she got involved with children’s theater training that she discovered her true calling—igniting a passion for theater in youngsters. Hamilton spent eight years directing the Plano Children’s Theatre and, while she’s been involved in many dramatic productions, Hamilton has discovered the show itself is actually a sidebar.

“I really care about the kids’ hearts,” she said. Hamilton makes a point of holding a “thumbprint ceremony” in conjunction with each production. She has the kids make their thumbprint, then she adds features to represent each performer and their unique gifts. “It’s a way to celebrate our season of rehearsals together.”

Hamilton says too often parents fall into the trap of praising children exclusively for accomplishments and not for who they are as people. “Our identity is not based on what we do, but on who we are,” Hamilton said. She calls activities and accomplishments cherries and gravy—they’re bonuses, not who we are.

Emily Bendick, an Edmond North senior who performs with Lyric Theatre Academy in Oklahoma City, got involved with theater during middle school—years she refers to as an awkward time. For Bendick, being on stage gives her the freedom to try new things. While immersed in a character, she does things she would not do in normal life, and that gives her more confidence off stage. “It makes me more comfortable in my own skin,” Bendick said.

Theater can also offer an opportunity for discovering self by challenging our perceptions. ChildDrama.com, developed by Connecticut-based children’s drama instructor Matt Buchanan, offers a wealth of theater information aimed primarily at drama teachers, but many of the lesson plans provided could easily be adapted for use at home. Buchanan agrees that acting can provide freedom and confidence. “A student can, if only for a few moments, become another, explore a new role, try out and experiment with various personal choices and solutions to very real problems— problems from their own life or problems faced by characters in literature or history,” he said. “This can happen in a safe atmosphere, where actions and consequences can be examined, discussed, and in a very real sense experienced without the dangers and pitfalls that such experimentation would obviously lead to in the ‘real’ world.’”

With healthy parental involvement, a local stage might be the perfect place for your child to develop into a confident adult.

Learn More
These books feature games, activities, and ideas to begin exploring the world of theater.
• Mary Ann Kohl, author of Making Make-Believe, says children develop cognitively, emotionally, socially, creatively, and physically when engaged in dramatic play. Her book offers activities for young children to spark the magic of theater at home.
• On Stage: Theater Games and Activities for Kids by Lisa Bany-Winters helps elementary school children expand their imaginations and express themselves.
• Deborah Dunleavy’s The Jumbo Book of Drama is appropriate for older elementary and middle school students who are ready to be the star of their own shows.

How Theater Helps Develop Life Skills

by Marcelle Livesay Hamilton

Theater helps young people develop in many ways. Some of the positive traits theater cultivates are:
• Discipline. The actor must memorize lines and where to move on stage. He must work hard to create a believable character. This requires drive, persistence, and skill. A good actor makes it
look easy and effortless; only he knows the hours necessary to make that happen.
• Team work. Being an actor is never a one-man endeavor. Actors must learn to connect with each other, both on and off the stage. Being a giving actor means making others look good, too. A true ensemble begins in the relationships formed in rehearsals.
• Organization. To be in a production requires the rest of your life to be in order. Actors must learn to use their hours outside of rehearsal to complete tasks so they are available for long practices and production runs.
• Problem-solving. Mistakes happen—on and off the stage. During a production, when mishaps occurred, I knew I had done my job when the show went on without missing a beat. Watching the
actors work together to “save” the scene and make it work regardless of mistakes spelled success that I knew would prepare them for life’s inevitable challenges.
• Discovering joy. Our society is goal-oriented—you’ll be happy when you have ______. Too often, we’re so focused on the end result that we miss the joy in working to achieve a goal. I remind my students that the rehearsal process is just as important as the production itself.
• Self confidence. One of the most satisfying aspects of directing theater is watching confidence grow as fears are conquered. Acting requires risk taking, courage, and vulnerability—tremendous traits to have in this ever-changing, ever-challenging world. Hamilton will direct Bye Bye Birdie at OCU’s Performing Arts Academy this spring. For more information, call 405-208-5410.

Get on Stage in the Metro
If your child is interested in the theater arts, the Metro is full of learning opportunities. Here’s a good start to finding classes, lessons, and opportunities to get on stage.

Fine Arts Institute
Edmond, OK, 405-340-4481, EdmondFineArts.com
Theater and improv classes and full productions for school-age children.

Jewel Box Theatre
Oklahoma City, OK, 405-521-1786, JewelBoxTheatre.org
Holds auditions for performances and offers an annual playwriting contest.

Lyric Theatre and Thelma Gaylord Academy
Oklahoma City, OK, 405-524-9310, LyricTheatreOKC.com
Ages 4 to adult receive musical theater training with classes in acting, music, dance, and theater technology.

Oklahoma Children’s Theatre
Oklahoma City, OK, 405-606-7003, OKChildrensTheatre.com
Creative drama, speech, acting, and production classes for ages 3 and up.

Oklahoma City University Performing Arts Academy
Oklahoma City, OK, 405-208-5410, www.okcu.edu/music/academy/
Provides weekly private and group music lessons for students of all ages. Classes include private voice, piano, band and orchestra instruments, music theory, middle school musical theater, and Kindermusik.

Poteet Theatre
Oklahoma City, OK, 405-609-1023, PoteetTheatre.com
Offers productions and classes in dance, musical theater dance, and training in acting and music.

The Sooner Theatre
Norman, OK, 405-321-9600, SoonerTheatre.com
Summer camps and year-round classes in acting and musical theater. Coming this spring—improv, auditioning for film and camera, and film/video production classes.

Studio Mid Del
Midwest City, 405-741-6666, StudioMidDel.com
Acting classes for young thespians.

Summer Stock
Edmond, OK, 405-249-7477, SummerstockOK.com
Stage veterans and students of all ages perform musicals outdoors at Mitch Park.

Gayleen Rabakukk is a freelance writer who spends her time in Edmond keeping up with her teenage and preschool daughters. She holds a BA in journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a regular contributor to MetroFamily Magazine.