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Arts & Entertainment

Tam's CTE Invites Audiences to Play Roulette

Interactive format lets audience select from more than 30 original short plays. Production kicks off four-night run on Tuesday.

The name of the latest production of the advanced students of the Conservatory Theatre Ensemble (CTE) program at Tam High is something of a misnomer.

The production is called “Play Roulette: 22 Plays in 45 Minutes.” But over the past six weeks of rehearsal leading up to its premiere Tuesday night, the repertoire has expanded to more than 30 original short plays by CTE students and alumni. Audiences will decide which of the plays will be performed, according to CTE co-director Susan Brashear.

“It sort of mushroomed,” Brashear said. “The performance will be different every night; the audience picks the plays through games and random interactions. It’s completely by chance.”

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The format is a challenge that will keep the student actors in the moment. “Students have to be prepared to jump into the roles,” said Brashear. “They’ll be under a little bit of time pressure and if they don’t meet it there’s a wild card element. It should have the feel of improvisation.”

It will be one of the last productions of the school year and serves as sort a final exam for juniors and seniors in the student-run ensemble company.

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“Beginning and intermediate students get training and the advance students run the theater company, raise money and operate budgets,” said Brashear. “They take part in decisions on how money is spent and are responsible for all the publicity and all production.”

The focused four-year curriculum is open to all Tam students and Brashear said that beginner classes are sometimes selected by freshmen because they count towards the art credit needed to graduate.

But Brashear finds that nearly half of those freshman will go on to the advanced level courses. “As freshmen, they see this leadership — they are going to be given real opportunity for authority,” said Brashear. “They are mentored by juniors and seniors. It’s a profound relationship and they want to mentor too.”

Brashear stresses that the program is collaborative and theater experience is not a prerequisite for entry. “Our emphasis is on ensemble work where the group is more important, as opposed to the star system,” said Brashear. "We bring everyone along from whatever stage they are at and train them. Our shows reflect this ensemble philosophy.”

CTE also hires professional guest artists to work with students in all aspects of theater production. “We have about 10-12 students to an instructor,” said Brashear, “which is another reason it’s really effective.”

Although Brashear said that students get a solid theater foundation, turning out actors is not really the goal of the program. 

“We’re not really gearing them to be professionals in theater,” said Brashear. “We have cross discipline skills like history, psychology and literature. Through theater, you learn a lot about being who you are and about being a human being in the world.”

Currently there are around 280 students in the program and alumni are using their portfolios to apply for colleges, but not necessarily in the theater department. 

“Theater is great training for life; its skills are totally transferrable,” said Brashear. "Our students will always support theater. They will be an educated audience.”

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Play Roulette: 22 Plays in 45 Minutes
Directed by Robert Ernst
April 26-30
7 p.m. (no late entry)
Daniel Caldwell Theater
700 Miller Ave., Mill Valley

Tickets: $12 general; $5 students/seniors
Box offices opens at 6:30 p.m. (No advance ticket sales)

For more information, box Office Phone: 415-380-3535

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