In this special episode of Learning in Lake Oswego, we sit down with Lake Oswego High School drama teacher Bobi Bergh to explore the power of theater in education and community. Since joining LOHS in 2021, Bobi has infused the drama program with fresh energy and vision, creating a space where students feel seen, supported, and inspired. Together, we discuss the program’s growth, the challenges and triumphs of staging major productions like Sweeney Todd, and how theater builds connections both within the school and throughout the community. We’re also joined by student performer Rowan Ducker, who shares what being part of the drama program has meant to him.
Dr. Jennifer Schiele, Superintendent, LOSD
Mary Kay Larson, Executive Director of Communications, LOSD
Bobi Bergh, Drama Teacher, Lake Oswego High School
Rowan Ducker, Student, Lake Oswego High School
MICHELLE ODELL:: Welcome to Learning in Lake Oswego, a podcast providing educational insights for an engaged community. Lake Oswego School district superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Schiele, will discuss what's important to our learning community. She'll be joined by experts examining various topics, answering important questions, and sharing upcoming events and activities you won't wanna miss.
And now it's your host. Lake Oswego School District Executive Director of Communications, Mary Kay Larson.
MARY KAY LARSON:: Hi everyone. Welcome back to Learning in Lake Oswego, our show where we share the stories, the programs, and the people that make our schools a very vibrant place to learn and grow and spend time in.
I'm Mary Kay Larson, your host here with our superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Schiele. Today's episode is a special one for many in our community. We are shining a spotlight on the performing arts program at Lake Oswego High School. [00:01:00] We're talking with the drama teacher, Bobi , along with one of her up and coming.
I don't even know if I'd call you up and coming. One of your established thespians who's gonna continue to go on and be bigger and better in this world. I just know it. Rowan Ducker. Bobi joined our district in 2021 and has made a huge impact on our drama program, and we're really excited to talk to her about that today and all the progress that she's made and the impact she's made on our students and our community for everyone to see and enjoy.
So with that, Jen, take it away. Absolutely. It is such a
DR JENNIFER SCHIELE:: pleasure to have you, Bobi, here on the show. She has transformed performing arts at Lake Oswego High School, creating a space where students feel valued, empowered, and connected. So thanks again for being here. Bobi. To start, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what brought you into the world of theater and education?
BOBI BERGH:: Thank you Dr. Sheley, for having me on this podcast. I'm very excited to be here. I'm in my fourth year at Lake OSU High [00:02:00] School, but I've worked in education for about nine years. I think I was doing the math earlier today, nine or 10. I started at an alternative high school. Which was located in Tillamook, Oregon, and that's where I kind of was an education assistant for a while and then decided that, you know what, I might wanna do the whole teaching thing because I didn't really originally go to school to be a teacher or have that on my path.
But it kind of turned out that way, which is I think, kind of funny that. The alternative school stirred that because that was a really rough place to work. But if I can work there, then I think I can make it several other places. Absolutely. So a couple schools I worked in, but yeah, I didn't always wanna be a teacher.
I don't know, I just like to do a lot of things. I've always kind of dabbled in a lot of different areas and I think that theater is the perfect place for that because you have to wear a lot of hats. You have to know how to build things and paint things and direct and. Do a small business basically. So yeah, I was a former studio art major and got scholarship for that originally in college and then it morphed into sort of an interdisciplinary major [00:03:00] of theater and a few other things.
And theater's just the one place where you can really pretend to be an expert in a lot of. Things and keep yourself busy that way. And I really just like to stay busy doing that. So with that, I'm a local ambassador for EF Tours, which I know you wanna talk about a little bit, the travel stuff later.
And I'm also the current director of communications for our organ chapter of the International Thespian Society. So when I'm not busy at school or doing those things, I pretty much just hang out at home with. My three dogs and my husband and I read a lot. So
Speaker 3: yeah, no one thinks you're pretending, just so you know.
I mean, because everybody loves dogs. What kind of dogs do you have? I wanna ask that first.
Speaker 4: Oh, I have two Australian Shepherds. They're very crazy. And then I have one miniature dachshund who's just my little guy. He's my special little guy.
Speaker 3: Oh, I love that. Yeah. So you have made such an impact in a short amount of time here in Lake Oswego.
So what. What was your vision for the drama program when you started? [00:04:00]
Speaker 4: Well, it was really hard, honestly, to have a vision coming right out of pandemic because I feel like everything was just like done. Like we didn't have a lot going on, and so it was kind of interesting to just come in and be able to really just like.
Do whatever kind of see where the program had been and years before, and obviously nothing was really happening now 'cause everybody was at home or like hybrid. But I could tell pretty quickly that what was needed is just. Positive interaction just in general. And so let's do positive shows. Let's do a lot of team building things and a lot of events and really try to build that up.
And then from there, yeah, if we I mean obviously we build community that way, but I didn't really have, let's say, a clear. Step-by-step vision. It was more like, let's just get everybody happy to be here again. And that's really where it started. And I think that it kind of sprouted into a lot of traditions we now have.
And some of those we'll talk about, I think, in some of the questions you sent me. But yeah, I really just wanted to bring [00:05:00] everybody back in a positive way after a lot of. Performing hiatus we've had,
Speaker 3: you kind of mentioned this, but one of the things that I always hear about you is how you've transformed the culture of the theater program.
So can you talk about those intentional steps you took? Kind of you just mentioned about team building and bringing positivity back and really creating this inclusive and empowering environment for our students.
Speaker 4: Well, I noticed when I first started we only had one registered thespian and I feel like the Thespian Society is like what rallies a lot of people and like what builds that culture in not only schools but in, or like my school, but in all the surrounding schools and the state and internationally.
And so I was like, okay, that's my first step. I guess that was my one concrete plan is like we need to build back up the thespian traditions and get more people involved in the society. So it's kind of like national honor society, but for thespians. So you get inducted. Did, and there's different things you have to do based on merit and things you get at graduation and volunteer stuff.
And so [00:06:00] starting that and having some incentive of like coming together and doing things really made people wanna be coming together and doing things and building that really stronger sense of community and culture. As well as doing all the afterschool shows. So it's not just the afterschool fun time activity we get to do, but okay, now we're working towards something and you know, eventually receiving an honor chapter status and how can we get our thespian points and make sure that we're doing our volunteer stuff.
And this year we had 43 registered thespians. So the growth over the four years I think is just really cool. And that shows. Just how many people? I think not only wanna do the afterschool fun part of it, but do want to have this as something they can put on their resumes. And I think that's not something people know too, is it's not just the fun afterschool stuff.
It is, it's a society. Like we are striving for other things too. So it's kinda like a club. But with the festivals and competitions, I think it drives people to wanna work harder and work together on things.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I would say going from one to 43 is a huge increase. [00:07:00] Just so you know, if there was a math teacher near right now.
They would probably let you know that percentage, the math check out. I love that. I also love how you've equalized the roles of cast and crew. Can you share a little bit about how you did that or why you did that, and then what impact does that have on our students?
Speaker 4: I noticed that there was a pretty clear divide.
Even coming out of pandemic and lockdown. There's a pretty clear divide between mentalities of. What it is to be on cast and what it is to be on crew. And there wasn't really a lot of overlap, but also that mostly that the crew, like a student crew was just non-existent. There were like a handful of people, but it was really mostly run by adults and that's fine too.
And. It's like students helped out and helped build, set and run things, but it wasn't really like owned by the students. You know what I mean? So when I was in high school, and I know a lot of other, my colleagues around the area, they have like this thriving student run tech program that I knew that's what I wanted to get to.
And I think that [00:08:00] we're kind of in the time now of like, I've. I'm about there. We have a lot of students that are regularly helping with things and events and I don't know what it is about the divide between crew and cast. It's just like you can't be both things. You have to be the one, or generally people gravitate towards one or the other.
The actors will. You know, be more into being on stage and being in front of people and the crew tends to be more of the reserve, like wanna do the behind the scenes stuff and that's fine. But we do have a lot of overlap now, and there are people who will be like, oh, you know what, I'm not gonna audition for this show because I really wanna do props master for this show and get all the things we need.
So I really like that. Having a bit more overlap. There are a lot of skills we can. Learn from both sides of it. So that's been really cool. I think that it's just I wanted to give students the ability to learn the skills the professionals have to run a good show and not only, or not have a crutch so much of other adults running it.
And obviously it takes time to learn all those things. So that's why I say like, kind of now we've learned a lot of the things and the students are even teaching students the things that we need to know to run a lot of tech stuff. There's always gonna be a little bit of a [00:09:00] divide just based on personalities and what our skill sets are student-wise.
But now with the crossover and continuing to kind of remind everyone that this is a team thing, it's a team effort. We shouldn't feel this divide. We're all working toward the same goal. We all get that rewarding, same outcome. It's still a work in progress on both ends, and we'll always be, but it's definitely gotten a lot better, and I think that's clear with how many students we have signing up for tech classes and being ready to volunteer for events and things.
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3: You are currently impacting, I would say, hundreds of. Students each year. I mean, just in, not only in your classes, but in your after, after classes, extracurricular. So what are some of the ways you help students grow, not just as performers or crew members, but just as. Good people.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
We get a lot of student participation, which is awesome. And that's like the first thing you need, which is great. At the end of the day, yeah, we need to get all the work done and produce a good show or participate in a class, but we also need to like be able to create and we need students need that outlet.
A lot of students get caught up in the pressure of school and aps. We have those [00:10:00] coming up soon. And all that comes with just high school life. And especially at lo, I've noticed a lot of pressure to just be the best at everything. Always get the best grade. Just reminding everybody that there should be time to create and just be silly or present with each other within theater.
And I think if I can remind them from time to time that we're meant to be creating and telling stories and connecting with other people, we'll make the world a better place and still be able to learn and we'll let our brains be more open and receptive to all the stuff we need to retain too. So there's, you know, I don't have stats in front of me, but there's a lot of statistics that show that people that are involved in a lot of.
Different things are able to learn better in all their classes. So I think that's where a lot of personal growth comes from for students. And we build so many skills in the theater that outwardly look like just frivolous musicals or silly scenes or whatever, but the skills of understanding character or how to work with others in high pressure situations can be.
Like a [00:11:00] huge life skill to know and still be gracious with each other during that process too. I think at the end of the day is the biggest skill to learn and we get to do a lot of that.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Together. It's so clear when I talk to students who are in your program that the influence goes so far beyond the stage.
I mean, you are making a true difference with these students. First of all, you should know that. How do you support students like emotional wellbeing and confidence, you know, during these difficult times? I mean, you're, you mentioned difficult te tasks or tests, but also. You know, it's hard to be in Sweeney Todd.
Like, it's a lot of memorization. It's a, it's a lot of work. Yeah. So how do you help support their emotional wellbeing during that time?
Speaker 4: It's a challenge. I think that maybe two part answer to this, like, firstly. I really try to build a schedule for the rehearsal process that is known as soon as it can be ahead of time, so students can block out things in their calendars and tell me when they're not available.
But just so that we have breaks, I really don't [00:12:00] like to do rehearsing on the weekends. I like to try to do it all during the week because I mean, I need my time. Absolutely. And so I think, and, and I really don't wanna do any late nights. Like we really try to be done in the rehearsal process early on by about five 30 and then later on it gets a little bit later.
But yeah, I think just kind of setting that up already, that you're here and we're on it and we're working really hard and packing it all in so that we can have these breaks and have time for homework and. Eating dinner and things. So I think that's part of it, is making sure we're realistic about the expectations of the rehearsal process.
And I, I usually tell the students, I'm like, sometimes in the real world it's not gonna be like this. You're gonna be expected to just be there a a lot of weird hours or do different things, but your students first. So we need to make sure that we have that balance. But yeah, other times I definitely feel like a counselor at some points too.
I feel like, you know, again, back to wearing a lot of the different hats. I, I do the best I can to be available and like listen to whatever may come up. A lot of theater is being really vulnerable and trying new things, [00:13:00] and that can be really, I don't know, challenging in a emotional way for people. And so it can stem a lot of, or sprout a lot of emotions during that process and a lot of feelings come out.
So trying to just be another listening voice too. When students need to have someone listen, but one of my favorite things to witness is a student who may not otherwise be. Or would be potentially flagged in school for being quiet or unmotivated or other things when they join theater and like really find their place there.
A lot of what we work on is really outside of the traditional classroom setting. So like if you walk into a tech class, we're. We're up on ladders, hanging lights, doing different things with sound. And so it's appealing to someone who may learn differently. And so I think that's what also draws in a lot of different students having good positive feedback too.
It's very hands-on. So when they join a tech class and have a knack for hanging something or focusing a light up in the catwalks, it's fun to see their mindset shift and kind of see in their eyes like the, oh, [00:14:00] I am good at something. When maybe they've been told otherwise for a lot of their school career.
And so I think it's seen as an, these are all elective classes or elective opportunities outside of school, but it's definitely a place where a lot of people flock who have maybe received different feedback and perspectives. Schools. This is just a place where anybody can be and anybody can do this so well.
I say that, but. Also, it does take a lot for someone to do the things like this. So it's a very open area and we'll teach you the skills. Anybody can do this and we want anybody to join us and do this, but it's, it's tough. Yeah, you definitely
Speaker 3: create a culture of belonging, which is a, you know, a pillar here in Lake Oswego.
So, you know, thank you for doing everything you can to make sure that kids find that place where they belong. I know this is gonna be a really hard question, but what's your proudest moment? From a recent production or program, like those moments where you're like, everything clicked at the same time, and you're like, yay.
Speaker 4: First off, I'm so often [00:15:00] proud by all the work that the students do. It's just incredible. Like I said, when I started four years ago, we just really hadn't done anything for a while, and so to see. Us doing the work that we are doing this year after four years of kind of building. I'm just very often proud at this point, but I guess to pinpoint one thing.
That maybe happened this year recently, I guess Sweeney Todd, the musical that we just did, the community might not realize how hard of a show that is to put on, and I knew and Miss Bamford, our choir teacher, Tara Bamford, knew and, but we. We were like, they can do it. These students can really do it. And there were times where we're like, can they?
Yes they can. But there's a reason that high schools don't do that show. It's incredibly challenging music. The set is specifically demanding in certain ways. I mean, just the trap door bodies having to fall through stories of a building. It's just crazy. And the content is really tough to act because it's hard themes.
Yeah. It's dark humor and it's weird, but it's. [00:16:00] Also very mature content. And so having to act that authentically is a challenge. So yeah, I I think I'm really proud that we pulled that off. And I know I'm biased and I obviously think it was an amazing show myself, but knowing how hard it is and what goes into a show like that.
I was just blown away by it all and I enjoyed, I watch it every night. I've gotten the students to a point where they are running their own ships, so I just get to sit back and watch, and it's a total feat for them. So one of the coolest parts right now for me is that I am at that point where sound and lighting and tech and the actors, they all can get where they need to be and I can give my input and artistic vision and things, but they are putting it all together.
So I don't really have, I mean, for Sweeney Todd, we had. A, a gentleman helping us with set assembling but the students are designing their lights, they are designing their sound and running the sound. It's very much a student led program, so I'm pretty proud of that right
Speaker 3: now. Absolutely. And I, I was at that show and it was.
Fantastic. Fabulous. I don't have enough words to say [00:17:00] thank you and Rowan, who we're gonna be talking to here soon. I mean, I saw him shortly after that and I remember looking at him going, oh, oh my gosh. I felt like I was like in the midst of a celebrity. So it was so special. And I know you have great partnerships with Tara, the acquired director, as well as other people in the school.
And you also have been creating meaningful partnerships across schools from Unified Play to the Joint Thespian retreat with Lakeridge. So why is that cross program collaboration so important to you?
Speaker 4: Well, it's easy to be motivated to do collaborative work with your friends. I, I mean, I would consider, like, you know, Tara Bamford and Kevin Rouse here, like we just get along really well and, and Andy Nik across the lake at Lakeridge.
We're friends. It makes it a lot easier to wanna do extra events and collaborate on things when we get along very well, and we have a similar vision to work with. So. We invited Laker to join us for a retreat, I think a year ago, and it worked out really well. And [00:18:00] then this year they hosted our, our retreat day, which is kind of just a day of workshops for at thespians to learn and lead each other in some activities.
And then I usually plan a couple secret games and activities for us too. But making it a joint event has really made it better to try to implement the, the one lake, one love mentality that I've heard a lot of times here. And I love that. So Andy and I Andy Bald at Lakeridge. We're also taking students to Scotland this summer, so we're gonna the Fringe Festival and taking theater students with us, which is awesome.
And so getting to that with him, we're taking a couple other theater teachers with us too and some of their students. It's just, it's great. Our we're in the northeast region of our Thespian Oregon chapter and it's just full of a lot of teachers that are really. Buddy buddy in the best way. So much so that we even play d and d together.
Like there's a group of us that get together and it we're just goofballs and we regularly hang out. So I think having that strong sense of community within just teachers ourselves and collaboration and friendship, I just really value that. In our region. And I [00:19:00] think our students see that, especially when we get together at things like Thespian, state Event or regionals or the Theus Leadership Summit.
They can see that all the teachers are friends. This is a pretty cool thing we have going on here. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3: Now, you just mentioned gonna Scotland. I know you've also taken students to perform and learn and Japan and UK and Germany. So what do those international experiences bring to our students and why are they so important?
Speaker 4: Yes. We've got a lot of places, and by the way, I've never
Speaker 3: been asked. To come on any of those trips and chaperone. So
Speaker 4: I actually be,
Speaker 3: I love the idea.
Speaker 4: Oh, okay. I'll put you on my short list. We always need chaperones, so, Oh, that's awesome. No, I'll keep you in mind. Yeah, I just, I think travel is just so valuable, not only for.
Adults. I mean, I value travel, but at a young age, gaining perspective on the world helps students just be better people. The few trips I've organized have been with some of them with theater education in mind. The UK one, we, it was a whole tour of different theatery things. And then the one this [00:20:00] summer is very theater centered, but I've also just done trips to simply see the world and learn about culture and different life experiences.
And they're definitely not vacations by any means, but we've learned a lot and. Personally, I think Japan, not only was it the most popular tour, but it was probably the coolest tour we've done between Japan and then the Germany, Austria, Switzerland tour that Rowan, who you're talking to later also went on.
They're just so valuable. Or I've launched the Australia New Zealand tour for 2026. I'm trying to see what 2027 will bring, but I, I really think that Japan there's a Japan Korea trip that might. Make a, a comeback to the 2027 tour slot if the students kind of pull that in the right direction. So we'll see.
But yeah, I, I just, I love traveling. I think it's one of the best ways to learn about people, build responsibility, gain perspective, just in different aspects. And you know, what, if a, a student attends and simply learns how to get themselves. Outta their room on time, ready for the day. That's a learning experience [00:21:00] in itself and some students can't do that.
I was looking at the line of students lined up outside, ready to come in late today, and I'm like, you know what? My EF kids are ready. My EF tour kids are ready to, to start the day and begin their adventure on time usually. So it's a skill to learn and yeah, travel helps that. That's great.
Speaker 3: So one thing we all know is that performing arts programs can be expensive, especially to sustain.
So how have you worked with the community and the parents? For a more sustainable foundation for your future?
Speaker 4: Yeah. So expensive. I mean, the rights alone, to just get the okay to do a show can be anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000. Not even with set costs, like that's just to obtain the rights. So that's kind of where we have to start out.
But each musical, I think we do every year costs around. $20,000 to put on all the costs, just add up. So I think what's hard for us is and different than some other districts I've worked in too, is we're pretty much surviving on ticket sales, occasional Laker grants, which we're very thankful for, funded by the Laker parent group and, and then [00:22:00] whatever my booster group can fundraise each year.
Yeah. 'cause some districts I've heard, and the one that I student taught in every other year, every year they'll get, you know, maybe a small stipend to contribution or something. Thing to help fund the musical or fund a show or buy the rights. And we don't get that. And that's, you know, that people do things differently.
Districts do things differently. And fortunately we're able to keep our ticket sales and use those to spend and do things. When I first started, I noticed that, okay, we're really gonna have to fundraise a bit because Sun Ticket sales alone, we really can't produce good quality shows. So fortunately there was just a rockstar group of parents that were here when.
I started and I floated the idea of a parent group and a booster support group, and they just really took off. And Rowan's parents are, are two of our biggest supporters right now and lots of other families and parents. And I have a, a rockstar group of working women that are my booster family. And they are just awesome and they really help provide a lot of opportunities for students to do some volunteer [00:23:00] work and kind of earn the money that we might.
Be getting funded by different community members. We just raised about $30,000 this summer for new microphones at the school because we don't get that supply. Like we didn't have them to begin with and we'd have to borrow or finagle things. And so now we have working microphones for our musicals and I'm just really, I value their support.
And I really couldn't do it without the booster group and community members helping with those donations. So,
Speaker 3: so looking ahead, what are your hopes? For the future, for the Lake Oswego Theater Program. And then, you know, for the students who are a part of it,
Speaker 4: obviously continue to grow, continue to make this feel like it's a team effort and a collaborative workspace between cast and crew.
And I would love to get, you know, more involvement in class time too. I have a lot of kids that do afterschool stuff that don't have time in their schedules to take the theater classes because they're either also in band, choir, or they have required lec. From the district and, and the state. And so I would love to grow that too.
But I think my most concrete hope is to really [00:24:00] continue to build a student tech program. Right now we have a lot of free labor going on in like a great way. Like it's, it's a lot of volunteer work. And it's great for work experience. But there are a lot of really cool ways we can adapt that. How some other schools are doing student tech programs and they consider it a form of a work study.
And so like select students are trained over the summer, about seven to eight of them. And then they are essentially hired by the district to work all the district events that happen in the space. 'cause right now I'm supervising them all and the students are volunteering to work at. Every event that happens in that auditorium.
So we have a lot of busy nights there. And with us currently being asked to run every event, we have noticed that it might be a good thing to start this conversation. I'm getting to the point where, you know, if we had one or two staff students with every event kind of how some other programs are doing it, it could, it's a conversation.
I'll be floating around in the future for sure. But, you know, that's a, that's a goal. And I think that we have the students for it. It's also they're learning a lot of. Software skills that they could be [00:25:00] using right outside of high school. So a lot of this, the programs that they're trained on to run lights and sound, I mean, they could go work venues right away outside of school.
So it's really a, a skill that can be beneficial and lucrative, leaning into that and getting people trained. It'd be, it'd be very cool. Those are my hopes and dreams. Those are
Speaker 3: very good conversations we should have. So finally, what would you say to a student who's thinking about joining theater but isn't sure.
If they, you know, if they fit in or if they're scared or what would you say? Like, how would you get 'em to say, okay, I'll try.
Speaker 4: I was thinking about this question and you know, my initial response to a lot of things is kind of, you know, sassy, sarcastic, but the first thing that came to my mind is, I'd say it's kind of overrated to fit in.
You know, what we wanna do is stand out, and that might not work for all students, but we wanna stand out as good people and. Good students and good storytellers. So obviously I would encourage them in any way I could to join us. You know, even twist their arm a little bit. Like, Ooh, you were thinking about this.
Let's get you in. I tend to, to follow students in the hall and be like, Hey, I saw you might sign [00:26:00] up for auditions. How can I get you there? So I really, I, I put in a lot of face time with students that might be potential future ESPNs. 'cause we have a lot of fun here and the work is really re rewarding and.
If anything, it's really fun to play, pretend for a while when our outside world can get us down a little bit. So if anything, if we can make some fun lights and magic and tell some stories on stage everyone has a story to tell and so I think that should be encouraging. Anybody can be useful in the theater department.
We can put you to work in all sorts of ways.
Speaker 3: Magical. I love that. And that's how I feel about you. I feel like you are so magical and I wanna thank you so much for everything you do for our. And this program. Thank you. And such a pleasure to have you on the show today. Thank you. And with that, I'm gonna transition over to Rowan.
Thank you so much for joining us. Can you start by telling us what grade you're in and how long you've been involved in the LOHS trauma program?
ROWAN DUCKER:: So this is my senior year. This is my, my last year in the drama. I've been [00:27:00] involved since my freshman year. In my freshman year. I think I was in the first play that Ms.
Berghhhh ever directed at.
Speaker 5: Lake Oswego High School, which was Newsies and that was a lot of fun. And, you know, I did theater in middle school, but, you know, the high school theater is a, is a different experience of professionalism and it's really a community, you know?
Speaker 3: Yes. And so last year you were also in the Beauty and the Beast?
Speaker 5: Yes, I was. I was Cogsworth, who's the clock in Beauty and the Beast. That was a very interesting experience. You know, it, it goes to show the variety of shows that we do because, you know, this year we did Sweeney Todd, which is all bloody and dark, and last year we did a Disney show
Speaker 3: and it's, it's
Speaker 5: just fun to see the.
Range of acting that we as students are provided the opportunity to do.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely. And so you don't know this about me, Rowan, but I only know one song, and that is from a Disney show. It's from The Little Mermaid and I, I'm gonna sing [00:28:00] it a little bit for you, and then I'm gonna ask you to sing something from your Disney show so you can think about that.
But ready? Here I go. Look at this stuff. Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you say my collection's complete, wouldn't you say? I am the girl, the girl who has everything? That's me. So I sang for you. So now, which is very embarrassing by the way, now you get to sing for me.
Speaker 5: Oh, okay. Okay. Do you have any song requests?
I don't.
Speaker 3: Anything you'd like give her another Disney song. Okay,
Speaker 5: I'll, I'll give you a, a Disney song.
Speaker 3: It doesn't have to be long, just a little bit.
Speaker 5: Tale as old as time. True as it can be. Barely even friends, then somebody ends unexpectedly bends. I, I don't, I don't remember the lyrics. I haven't, in a nutshell, that
Speaker 3: sounded really good.
And I think everybody out there, this, this is the type of performer that we have here. And this year, as you mentioned, you were the lead in Sweeney Todd, and it was, you looked, you looked crazy in that, in that, oh, it [00:29:00] was so amazing. Can you tell us a little bit about the experience that you had,
Speaker 5: as Ms.
Berghhhh mentioned earlier, Sweeney Todd is. A very difficult show. Sondheim in the theater community, Heim wrote the show. He's regarded as writing maybe the most difficult music in of any composer for the theater. I mean, there's a song in every single key and almost every single possible time signature in, in the show, and people are counting to odd numbers instead of just four.
And you know, the range of. Vocal skill to be able to sing very high and very low and sing songs that are so quick that have such importance to the plot. So you really need to enunciate, you need to bring out those consonants. It's, it's just a different level of performing. And, you know, Disney is fun as well, but you know, in Beauty and the Beast, everybody knows all of the songs already.
Sweeney Todd is a, a very [00:30:00] different show and I. Really loved having been in the drama department for four years. It was amazing to see how everybody stepped up to that level of, of perfection that is needed. And there was not one person in the show who was, who was slacking off at any time, and everyone was so passionate about the show and really.
Just gave it their all.
Speaker 3: I mean, again, I saw it. It was like going to something at the Schnitzer, like it was so amazing. I mean, Zia and Connor and you and everyone else on stage it, I just. I, I was kind of speechless. I was with my husband at that show and he was like, this seems like a college reduction. I was like, I know.
It's so amazing. You know, I'm crying, I'm laughing. It was just so good and there was clearly just a lot of teamwork happening. I. In that show. And so can you walk us through what a typical day or week looks like during that production season?
Speaker 5: Ms. Berghhhh is very good about sending out [00:31:00] rehearsal schedules, and usually they're from three 30 to five ish and the rehearsal weeks typically differ in a couple of sections.
Based on how close we are to actually opening the show. The first few rehearsals, if it's a musical, are going to be purely music based, because we have to learn the songs before we can sing them, you know, and, and when we have our scripts, it's one thing to read lines, but it's a different thing to read music as we're going.
So we really take time with our, our choir director, Ms. Bamford, Tara Bamford, and she helps us through the music and we really get the music. To a a point where we know it, and then the next few weeks of rehearsal are spent blocking the show, adding movement to the lines, and practicing how to deliver the lines, refining anything.
That we can, and then the week before the shows is usually we run the entire show, which in the weeks of blocking, [00:32:00] we usually only block a couple of scenes. That's always fun because you get to see how everything sort of fits together in the show, because you work on it in little segments and then you, you put it all together.
And then the, the last few days are dress rehearsals and those are it. The process is fun from the start, but it definitely, it gets more fun as you go through the dress. Rehearsals are, are a very. Fun experience because you get to see everyone in costume and everyone gets micd. And in the past some people who haven't been able to come to the performances have come to the dress rehearsals and it's good for morale to hear people laughing at the jokes and,
Speaker 3: yeah.
No, that makes good sense. Now, I, we kind of talked a little bit about the cast and crew and that community. Mm-hmm. So. What does it feel like to be part of that community where there's the cast and the crew? It's not just the adults telling, you know, the students what to do. It's like you kind of working together and telling each other how to [00:33:00] become stronger.
Speaker 5: As someone who has participated in both cast and crew over the years, I. It's a very fun experience. The crew, I think, has a lot of comradery. There's a lot of of love in both communities, especially now that it's a a lot more student run. There's even more, I. There are inside jokes among crew members and inside jokes, among cast members that I remember when I was a freshman, that never happened, and I feel like I as a, as a cast member and a, a senior, I feel like I know the names and I know people who are in crew and are freshmen.
And when I was a freshman I didn't know any of the seniors and I didn't know any of the crew members. And there's, there's just so much more interconnectedness and it's more of a. You know, we're hanging out with friends. And of course we're still making something, but we're making, we're making art, but it's with people that we enjoy as well.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I love that. And I think it, it shows when you're on stage, [00:34:00] like I can tell that you're a family up. There, and regardless if you're a freshman or a senior and you're all coming together, so I'm guessing that's something that you've grown in over the years. But would you say there's other things that you've grown personally in from being involved in theater, either on or off the stage?
Speaker 5: The amount of skills that you gain from theater is, is not to be understated. I feel like I've learned a plethora of weird. Talents from, from like, I feel like I, I know a couple of card tricks. I don't know, crew things like how to make a box look like it's made of wood that is just a cardboard box or, or miming or you know, there you learn a lot of things that you, you don't, you wouldn't think that you would learn otherwise.
And they aren't necessarily theater skills, but they're, they're fun to know.
Speaker 3: And I also think that you've learned leadership. It sounds like you were definitely a leader in the last few years there. [00:35:00] Can you talk about what that feels like to be a leader of freshman, sophomores, juniors, and even other seniors in some kind of production?
Speaker 5: I never try to look at it as though I am a leading freshmen and sophomore and that they're, they're sort of following me. I always try to make sure that they. Are sort of learning how to lead themselves in a way. And that's what I try to do. I mean, in, in choir, I am the choir president this year and I'm a section leader and I teach a lot of the music during when, in some classes we're, we're beginning to learn new pieces and usually the other people that are in the choir, they know how to read music fairly well. But I, I just helped clarify some small things. I dunno, I, I've never seen myself as a leader, and I think that's important when you're in a position of leadership of you're all together.
In [00:36:00] something and it's, it's less of a, here follow this and do this and do what I say. It's much more a, a sort of meet this expectation and I've had a lot of opportunities to, to lead in drama. And I think the most notable one is, right now during the One Act plays, I'm directing a, a one Act, which is one of our, our traditions.
We have senior directed one act at the end of the year. I'm so proud of my cast because I feel like I don't need to. Direct that much because what I, I really want them to do is make choices for themself and if I've given them any, any sort of hard direction, it's more, make a big choice or, or do something that you wouldn't otherwise do.
Speaker 3: Bobi, when you hear him say that, what is that? What? What's going through your head right now?
Speaker 4: I'm just such a proud teacher hearing you talk like that. And I got to witness Rowan running his tech rehearsal on Friday integrating all the lights and sound and different things for the one act. And I'm [00:37:00] just hearing some of the notes and feedback you were giving to your, your cast.
I was just like, these are the things I want you to be saying. This is great because really, yeah, there are a lot of probably things we envision as directors that we want to happen and it's really hard sometimes. To kind of sit back and go, no, I want them to make that choice and to use that verbiage and that lingo like that is you.
That's how you direct. So I'm very proud. That's awesome. Proud of you. Thank
Speaker 3: you. Also how you lead. So Rowan, why do you think theater is important in high schools, both for students in the broader school community?
Speaker 5: F firstly, it's fun. But you know, storytelling is such a big part of human. Existence.
It's the oldest form of education in a way. You know, there's AOPs fables and they're meant to teach people how to, how to live. But the theater is, it's important for people to be a part of theater because they, they really explore. As an actor, I know that I've explored the, the minds of characters who I am very different from, [00:38:00] and that's a, that's a perspective to gain and it.
Different plays with complicated themes. In order to really understand them, you really need to think about the minds of people who are, who are very evil or, or very good. And to have an understanding of both styles of thinking. It helps you conduct your own life. It teaches a lot of kids to be confident in front of a, in front of a group and to be confident in their, their self.
You know, it is also very good for, for making friends. I've made. Most of my friends through theater and most of my friends participate in theater and in the shows. It's a very important part of the social life of a lot of students, and it's an event for people who aren't involved in theater to go and participate in, you know it brings the community together when we have a show and then.
Maybe some people who, who would never act, still want to go see the show and they'll, they'll say to other friends, Hey, let's go see the show. [00:39:00] And yeah.
Speaker 3: I love how, I never really thought of the this way, but it's like perspective taking when you are an actor and you have to put yourself in someone else's mind and kind of think of what it would feel like to be that person is kind of, you know, what we ask kids to do in other situations all day long.
So I, I. I kind of like that part and I am in awe of actors and definitely our student actors and especially with the musical 'cause being able to sing and dance at the same time seems like impossible to me. And so, you know, I love that we all get to come together and watch you all performance. It's. I'm, you know, I'm not your parent and I'm not your teacher, but I'm so proud of our students when I watch them.
So I could only imagine how your teacher and your parents feel. So the last question I have for you is just what I, the same thing I asked Bobi. For students who might be thinking about joining drama next year, what kind of advice do you have for 'em and what would you say to them?
Speaker 5: If you're going to do something, do it.
Do it well. Because theater is something where [00:40:00] if you participate and you really give it your all, you get a lot out of it. And if you're looking for, for a, a new hobby where you're going to make a lot of friends and you're going to have a a, a lot of fun times, theater is a wonderful place to look. But, you know, theater isn't for everyone.
So it really does take it does take your readiness and your, your attitude, a positive attitude to join. That being said, if you, if you do put in effort into theater, you will get a lot back
Speaker 3: of that. So put in effort and you'll get it back. That's a good, that's a good line. Absolutely. Thank you so much, Ramona, for being here.
I. I just, like I said, I'm in awe of both of you, so it's, it's very fun to talk to you. I feel like I'm a, this is like a celebrity show and and, and I'm not the celebrity, so that's the cool part about it. But thank you so much for taking time to be on the show. I know everyone's gonna love hearing what you have to say and you know, I think there's a lot of people out there who are interested in getting their foot in the door in drama and productions and, but they just don't know how.
So I think that this is gonna [00:41:00] help them. Get on their own path to start, whether it be lights or makeup or, you know, being an actor, an actress. So that's, it's, it's really. Fantastic. So thanks again for being here.
Speaker 5: Thank you for asking me to be on the show.
MARY KAY LARSON:: Bravo, Bobi and Rowan. That was so amazing. I hope people listening to this show not only get such a great insight into what goes into the program, what students get out of it, but also I really want people to know that they should add.
Our high school musicals and performances to their social calendar. I know my family and I have been going to these for years. I'm always amazed. I'm always entertained, and I'm always in awe. I will say I also especially love going as you're become a regular theater goer at our high schools. You see the kids grow up on stage.
And you see them in their leads and you remember when they were in the chorus or when they were in the crew and different roles that they play, and it's just, it's [00:42:00] heartwarming all around. So really hope and encourage people to come out to our high schools and catch a show. There are other things for our community to do as well.
Coming up more immediately in the next couple of weeks. Jen, why don't you share some of the different ways our people can connect, celebrate, and support our schools and community? Absolutely. We are approaching
Speaker 3: the end of school year, which is crazy to me and there's a lot to look forward to. First up, we have our Asian American, native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration on Sunday, May 18th from 12 to three in Millennium Plaza.
We're gonna be partnering with the city to co-host this community celebration, honoring the cultures, traditions, and contributions of A-A-N-H-P-I communities. It's gonna be a joyful afternoon filled with entertainment, food activities for all ages, and we're. Especially proud to have current and former LOSD students serving as MCs and our very own.
Connie Harrell, our belonging coordinator, who is Tongan, [00:43:00] will be the keynote speaker, so you will not wanna miss that. Then on Wednesday, May 21st, we have our first ever Frenzy food card event at Lake Ridge High School. This is hosted by students in the college level, foods three and entrepreneurship class, and it's going to be amazing.
They. Been this semester creating their own restaurant concepts, and they'll be bringing them to life in a food cart style experience. So there'll be 14 different student run cart with unique dishes and business models, and the event is open to the entire community from five 30 to seven 30 in the Lakeridge cafeteria.
Well supplies last of course, so I suggest planning to get there early. I have a feeling that dinner's going to sell out fast, so please have dinner at Laker that night. The next evening, Thursday, May 22nd, we'll be participating in the citywide Mental health Awareness and Suicide Prevention resource fair at Lake Oswego City Hall from five 30 to seven 30, and this is a great opportunity to learn about local mental health resources and connect with others who are working to support [00:44:00] wellbeing across our community.
Finally on. Friday, May 23rd. We're partnering with Heather Ramsey, a featured guest on our show and the chair of our Bonds Citizens campaign to host the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce Weekly networking coffee at River Grove Elementary and LSD is a proud member of the Chamber, and I actually serve on the chamber board to help strengthen the connection between our schools and local businesses.
So we're really looking forward to showcasing River Grove's incredible transformation. Thanks to our Bond program and having conversations about what's next for our other schools.
MARY KAY LARSON:: Thank you, Jen. I am sure glad the days are getting longer 'cause we need all that sunlight to take in everything happening in our community.
Next time on this show, we are gonna be looking outwards to. Hunger fighters who we have a very strong partnership with our schools, and we're gonna be talking to the director and students who help with that program. So really looking forward to that show.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I cannot wait for that conversation. Some of [00:45:00] our students who serve as leaders at the Hunger Fighters Oregon, they're so special and fantastic, so I can't wait to talk to them.
So until next time, keep exploring and stay engaged Class. Dismissed.
Speaker: We hope you found this episode informative and helpful. While our discussions are general, we understand each family's experience is unique. If you have specific questions about your child, please contact your school principal to learn more about the topics we discussed.
Ask a question or share ideas for future episodes, please visit osd schools.org and remember to like and follow us wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for engaging with learning in Lake Oswego. We appreciate your support and look forward to having you with us for our next episode.