While I tell most people that the main reason that I decided on the Georgia College Theatre program was the trees, my obsession with honesty pushes me to admit that this department drew my attention from its dedication to storytelling (while the trees are a CLOSE second).  Artists from all practices of the artistic process are not just encouraged to share authentic stories but are actively doing so. In the director’s office for our first meeting on Friday, March 29th, 2019, we dedicated ourselves to the mission that Heathers would be a story that everyone involved- cast, crew, and patrons- could see themselves in. I was enthused; this was storytelling with a mission, and as a stage manager and assistant director, I was charged to keep the authenticity of a diverse Westerberg, a diverse Sherwood, and a diverse Heathers alive through all aspects of the theatrical process. 

          Anyone that has even been a part of a show with the director of Heathers knows that she is dedicated to a physically diverse cast. This dedication impacted how we advertised the show, and whom it was advertised to. This story could not be confined to the same undiverse boxes that limited both the original movie and the real town of Sherwood, Ohio itself. According to the 1990 US Census, there was a severe lack of socioeconomic, racial, and age diversity in Defiance county, which houses Sherwood. They were the poster child of the WASP nomer: white, anglosaxon, and protestant. 93.39% of the population was white, and people of color claimed only 6.61% of the population, which was primarily middle class. (“1990 Census”). People of different physical, psychological, and intellectual experiences were never normalized in mainstream media or day to day life. Coming into the Fall 2019 semester, it seemed like the story was stacked against our mission that we championed the previous March. However, we decided to have the play serve as a mirror to society as a whole, and not the problematic and sheltered lenses of Sherwood and Westerberg. We advertised auditions to as many different populations as possible- to different departments, different age groups, different schools, and different organizations. This made it possible for us to rest easy the night that the cast list went out: the cast of Heathers represented diversity in all its forms- gender identity, age, education experience, sexual orientation, ability, race, spiritual belief, and body type. 

          As artists, we are all well aware that inclusion and diversity need to be intersectional for it to make a difference. Intersectionality was my daily mission both in and outside of the rehearsal hall. My stage management mentor once described management as “the art of making people happy”, and while management is significantly more complex than that, this intention was the backbone of everything that I did. People weren’t just their role in the production, people were inherently intersectional and complex. As a result, we ensured that the unique identities of each team member were acknowledged in every step of the process. At the readthrough, we made name placards for everyone, where they were encouraged to write their pronouns. When new team members were added throughout the process, the management staff made sure that everyone's pronouns were respected. 

          Additionally, once the staff was made aware of the different physical abilities of some of the cast members, we made sure that accommodations were made so that there would be an equitable standard set for all cast members. Everyone was put in flat shoes, and cast members were instructed that if at any point they needed to tap out of a piece of blocking or choreography, they were able. Also, since the lighting design incorporated both haze and fog, the staff held a testing period to make sure that cast members were able to determine the amount of both that they could handle, and were involved in the making of plans to ensure their safety throughout the run when these effects were in use. 

          Finally, Heathers contains many subjects that can be difficult to cope with on a daily basis. As a result, I strived to become a trauma-informed leader, by researching what it means to establish a trauma-sensitive environment in the rehearsal hall, by employing thoughtful interactions. Heathers takes a strong stand against bullying, a belief that is quite easy to hold in 2020. However, that take was significantly less publicized by the media and people in positions of power in 1989. According to the ACSD, people that have experienced bullying or other traumatic events "often behave in ways that may interfere with teaching and learning, which can be frustrating." Since the management staff is in a "position of power, these students may be overly defensive, anticipating adult criticism, or defiant, as a way to assert control." (Minahan) There is a reason why JD took his life in "Hey Yo Westerberg", there was a reason why Veronica was never the same after that night with Kurt and Ram, and in our rehearsal hall, I was always cognizant of why actors may act in unexpected ways. For Heathers, this meant checking in on cast members at least once a week outside of rehearsal, and encouraging cast members to view the management staff as sources of support and advocacy. This mission was also furthered through my reports. It is a Georgia College tradition to include rehearsal report questions to encourage the cast members to thoroughly read the entire report, and so the stage manager has confirmation that they understand the report. I used this as an opportunity to build community and further foster relationships between the cast and the management team. If someone ever took the time out of their day to ask Martha Dunnstock what she wanted out of life, what smell defines her childhood, or what was her first crush, do we think she would have had a different storyline? I am in no way saying that asking rehearsal report questions can prevent drastic behaviors (this can be done with more equitable access to resources, especially mental health services), but we strived every day to "be specific about relationship building" (Minahan), especially since the show at times was very heavy. I shared the complexities of my identity, we all did, in order to further the main purpose of cultivating a show that people could see themselves in. 

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Rehearsal Report Questions to Foster a Trauma-Sensitive Environment (And my responses): 

• What smell defines your childhood?- For me it is rubber cement. My parents were teachers. 

• When you're having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself feel better?- I make a to-do list and cross things off. Also, "Unwritten". 

• What's your favorite thing about yourself?- I like my ability to listen. 

• Who in the cast do you admire?- I admire all of you for your dedication, patience, and passion. 

• What did you want to be when you were five years old? What do you want to be now?- I wanted to be a special ed teacher. I still kind of do? 

• If you could tell your 17-year old self anything, what would it be?- "Girl, you do NOT want to be an engineer! I mean, pop off I guess, but GIRL!"

• What did you do with your day off?- I watched a documentary and at 3:30AM my best friend Kenzie and I went grocery shopping. 

• If you could tell me anything, what would it be? 

• If you had to play another role in the show, who would you be? - I'd love to say Heather Mac, but there is no one that holds a CANDLE to our Jayla! 

• Where do you want to be seventeen years from now?- To put it simply, I want to make beautiful things for and with wonderful people. 
   

“1990 Census of Population General Population Characteristics Ohio.” U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, 17 Apr. 1992.

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Minahan, Jessica. “Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies.” Educational Leadership, vol. 77, no. 2, Oct. 2017, pp. 30–35., www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/oct19/vol77/num02/Trauma-Informed_Teaching_Strategies.aspx.