Sanford Theatre Workshop Aims To Awaken Love Of The Arts in Students
For Ron Coley, developing a love of theater in students has become a passion. The Theatre Arts instructor at Lee County High School in Sanford has taken on the task for 17 years now, and it’s helped create a thriving arts culture with the students.
But just teaching the students in class wasn’t quite enough for Coley. Because of that, a Theatre Workshop was born.
Lee County High School in Sanford, North Carolina will soon play host to a Theatre Workshop open to Lee County students grades 2 through 8. The event will take place on Saturday, November 4th at the LCHS auditorium.
This workshop is the brainchild of Coley, the high school’s Theatre Arts instructor for the past 17 years. As an ardent advocate of the dramatic arts, he hopes that this event will awaken a love of theatre and performing in many children who may not get the chance to experience it otherwise.
Being an alum of LCHS myself (go class of 2012!), I knew how effective something like this could be for the community. I recently had the chance to go back to my alma mater and speak with Coley directly about his desire to instill that passion for theatre in future high school students.
This workshop is not the only effort being made to bring the world of acting to Lee County students. “We’ve also started doing at least one show a year where we audition young kids to be part of these high school productions,” he said. “We’re trying to open that up to where we’re not just teaching high school students. We’re offering theatre opportunities to the whole county.”
The benefits of involving Lee County children in the local high school theatre scene are incalculable. Not only does it help them discover a potential love of theatre, but as Coley clarified, it can also provide a sense of familiarity as they enter high school age.
“Middle schoolers are gonna be here, and they’re scared. But when they experience the friendly atmosphere, and then they come to high school in the next year or two they may see some faces that they know, and a place that they’ve seen. So they’re more comfortable.”
But it’s not just the younger children who are experiencing new opportunities. The workshop and even a few school productions are 100 percent student-led, which allows Coley’s students to step into meaningful leadership roles. “The high school students will lead three different sessions: acting, singing, and dancing. I’m mainly there to guide kids between sessions but as far as the subject matter, my students take care of all of it.”
As it turns out, the LCHS students leading these events get just as much out of it – if not more – than the kids attending them. “We did this last year, and the kids who showed up were very very happy. But OUR students were very thrilled,” Coley said. “The ones who led the classes were like, ‘can we do it next semester? Can we do it twice a year?’ Some of them may even decide they want to be teachers because of these workshops.”
And helping students explore new horizons is exactly the point behind these efforts, as Coley made abundantly clear in our conversation. “Sometimes we’re so busy pushing kids into a certain direction. But we need to let them sample different things. Until they sample it, they have no idea what they want to do.”
I understand more than most the kind of impact theatre can have on students. Believe it or not, I was a devastatingly shy kid growing up, to the point where people would genuinely ask my parents if I was mute. However, after enrolling in Theatre in my freshman year of high school, I was able to open up and explore my passions, tapping into skills that I didn’t even know I possessed.
I credit much of who I am today to my time in my school’s theatre department. Performing onstage during those four years opened up a whole new world to me, and allowed me to cultivate the personality and skill set that I would later turn into an amazing on-air radio career.
This concept certainly isn’t lost on Coley either. He understands that not every child who tries theatre is going to enjoy it, but he does believe there is some value to be gained from every student who participates. “My goal is not to turn out a classroom full of professional actors. But if they walk away with a deeper understanding and respect for the arts, and they walk away with more confidence in their selves and their abilities, then I consider that a success.”
Theatre can be a creative, liberating outlet for children, many of whom may have trouble expressing themselves otherwise. It’s so important to support the local arts, and getting your kids involved at a young age is a perfect way to show that support for generations to come!
Here’s all the info you need if you’d like your child to participate in the Theatre Workshop in Sanford:
