FEATURES
5
QUESTIONS for Jenny Goodfellow
director of Theatre Arts
Jenny Goodfellow joined Country Day in 2012 as the Middle School drama teacher. Her previous experience as enrichment coordinator for the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte led to an enhanced production level for Middle School performances, and a program that connected theatre with community engagement and service. In 2015, Mrs. Goodfellow was tapped to direct the Upper School Theatre Arts program. She has training with Dell’ Arte International School and is one of 25 educators to hold a directing fellowship from The Juilliard School in New York. She has been recognized multiple times as Outstanding Director by the North Carolina Theatre Conference, and most recently as Best Director by the Southeastern Theatre Conference. Mrs. Goodfellow is a published playwright and has been featured as a guest writer for TheatreFolk and the American Alliance in Theatre and Education in addition to holding a master’s degree from New York University.
How long have you been involved in theatre?
the first show I auditioned for—The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This meant I first experienced the magic of theatre I was destined for Broadway, right?! at age 10 when I watched my hometown Unfortunately, my subsequent auditions community theatre’s production of Annie. weren’t as successful. I decided if I couldn’t It opened a world of song and scenery that be in the shows, I would volunteer behind had me bouncing down the street afterward. the scenes. I was on running crews, worked I have been involved in theatre in some lights and sound, took tickets, painted capacity ever since. I was cast as a lead in scenery, organized costumes, you name it! As a teen, I learned how to work a drill, fix a hem, paint scenery, and many other priceless skills. I went on to be cast again (many more times) in various parts for various shows; but if I wasn’t on the stage, I was behind the scenes or reading plays, all of which ultimately led to pursuing theatre in college and beyond. As an undergraduate, I discovered theatre could be used as a vehicle for change by working with the Urban League to ease race relations among teens. Mrs. Goodfellow during dress rehearsal for It connected me to the Catch Me If You Can. world of education, 18
PERSPECTIVES
social justice, and how theatre could have an impact in community and school settings. During graduate school at NYU, one special project led us overseas to London and a collaboration with the Unicorn Children’s Theatre which ultimately connected me to the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and then Country Day.
What do you like about teaching theatre at Country Day? The people here genuinely care for each other. You feel it when you go to events like Lower School Spirit Night or the Holiday Breakfast, see it when alumni come back to visit on their fall break, and absorb it when you walk alongside a faculty member with a major life event. Country Day is not just a place to teach, it’s a community I connect with personally. As a parent, one of the most precious relationships I’ve witnessed is the interaction between the theatre students and my own children. My second grader and kindergartener, Gracie and Joseph, love visiting rehearsals and seeing the big kids in action. Walking across campus to their classes in the morning, I see them hugged, fist-pounded, and encouraged to have a great day by the Upper School students. Gracie and Joseph are watching firsthand how a student can take AP Calculus, play on a sports field, and perform on the stage. The cross-section that Country Day provides is inspiring. As a theatre director, my job is a lot like a parent. In the same way we, as parents, are preparing our children to become independent in the world, a director prepares a cast/crew to perform a show. When the cast/crew describe themselves, they often talk about being a family. These students overcome challenges, solve problems, even have disagreements, and work as a team to make the show a success. In the process, they form lifelong friendships. As a teacher, I love seeing a student think in new and creative ways, step out of his or her comfort zone (especially in an Improv class), or be an avid supporter of the arts by attending shows. Ultimately, it’s about helping students reach their fullest creative potential and letting them use the foundational skills of their fine arts class to follow their own path—whether that be on the
