15 minute read
during COVID
The agonies of an IB2 Theater during COVID
IB2 Theatre Class, course description
“IB Theatre Arts focuses upon building skills to allow students to critique, create, and analyze theater. Students are required to keep a journal and then demonstrate learning by doing four projects: Collaborative project (with 15 pages portfolio), 20 pages Director’s Notebook, 15-minute recorded presentation of a researched world theatre tradition, and a solo theatre piece with a 3000 words research paper based on a theatre theorist.”
IC’s IB 2 theatre class had just finished writing up three original plays as part of the required IB collaborative project.
Despite the school closure during the October Revolution, the class had managed to complete the scripts. Rehearsals were scheduled to begin in March.
On February 28, Lebanon’s Education Ministry announced the closure of all schools as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. The closure was thought to be only for a few days. Classes would surely continue normally.
It wasn’t to be.
Instead, as COVID-19 spread, IC went online.
On March 24, IB issued a statement canceling the May exam session – except for group 6 subjects: Theatre, Film, and Arts. They were the only group required to submit all their components. The deadline was set towards the end of May.
On March 27, IB suddenly brought forward the submission deadline to April 30 for group 6 subjects only. Teachers and students scrambled through the relatively new world of social platforms to get their projects completed. The university careers of the students depended heavily on passing their group 6 subject.
The following is a heartwarming story of a theatre teacher and three of his eleven students and the trust developed between them.
Back row: (right to left) Sarah Tinawi, Farah Zarwi, Leila Al Zein, Salma Saadeddine, Sam Daou, Aidan Kremer. Front row: Abdul Rahman Alayli, Yasmine Idriss, Marya Hamoui, Thalia Bou Malhab, Youssef Diab.
march 25, 2020
Riad Chirazi, IB Theatre Teacher
Trust me. Just trust me. You can do this. I will be there with you every step of the way. He turned his attention to several sobbing students, clearly audible through the Google Meet connection. He sighed. First, the revolution. Now COVID. His IB2 theater students have already missed so many lessons.
This latest news was devastating. He had suddenly found out that the submission date was brought forward to April 30, giving them just a month to submit three components required from IB theatre. Thankfully, the fourth one was already completed in January. If they don’t submit, they don’t pass IB. No IB, no university.
But this was impossible. How can we finish rehearsing and filming the collaborative project if we are under lockdown? Moreover, some students are outside the country. And how can we finish rehearsing and filming the solo theatre piece at home if the theorists chosen (Lepage, Wilson, Kantor, Grotowski, Artaud, etc.) and the aspects of their theories require technical elements and appropriate physical space?
The students continued sobbing. For the first time in his long teaching career, the drama teacher felt helpless. Please, I beg you, don’t panic, he kept repeating. We can do this. You can do this. I will help you.
It had rapidly dawned on Chirazi that not only did he have to provide the necessary academic teaching but also the more challenging, emotional support.
You can call me anytime. I mean it. Anytime. OK?
But even to his own ears, he didn’t sound too reassuring.
He ended the session and cried. His wife and children stared at him in shock.
CAST OF CHARACTERS:
rIad chIrazI: IB Theatre teacher. Much loved by students – many of whom know him since kindergarten when he went around to their classes dressed as a very convincing Santa Claus.
raSha daouk: IB coordinator since 2001. Calm and collected. Used to dealing with many crises – both school and student – that often come her way.
leIla zeIn:
17-year-old graduating student who prides herself on being organized in her work. She was bitten by the theatre bug at age five and has since performed with Caracalla Dance Theater on many occasions, including performances in Abu Dhabi and Byblos. She was the youngest to be on stage with the professional team. She also performed in ‘The Rite of Spring,’ a ballet and orchestral concert work by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, held at LAU. Organized and conducted by professor of music Dr. Seba Ali, the concert was held twice at LAU – bowing to the demands of an enthusiastic audience.
abdul rahman
aylalI: 17-year-old graduating student who somehow manages to juggle the demanding IB coursework and a heavy athletic schedule. He had won many athletic awards at IC. He enjoys learning new subjects and is adamant about delivering the highest quality of work but is very much a face-to-face person.
farah zarWI:
17-year-old graduating student who always ends up submitting excellent work but tends to be a procrastinator, which naturally causes her much undue stress. Farah is a singer and dancer and has performed on stage at Cambridge University (summer program) and in other events in Lebanon such as with Tania Kassis Academy and in the IC Mayfairs. She was chosen for the lead role ‘Sandy’ in IC’s English Drama production of ‘Grease’ that reached the stage of rehearsals and daily practice sessions mid-March 2019. Unfortunately, the performance was cancelled due to COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed.
Rest of the IB2 Theater students: Fantastic in every way. (Thalia Bou Malhab, Sarah Tinawi, Marya Hamoui,
Yousef Diab, Yasmine Idriss, Salma Saadeddine,
Sam Daou, and Aidan Kremer – all accepted in top universities).
Rasha Daouk, IB Coordinator
Despite her calm demeanor, Rasha Daouk couldn’t help but panic herself at the latest news. In her 19 years as IB Coordinator, her IC wards had never missed a deadline. Not even in 2008, when she found herself huddled with her students as militiamen fought their battles in the streets outside – on the very day that IB exams were to take place. IB had then immediately postponed the exams for a few days. But students did sit for the tests within the same week. The problem was only in Lebanon. But this. This was global. Judging by the messages on the Facebook page of IB Coordinators, there was much panic about the group 6 subjects in all IB schools. Not much IC can do but go along.
Daouk shook her head in dismay. It was ultimately her responsibility to make sure that all IB work was uploaded. April 20 for internal assessments, April 30, for group 6 assessments. Can they possibly make it? She looked worriedly at the calendar. It promised to be a bumpy two months.
Leila Zein
A frightening feeling of pure panic engulfed her; Leila took a deep breath. This is unfair, she thought. Completely unfair. She texted her classmates. They were all in a panic and agreed that, indeed, this was unfair. Theatre is supposed to be face-to-face. What kind of decision was this? She eventually worked herself into an indignant state.
Abdul Rahman Alayli
From his abode in Saudi Arabia, Abdul Rahman stared dumbfounded at his screen. Did he understand correctly? His father had whisked the family off to Saudi Arabia just before the airports closed. At the time, Abdul Rahman was reassured that the theatre submission deadline was at the end of May. No reason to panic. But now, yes, panic has hit. I don’t have everything I need here to study for this, he lamented. It won’t be good enough. It will be of bad quality. I know it will. One thing for sure: this is going to be a living hell.
Farah Zarwi
I can’t do this, Farah thought. No way. No way. I’m not ready. I didn’t do anything yet. Oh, why am I a last-minute person? I can’t do this now. I’m scared. It is impossible. Why, oh, why didn’t I start working before?
march 26, 2020 Chirazi
OK, so here’s the plan. First, you all calm down. Second, we will use Zoom, Google Meet, and WhatsApp – whatever it takes to continue rehearsals. You will rehearse together and will find ways to synchronize your movements. Record your sessions and send them to me. I will view them, give my comments, and send them back to you.
Moreover, each of you will rehearse your monologues with me every day. We will also go over your written work every day. We will also have our director’s meetings every few days. Chirazi drew up a tight schedule for himself and the students. He still had other classes to give, and they had other classes to attend. Every day started at 8 am sharp and many times ended well into the early morning hours.
We will walk this road down together. Trust me, he repeated.
Chirazi breathed deeply. Eleven students. Twelve hours per day - 90 minutes for each student. Are there enough hours per day? He wondered. Ahead lay many sleepless nights. I promised I would guide them. I asked them to trust me. And they did.
Leila
Mr. Chirazi knows his stuff. OK. So let’s do this. It’s a matter of being super organized, that’s all. Mr. Chirazi is at the other end. I’ve never filmed myself acting before. I have to find the right lighting at home. Then do several takes to find my position exactly. If I can just set my phone on this pile of books at this angle. It may work. Maybe we can do this, after all. She had to admit that this new challenge, despite the unfairness of it all, was beginning to intrigue her. Drama had always been her life. She loved anything to do with the stage. But the IB theatre class had taken her to a thrilling new level. Acting took on a new meaning for her. There couldn’t be anything more captivating in this world.
Abdul Rahman
The Wi-Fi is a nightmare, he thought. It was, unfortunately, taking forever for the Wi-Fi to be installed in his house. Thinking he was staying solo this year, his father didn’t bother installing the needed connections in his Saudi Arabia home. Abdul Rahman was getting increasingly
impatient. He already missed a few lessons. He needed to rehearse. Plus, I need instant feedback. That is the whole point of theatre, isn’t it? This face-to-face interaction. What if it is not good enough? The quality of my work will not be good online. Someone has to hold up the phone for filming. I wonder what my mother is doing now.
Farah
Mr. Chirazi can’t seem to understand that I can’t do this. There is so much coordination to do. Every step has to be coordinated with the actors in the group. It is impossible. On the other hand, there is this rather exciting Zoom feature. We can use it. Oh, and I have an idea. It could work. Yes, why not.
March 27 – April 7, 2020 Chirazi
I know you are tired. I know you have had enough. But you have to keep going. You are talented, and you are leaders. Keep going. Keep sending me your stuff. Keep meeting with me. I will not let you down. I promise.
Leila
This is the wrong angle. Let’s try again. Maybe if I move to the right. Or perhaps to the left. . Following her self-imposed schedule, Leila diverted her attention to filming her performance. She was very aware of the encroaching IB deadline. She had never missed a deadline in her life and was not about to do so now. It is just a matter of being super organized about it, she consoled herself. More Zoom meetings. More visualizations. More online sessions with Mr. Chirazi.
Abdul Rahman
I can’t sleep anymore. It’s all too much. As an avid athlete, he used to take out his stress on IC’s rugby, track and field, volleyball, and badminton fields. He always wins an athletic award for his sports every year. But since COVID hit, no more sports. The stress had become too much. He can’t sleep. But still, he continued doggedly with rehearsals, meetings, and portfolio work. He will meet the deadline, but it just won’t be as good as it could have been. Another reason not to sleep. There is supposed to be a screen with a desert shot if they were still on stage. Where are we to find a desert in Lebanon? Mr. Chirazi said to improvise. And so they did. Each member of her group went up to their rooftops. Not exactly the same scenery but close. IB will understand, said Mr. Chirazi. How do we put our work together? How do I time it correctly? How do we edit the film?
Farah looked at her Zoom group in frustration. She had always loved dancing and singing on the stage. But nothing could be further from what an IB theatre class was. At first daunted, she soon became intrigued. She found herself exploring and discovering her potential. She developed leadership and communication skills. She was enjoying this new world of body language and different tonalities. Truthfully, it was more than she bargained for as a class, but she truly loved it. Until now.
April 8 – April 29
Chirazi
It was the ultimate nightmare of directing online. We are supposed to sit together and react to one another. That’s how it is supposed to be. But it can’t be, and so the continuous Zoom sessions continued. Many all-nighters have so far been spent directing, reviewing, and meeting. We can do it, he kept repeating.
I am sorry, but no Easter break. Not for you and not for me. We have to keep going. We have to follow the same strict schedule. Work on your portfolios. Work on your rehearsals. Work on your solos. Meet with me. Every component has to be submitted. There is no leeway.
Ignoring a growing pain in his side, Chirazi continued unabated.
Leila
Perhaps another take. And another. Just to make it perfect. I wish my parents would go to bed already instead of checking up on me all the time. I know it’s late. But just one more take. Everything is going as scheduled. Portfolio written and
ready to be submitted. Solo performance recorded, and ready to be submitted. And finally, the collaborative project – the most difficult of all. The one that took the most visualizations and synchronizations. But we will do it. And that, she sighed happily, is what happens when one is super organized. We aren’t going to let IB get the best of us. This is for university. We have to do well. I know we can do it.
Abdul Rahman
His parents and siblings are decidedly getting tired of filming him repeatedly. But they simply have no choice. His performance has to be perfect. It must be of high quality. Another take, he told his weary family. And another. And another.
Abdul Rahman sighed. He missed the pre-COVID days of theatre. The morning theatrical exercises had helped him a great deal in focusing. He missed the class conversations. He missed the hands-on learning. He wasn’t particularly a drama oriented person really, but he was attracted to the class syllabus. It was harder than he had thought initially, but he was rather enjoying being an actor on stage as himself or portraying another character. Not anymore, he thought sadly. Now it is more about meeting deadlines than learning.
Farah
The deadline is too close. I will never make it. I still have to write thousands of words. How am I going to do this before the deadline hits? Why didn’t I start earlier? Why am I such a last-minute person? Why do I always postpone things? I am not putting double or even triple the effort but ten times the effort. I just know I will not make it.
Yes, you can, had said Mr. Chirazi repeatedly. I believe in you. Believe in yourself, Farah, he had said. You have 48 hours left. You will not sleep, and I will not sleep. I will be with you every step.
Farah took a deep breath. OK. I will keep at it. I will not let this situation control me. I will take control. I must take control. Of course, I can do this.
April 30, 2020 Chirazi
Some students were sobbing. Chirazi laughed. They did it. Everything was submitted on time. You made it. The sobs, this time, were tears of relief.
You did a great job. You all rose above the challenges and did the impossible. I am so very proud of you.
The crying intensified. Chirazi himself was tearful.
I will miss you all.
Daouk
The sense of relief was overwhelming. All IB teachers came through. They had gone well above the call of duty and made the April 20 deadline. Only group 6 remained. According to posts on the IB coordinator Facebook page, many international schools were admitting defeat.
Will Group 6 make it? As the April 30 deadline approached, Daouk found herself fretting. Fortunately, she had mastered the art of calming herself down after years of weathering many student crises. She could do nothing at this point (other than filling out the seemingly endless forms related to IB assessments and relentless student follow-ups) but wait. And pray.
April 30. Group 6 teachers uploaded the material.
It was finally time to celebrate.
