Joseph Stevenson, Vallivue High School’s theater teacher, has a strong passion for theater and the students he teaches. Stevenson said, “I fell into it by accident.” He had a math teacher who discouraged him, causing him to drop the class for theater his senior year. His first play was Sweet Charity, a musical he was excited for. He got a lead singing role, and this was what made him discover his love for theater. He was always eager to audition and got seven parts his senior year.

The current play that Stevenson and his students are doing is called Trixie the Teen Detective, a dramatic play that consists of a bunch of teens trying to solve the mystery of Grey Stead Manor. We asked him if there was many upcoming theater events and plays which he said, “ We only have two productions a year, and every other year we have musical performances.”

However, there are certain things the theater classes should be excited for, such as performing for the elementary schools, which would be not only fun for the school but also fun for the elementary students.

Each class is currently working on their own style and ways to learn these techniques. Intro to Theater is learning the basics, trying to learn their blocking, and how to project their voice onto the stage. Theater Two is working on Camille del Arte, a Renaissance type of performance which consists of non-verbal movements and noises to tell a story while designing your masks. Actor’s Ensemble is preparing for theater competitions, a way for them to get ready to compete and show off their skills to judges and other states.

The theater department has a lot of work to do and promising students. We asked Stevenson, “If you could give any advice for people who do acting and theater, what would you tell them?” Stevenson said, “Look for as many opportunities as you can, take constructive criticism, and be prepared to fail.” The theater classes have a promising year ahead, so stay tuned to the announcements so you can support them at an upcoming performance.