Skip to results
AOAOAOA Index

High School Theater Teachers

#31Audiostandard
Jan 13, 2022·1h 8m
Listen on Apple Podcasts ↗
Stage Premise:

High school theater teachers are the backbone of the entertainment industry. This week, we spotlight four of these warriors helping to shape the next generation of artists.

Cast & Characters (4)

Ms. Ribbon
Angela GiarratanaasMs. Ribbon
Holly McDougal
Kylie BrakemanasHolly McDougal
Nancy Russo
Jeremy CulhaneasNancy Russo
Cody Brick
Patrick McDonaldasCody Brick

Bits & Timeline (16)

2:34 (2m 10s)
CHARACTER_INTRO

The Sacred Breath of the Thespian

The panel of high school theater teachers begins with an intense, rhythmic breathing exercise and a spontaneous recitation of Romeo and Juliet to 'unleash' their artistic spirits.

"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene."

"Oh, something was unleashed!"

"Hold for five and think of gratitude."

Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)
#Theater Education#Method Acting#High School
4:45 (2m 45s)
CHARACTER_INTRO

The Titans of the Drama Department

The teachers introduce themselves, revealing their specific niches, from all-boys Catholic school Shakespeare to a 'New York actor' who ended up in Duncanville, Texas.

"I am Nancy Russo, and I am a theater teacher."

"My kids call me Miss Cheetah because there is not a day where my outfit doesn't have a little bit of cheetah print."

"Cody, in your eyes, I see the eyes of a real New York actor."

Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)
#Hollywood#Character Study#Education
15:25 (2m 35s)
BACKSTORY_REVEAL

The Geometry of Acting

Holly McDougal reveals she is technically a geometry teacher who treats her math students like thespians, while Nancy Russo recounts a three-year coma that led to her teaching boys.

"They gave me geometry slash intro to theater."

"I got into a car crash and lost three years to a coma."

"Nothing makes somebody a stronger thespian than being thrown into the middle of confusion."

Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)
#Backstory#STEM to STEAM#Shakespeare
18:50 (1m 10s)
ESCALATION

The Commitment of Mother Gaia

The panel debates the 'commitment of the world' regarding gender in theater, leading to Ms. Ribbon's reveal that she was a race car driver for 25 years.

"Half of the commitment of the world is boys."

"I was a race car driver for 25 years."

"Half of Mother Gaia's resources are devoted to boys."

Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)
#Philosophy#NASCAR#Gender Roles
38:26 (1m 12s)
ESCALATION

Cody Brick's Vape-Infused Virginia Woolf Adaptation

Cody describes his Duncanville High School production of 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' where the characters use vape pens instead of alcohol, leading to a massive district arts fund offer.

"Instead of drinking alcohol, they use vape pens."

"I have this pull over people that's a little too much sometimes."

Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)
#Modern Adaptation#Vaping#Texas Theater
41:18 (2m 28s)
CHARACTER_INTRO

The High School Theater Teacher Roll Call

The panel introduces themselves, featuring a teacher at an all-boys Catholic school, a 33-year veteran of Eagle Rock High, a failed New York actor, and a teacher who wears exclusively cheetah print.

"I am Nancy Russo, and I am a theater teacher."

"My kids call me Miss Cheetah because there is not a day where my outfit doesn't have a little bit of cheetah print."

"Cody, in your eyes, I see the eyes of a real New York actor."

Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)
#Education#Theater#Acting Schools
47:45 (2m 8s)
VISUAL_GAG

Nancy Russo's All-Boys Men-Making Curriculum

Nancy Russo explains her mission to turn boys into men through Shakespeare and the Great American Novel, emphasizing the importance of teaching empathy and the art of the single tear.

"These are boys forced to become men."

"I'm trying to teach them how to hold a tear in their eye and not be afraid to let it drop all the way down their cheek."

Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)
#Masculinity#Shakespeare#Literature
50:30 (1m 15s)
ESCALATION

The Macbeth Superstition Meltdown

The teachers confront the 'Scottish Play' superstition with varying degrees of intensity, leading to a high-stakes emotional breakdown where they scream the name Macbeth to face their fears.

"Don't rely on humor. Face the fear. Fight the fear. Use it."

"I'll curse the name Macbeth!"

Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)
#Superstition#Shakespeare#Method Acting
52:15 (1m 15s)
BACKSTORY_REVEAL

Holly McDougal's Geometry-Theater Hybrid

Holly reveals that due to district staffing issues, she primarily teaches advanced senior level geometry, which she treats as a confusing form of avant-garde theater for her students.

"They gave me geometry slash intro to theater."

"Nothing makes somebody a stronger thespian than being thrown into the middle of confusion."

Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)
#Education#Mathematics#Staffing Crisis
54:25 (1m 15s)
BACKSTORY_REVEAL

Ms. Ribbon's NASCAR Backstory

Ms. Ribbon shocks the panel by revealing her 25-year career as a NASCAR driver sponsored by 'Toys' before transitioning to theater education to write a one-woman show inspired by La La Land.

"I was a race car driver for 25 years."

"I saw La La Land and I saw Emma Stone do that one-woman play at the end and I was inspired."

Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)
#NASCAR#One-Woman Show#Career Change
1:01:15 (1m)
ESCALATION

The Hamana-Hamana-Ha Breathing Exercise

The theater teachers lead a collective breathing exercise that quickly devolves into rhythmic chanting and dramatic Shakespearean recitation to 'unleash' their artistic energy.

"Hold for five and think of gratitude."

"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene."

"Something was unleashed!"

Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)
#Theater Education#Method Acting#Warm-up Exercises
1:02:15 (50s)
CHARACTER_INTRO

The Theater Teacher Roll Call

The panelists introduce themselves, revealing their specific niches: an all-boys Catholic school teacher, a 33-year veteran, a failed New York actor, and a cheetah-print enthusiast.

"I am Nancy Russo, and I am a theater teacher."

"My kids call me Miss Cheetah because there is not a day where my outfit doesn't have a little bit of cheetah print."

"Cody, in your eyes, I see the eyes of a real New York actor."

Nancy Russo (Jeremy Culhane)Holly McDougal (Kylie Brakeman)Ms. Ribbon (Angela Giarratana)Cody Brick (Patrick McDonald)
#Character Introduction#High School#Acting Background