MHST participants and the Post devised a program whereby the art and academics of reviewing a production took precedence through our own establishment of critical standards, training, and a policy of non-competitive recognition of student performance in the reviews and not by any sort of special awards for the shows and performers.

 

The Program consists of a Steering Committee of five teachers/artists who organize the program, the training sessions, the schedule of covering shows for reviews, providing materials for student critics, proofing the reviews, making review selections, and seeing that the reviews are sent to the Post in time for publication.
This year, the Committee intends to send reviewers an evaluation of their reviews in order to improve student performance.

 

Student participation was enthusiastic at the start of the program with 6 - 12 or more reviewers seeing some shows in the Fall of 1999.  However, some shows were only seen by one or two student reviewers, and as many of the participating schools performed on similar weekends in the Spring, the program found it difficult to cover all shows with an appropriate number of reviewers.

 

Our end-of-year evaluation produced the following benefits:

 

1) Reviews of all participating schools, and in some cases schools were reviewed for more than one show
2) A high quality of writing in the majority of our reviews.  Comparatively, our students appeared to have written superior reviews to others in comparable situations
3) Establishment of a strong relationship with the Editor of the Maryland Weekly Section
4) Inquiries by more schools seeking to participate
5) Identification of problems within the program and a plan to solve those problems

 

The evaluation also pinpoints intended improvements:

1) New and exciting ideas for training this year's participants including work with professionals
2) At the Post's request --- a more critical look at productions
3) More student participation and from more schools
4) More involvement by students participating in this program responsibilities
5) Recognition for outstanding participants
6) Evaluation for every review that is written whether published or not
7) Establishment of expectations for student participation in the program
8) Expanded Mentor Program
9) Establishment of a Critics' Network via e-mail
10) Training of literary techniques particular to Critical Writing

 

We feel the program has started well. Please join us in this fine endeavor. Fees payable to MHST are $100 per school. To receive paticipation forms or to pay program fee, please contact Mike D'Anna at 301-509-8383 or CLICKHERE to e-mail.