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in after-school stage design and set prep.
When Hoit received school improvement
bond funds to benefit the auditorium, he
partnered with local lighting firm Wybron
Inc. to outfit the auditorium with state-ofthe-art
equipment, including new luminaries
and a cutting-edge sound system.
The facility, which seats 450, facilitates an
intimate feeling for student production
and also houses school choral performances
and assemblies.
The combination of staff support and
state-of-the-art digs has made drama a
hot commodity at AAHS. Morelos notes
that over 80 students auditioned for her
last performance, and the schools’ thespian
group has burgeoned. In addition
to her straightforward drama courses,
Morelos teaches a musical theatre
dance class to supplement after-school
studies. The commitment of AAHS
drama students has soared, as students
worked to design, paint and build sets
and study fight choreography over an
entire summer for the school’s fall production
of The Three Musketeers.
Making Bigger Connections
Morelos, who enjoyed a thriving career
in theatre before she began teaching, tries
to connect her students with the community
whenever possible. From hosting an
annual theatre competition to encouraging
students to direct faculty and staff
members, outreach to the school and
residents of Colorado Springs remains a
top priority. “Students’ work with adult
actors has really built their confidence
and given them experience they couldn’t
get with one another. I think it also has
given them some appreciation for what I
do,” laughs Morelos.
Once students have interacted with
the community and each other, they are
ready to move on to bigger and brighter
things. That’s why Morelos emphasizes
audition skills, resumé development and
even how to take the perfect head shot
in advanced classes. Several senior students
have gone on to performing arts
programs at prestigious colleges nationwide
— not bad for an upstart teacher
fresh off the boards themselves.
“AAHS is extremely college-oriented,”
notes Morelos. “I try to share personal stories
with students about how I managed
— or didn’t manage — to balance college
and my performing career. They seem
responsive, and the school also makes
sure they’re serious about balance in their
high school days.” Morelos is responsible
for enforcing tough participation requirements
similar to those that apply to student
athletes, but she also does what she
can to make sure students can continue in
drama. From individual tutoring of struggling
students to one-on-one tracking
and attention — one student achieved
his first professional audition this summer
with Morelos’s feedback — Morelos
strives to ensure that no drama student
is left behind.
What does the future hold for this
upstart program? “Lots of growth,” hopes
Morelos, whose wish list includes classes
in improv, technical theatre and advanced
stage techniques such as make-up, special
effects and combat. “It’s such a challenge
to be new,” she says. “You see performing
arts go through cycles of popularity,
and you can’t help but wish for longevity
at your institution. Luckily, I’ve been met
with tremendous support from students,
teachers and my department.”
And Morelos is determined to use
that support to keep her student’s
enthusiasm and accomplishments running
high for years to come.
The AAHS stage, which has been modified with an 8-foot by 16-foot thrust for the 2007 season.