An eloquent piece here, Clayton.DocOn Oct 1, 2015, at 5:56 AM, Clayton Stromberger wrote:Hey thanks everybody for all the thumbs-up (not “thumbs-ups,” right?)…. much appreciated. And fun to hear your voices again!
But I need to clarify one important thing, re Jerald’s original shout-out:
That prestigious honor is for the school and its staff, not those of us who pop in for a few hours a week. I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a small part of what they have cooking now. And I’m one of a little gang of arts educators who are in that school every week; when we met for orientation, it was the first time in all my years in the schools that I’d found Shakespeare sitting right alongside orchestra, photography, fairy tale theater, ballet, and piano lessons (the latter for children with an incarcerated parent). I step gingerly past two dozen ukuleles every day on my way up to fourth grade classrooms. I don’t stand out when I walk into the office to sign in — and often I have to wait behind the two young people toting their viola cases. It’s wonderful. I hope someday every school I visit is like that.
The Blackshear teachers who work with those students all day, and work with their parents, and try to squeeze in as much real learning as they can while being told from upon high what to teach and when — those folks are the real heroes. I remember what a tough day at Blackshear took out of you (I was 38 at the time, just a kid) and I honestly don’t think I could survive it now. Just for starters, the drive I make from one school to another is a break those teachers never get.
Second important thing I need to say….: Carl, re your loving comment, you ALL care that way. (Okay, yes, except for maybe Donald Trump. And those knuckleheads in the Texas Legislature… and....) I’m starting with everyone on this list and that’s a lot of people. And then I would spread that outward to all of your close friends and family members. I know for a rock-solid fact that every one of you carries through your daily life that same spirit of courage and devotion and generosity that you shared with your classmates and the community and the audiences in your time at Winedale. I saw it alive in every one of you in the reunion group. We saw it in Lou and Gabe and Hutch. And all of us saw it in Doc, who devoted hours and hours of his time over the past year to make that week possible and made every moment count and inspired us (again — and how fortunate we are, all these years later) to do the same. We remember it in those who were not able to be there for that gathering.
And there are real heroes among us who are not glimpsed fleetingly in tv news reports. Not all of you may know that Jeff Larsen is an immigration lawyer in Houston. Talk about someone in the trenches and fighting the good fight. Then there’s the guy whose sitcom could be called, “Five Ain’t Enough,” because at an age when I’m ready to collapse as a father of two, he and his wife adopted a young boy and made him the sixth and littlest of the Little-Meyers. Then there are those of you caring for a parent or sibling or friend in failing health, physical or emotional. Artists overcoming endless obstacles to hold the mirror up to nature. The team bringing The Play’s the Thing to young patients at Dell Children’s Hospital. And on and on. So don't get me started on the rest of you.
You all give your all in your work and life, I know that to be true. And when you can’t for whatever reason, you fight like hell to get back to being able to give it again. That’s why it’s really an honor to be considered a friend by all of you.
I really feel what I’m doing in the schools is attempting to share something of what we all discovered out at Winedale together. For whatever reason, this is the way I’m able to offer it. And I know each of you does that every day, in your own utterly original way. That’s why the sparks fly when a bunch of us get back together. We want to make something happen. We know what can happen in a week. Doc taught us that decades ago and yes we still burn.
What I was lucky enough to find when I began doing this work 25 years ago in the Seattle area is that there are kids who are thirsty for this experience, just like we were. It’s a real privilege to be able to help bring it to them in whatever way I can, for however many hours a year I can. Some are low-income, others are not. But they dive into it joyfully. I think they need it, just like we did. Something in them responds to the invitation. The invitation started with Miss Ima and it’s still going, in all of us.
cheers,
cs
cell: 512-363-6864
office: 512-471-8367
On Oct 1, 2015, at 7:14 AM, Anne Engelking Smith <ankleking@gmail.com> wrote:
Wow!!! Congratulations!!What an achievement for you to relish...no, that the kids will relish the rest of their lives!
Sent from my iPhoneOnly a tiny fraction (.25 percent) of K-12 schools in the U.S. are designated Blue Ribbon. Parents in Dallas have slept in tents to be in line for transfer seats at the handful of schools here that have received the award over the years. What Clayton’s school has achieved is remarkable and his contributions can be traced directly to the award. All this is a nice way of saying CLAYTON YOU ARE ONE B.A.M.F.!!! jayne
From: Winedale-l <winedale-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org> on behalf of Mary Collins <mmcollins50@yahoo.com>
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 4:33 AM
To: Clayton Stromberger <cstromberger@austin.utexas.edu>
Cc: "shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com" <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com>, "winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org" <winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
Subject: Re: [Winedale-l] Because it has been on my mind--
Dearest Clayton,You rock! You are an inspiration. Congratulations to all of you. Love. Mary
Sent from my iPhoneThanks y'all — a pretty neat group of kids, they actually cheered this afternoon when I told them I’d brought the rest of Hamlet 1.1 for them to take home (we’ve been working on the first 20 or so lines). They were unfazed to see Fred Cantu and his cameraman in the little “theater room” built over the summer and eagerly volunteered for their turn at Bernardo, Francisco, et al.
Very impressive and heartening what’s going on at Blackshear; next door to us in the dance studio, I saw a class of first graders in socks lining up on their tippytoes for ballet lessons. I’m so glad the principal, Betty Jenkins, is receiving this Blue Ribbon recognition for her determination to make the school the first Fine Arts Magnet at the elementary level in the district. It’s a remarkable sea change from the atmosphere of even a decade ago — when arts were tossed aside the moment scores dipped — and I hope this award will give other elementary-level administrators in low-income communities the courage and incentive to make the arts an integral part of their students’ day.
Especially sweet since I was run off from Blackshear 16 years ago largely for doing Shakespeare with my classes when I should have been drilling them for the TAAS test…!
cs
On Sep 30, 2015, at 7:43 PM, Aubrey Carter <aubreycarter@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Great work Clayton.
ACDO1401 E. 7th St.Austin, TX 78702512-472-3393I just saw Clayton on the local news working with the kids at Blackshear Elementary, which was awarded a Blue Ribbon status. The arts program there was mentioned as a real plus. Good job kids, teachers, and Clayton.👏👏👏👏
Sent from my iPhoneLove and big smooches to all of you! What a thrill it was to have Doc and JoAnn and such a goodly herd of our beloveds in the theater. I'm sorry the Ghost of Scottish Rite Theater targeted Lynn in its naughty shenanigans. I promise to get Stan to smudge the place in preparation for any of you who dare to enter and sit in the seats.
Terry, your email enchants me. Thank you for that.
Dream, dream, dream!
Susan
On Tue, Sep 29, 2015 at 8:29 PM, Lynn McGuire <lynnedwardsmcguire@hotmail.com> wrote:
Jerald - glad I could be your buffer and I enjoyed Susan's production of COE too - very creative and entertaining! The theatre and sets were gorgeous... But do check your chair backs before sitting down. I had an entanglement with my first choice which had a broken back and almost broke mine as we collapsed to the floor! Our two wonderful doctors - Craig and Jerald came to my rescue, prescribed Advil and ice, and we then all enjoyed the show. Of course Jerald had to inform me how sore I would be in the morning! Anyway - come see the show and let's all go to dinner!
And Terry, thanks for your lovely words! They mean a lot! It also meant the world to me that you came to our performances- you were missed during the week!And to the rest of you- keep writing, it is joyful to hear your voices! Love, Lynn
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 29, 2015, at 2:04 PM, "Jerald Head" <jlhead1952@gmail.com> wrote:
Sunday I went to the Scottish Rite Theater to see “The Comedy of Errors,” which is always such fun. This time it was directed by reunion alum Susan Todd and one of the Dromio’s was played by Kathy Blackbird who was a real hoot. I just love to see those Dromios receiving a few licks. . I know I loved beating Mary Collins in 1978, when she was my Dromio.. There were several other Winedale alums in the show as well. Zaniness ensued. There was a mini reunion in the audience. Hurwitz, Lynn, Joy, Mike Mergan, Doc, and Joann were all in attendance as was Jonathan and Whitney Ayres. It was good to see them all . Thankfully, Lynn sat between Joy and I so Joy’s harassment of me was kept to a minimum. The theater itself is worth seeing as well which was built in 1871 and if I am not mistaken, some of the fly/ sets used in CE were original. It looked great. The show runs for a while longer so if you are in Austin, and looking for an escape from the ACL hoards, go support some local theater, and of course our friends as well.Jerald
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 29, 2015, at 12:53 PM, tlgalloway via Shakespeare at Winedale Email List <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com> wrote:
These last few days, I have been falling into reveries about the reunion plays.
I can't get over how tightly they were performed. Crisp and energetic and funny and moving. Both of them.
When I was there watching it seemed well, of course-- that's the way Winedale works.
But now that a few weeks have gone by, I am struck once again by what a miracle it is that two plays can be so perfectly realized in just a week.
And I wanted to say again to all of you who performed at the reunion, what a profound pleasure it was to witness the results of your thought, your sweat, yours whims, your camaraderie and your playing.
It was enchanting. Just like it should be, has always been, and always will be.Love to you.Terry
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Godwin <mnemonic@gmail.com>
To: Shakespeare at Winedale 1970-2000 alums <winedale-l@lists.wikimedia.org>; Shakespeare Winedale <shakespeare-at-winedale-email-list@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Sep 29, 2015 8:29 am
Subject: Welcoming Linda Addison, Winedale Spring 1971 class
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