WEST SIDE
STORIES June 2012
BURRITOS!!! p. 4-5
• Wauwatosa West High School • 11400 W Center Street, Wauwatosa WI • Volume 16, Issue 6
A New and Foreign Stage
The Trojan Players recieve national recognition from the American High School Theater Festival
Stephanie Eberle g Editor-in-Chief
Tosa West’s theater troupe, the Trojan Players, were nominated and accepted to perform at the 2013 American High School Theater Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. The American High School Theater Festival takes place during the annual Fringe Festival in Edinburgh. Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival takes place during August and is the largest arts festival in the world. The festival contains performers from all over the world showcasing their variety of talents. From one man skits to full out musicals, the festival includes many different forms of theatrical works. It was created in 1947, when a group of performers decided to host a flash mob to display their productions when they were not invited to the national festival. The festival grew from a flash mob to a spectacle so large that many smaller festivals have formed beneath it. The American High School Theater Festival is just one example. Each year a couples hundred American high school theater troupes are nominated to participate in the festival. The schools must be nominated by a theater professor or another theater professional. Tosa West was nominated by three individuals for its work on Footloose. Once a school has been
nominated they receive notice and must reply with an application. The application includes topics such as past shows, program structure, and theater philosophy. Tim Catlett, the theater director at West, said, “Many schools send in videos, photos, or news stories about themselves, but not us. We got in on just the black and white.” The application was accepted based greatly upon the philosophy of the theater. Catlett’s theater philosophy is that he is not supposed to teach the students how to be theater professionals but to “give [them] an opportunity to learn how to live and work together as a community of artists.” This philosophy impressed the panel of theater professionals and professors who review the application. The high cost of the trip has prevented the Trojan Players from participating. Catlett held several meetings with the students and parents to explain the trip as well as the six to seven thousand dollar cost per student. The trip would be ten to twelve days long and the cost would consist of the materials and shipping of the set, meal expenses, boarding expenses, licensing and permitting, as well as other expenses. Catlett said, “Most of the cost for the trip comes from that it is a per-
Waj Ali g WEST SIDE STORIES NICK FRITAS AND VALERIE VOGEL enact a fight scene during dress rehearsal for Peter Pan.
formance trip.” The theater had to give their response by May 21st, and due to having commitment from only eleven of the fifteen needed participants they had to decline the offer. Susie Shively, a junior in the Trojan Players,
said, “I’m sad the Trojan Players don’t get the experience.” Although they do not get the experience of performing in Scotland, the Trojan Players still have the great honor of having been accepted. Catlett said, “What we
need to do right now is to recognize that we were recognized for the work we have done so far as well as the work we were starting to do. We need to focus now on who we are going to become.”
Addressing the Issues
American Public Policy students present research at the 2nd annual Issue Fair
Jennifer Flynn g Copy Editor
Everyone has heard plenty about the American Public Policy Special Emphasis (APPSE) class by now. However, as the competition ended and learning new material drew to a close, plenty of work was still being done by the APPSE students’ APP counterparts. This past Tuesday, May 22nd, was the date of the American Public Policy Issue Fair, a several hour event during which APP students gave a presentation to judges on a subject of their choice. Issues ranged from school start time policies to abortion to drunk driving. Students chose their topics earlier in the semester and then spent several months gathering information in order to make a tri-fold display board and write a paper. While there was no set length for the paper, it had to thoroughly cover the problems and possible solutions for the chosen subject. Most students created online surveys with various questions pertaining to their topics, and then invited others to take the surveys via email and Facebook. This allowed students to find out what their peers knew and how they felt about a given subject. “It was a lot of work,” said junior Gina Richter. Junior Vicky Young agreed that the project was a strenuous one. “It was difficult and
Stephanie Eberle g Editor-in-chief Megan Wendelberger presents her project before a judge.
a little confusing at times.” However, it was worth it in the end. “I learned a lot along the way,” said Richter. “I made it through eventually,” said Young. All this work culminated in the Issue Fair. Judges ranged from lawyers to parents to local law enforcement. Attorney Lindsey Draper, who was also
a judge at the We the People national competition, thought it was a night well-spent. “[The Issue Fair] is really interesting,” he said. Sharon Muehlfeld, a member of the school board, agreed. “I love seeing all the topics. It’s very encouraging.” The event gave members of the community the opportunity to see how much work students did and how much they learned—and maybe even learn a little bit themselves. There were two time slots for the issue fair, with the first group of students beginning at 5:00 p.m. and the second group beginning at 6:00. Each group had a total of five rounds, although individuals did not have to present during each round. As rounds finished and students left the building, the excitement was obvious. “It feels so good to be done,” said senior Sara Aiello with a sigh of relief. Despite all the work it entailed, many people felt the Issue Fair was a worthwhile experience. “It’s a good way for [us] to interact in the community,” said junior Kelsey Kennedy. Overall, the night was a success for students, observers, and judges alike. “I’m thrilled,” said Draper. “The chance to hear the thoughts that young people have put into these topics…very much enjoyable.”