Thed Talks

This week Jimmy talks with Ohio theatre teacher Mark A. Zimmerman. He talks about his unique program, longevity in educational theatre, and the importance of the representation of diverse voices on our stages and in our classrooms.

This week Jimmy talks with Illinois theatre teacher Jolaine Orlin. She talks about her Emmy-winning career in broadcasting, her love for the resistant student, and teaching theatre in a post-pandemic world.

This week Jimmy kicks off Season 5 with Dana Taylor! Dana is a returning guest from season 2 and brings some great new information about the Backstage Exam, a partnership between USITT and EdTA.  He also talks about life after retirement and his own consulting business Dana W. Taylor Consulting, LLC. https://www.techtheatre4teachers.com/https://www.usitt.org/education-training/backstage-exam

This week Jimmy talks with his husband Dr. Adam Carter, Clinical Director for the National Alliance for Children's Grief. He talks about the collective trauma and exhaustion we are all experiencing, burnout and compassion fatigue, and self-care practices for better overall wellness for theatre teachers.

This week Jimmy talks with Texas theatre education professor Michael Avila. He talks about his time as an arts administrator, his theatre education program at The University of Texas at Austin, and culturally responsive teaching.

This week Jimmy talks with two Season 3 alumni checking in on their student teaching experience this spring. Maria Beilke from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and Jake Noble from Ball State University talk about what they have learned this semester, authenticity and representation, and what is next for them!

This week Jimmy talks with Iowa theatre teacher and playwright Emily Hageman. She talks about creating new work with and for her students, the pros and cons of competition, and body-positive casting.  https://www.yourstagepartners.com/collections/vendors?q=Emily%20Hageman

This week Jimmy talks with Montana teaching artist Jackie Vetter. She talks about her work in psychology and its influence on her theatre work, theatre camps, and new play development with Orphan Girl Children's Theatre.  https://www.orphangirl.org/

This week Jimmy talks with Ranked: The Musical creator Kyle Holmes. He talks about the creation of the hit musical, starting a publishing company, and his desire to provide theatre that matters to young people.  https://www.uproartheatrics.com/  https://rankedmusical.com/

This week Jimmy talks with New Jersey theatre and film teacher Joey Yow. He talks about building a thriving middle school program, developing film classes, and his professional work and outreach with his local theatre company.

This week Jimmy talks with New York teaching artist Catherine Del Castillo. She talks about how she was empowered as a young artist and educator, De-centering yourself in your work, and her work with young people in social-emotional learning through the arts.

This week Jimmy talks with two of his senior theatre education majors at ISU, Ben Patton and Chris Turner. They talk about the power of creative drama, forging your own path, and the lessons they have learned on their roads to become teachers.

This week Jimmy talks with Arizona elementary music educator and musical composer Erik Whitehill. He talks about his passion for creating musicals for children, collaborations between music and theatre teachers, and maintaining your passion for what you love.

This week Jimmy talks with Texas elementary teacher Lorina Watts. She talks about her passion for teaching little ones, building an elementary program from the ground up, and how to balance all the demands of teaching theatre with life.

This week Jimmy talks with Ohio theatre teacher Jeremy Jenkins. He talks about creating a culture of community, revitalizing a program and designing new curriculum, and recognizing and celebrating the impact we have as theatre teachers.

This week Jimmy talks with Illinois theatre teacher J.R. Willard-Rose. He talks about his influential theatre teachers, his expansive program, and work/life balance.

This week Jimmy talks with Texas elementary teacher Robyn Needham. She talks about writing original music and musicals, dramatic play, and classroom management with the little ones!

This week Jimmy talks with Alabama theatre teacher Emily Lewis. She talks about giving middle school students a chance to have a voice, providing technical theatre opportunities for middle school students, and collaborations with core teachers.

This week Jimmy talks with International School teacher Rodrick Freitas.  He talks about his experiences around the world, lessons learned, and an alternative teaching experience for those wanting to travel and take new risks!

This week Jimmy talks with Dustin Loehr of the Arizona Department of Education. He talks about his work as a teaching artist and teacher prior to his current role, the need for theatre teachers to have a seat at the table, and fantastic opportunities for securing additional funding for your theatre programs!