Caroline Davis
Theatre Instructor
High Point Academy
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
First, I thought I wanted to be an actor.
After college I had a year-long internship at a professional theatre in FL.
Touring children's theatre in FL showed me that I have a passion for teaching I didn't realize I had.
So I went to graduate school to get a degree in Performance and Pedagogy (teaching acting).
Then my dad got sick, so I moved home and I got a job at a charter school teaching theatre.
Now I'm teaching! I may teach forever, or I may work in the theatre in some other capacity one day.
Education
High School
Wade Hampton High School
Wade Hampton High School
Career
Theatre Instructor
I teach all elements of theatre to middle and high school students.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Acting & Theatre
Education
Being Creative
Day to Day
I teach 6 classes a day of students in grades 6-12. We do a lot of on-our-feet exercises to explore the fundamentals of acting, directing, design, playwriting, dramaturgy, and theatre management. You'll see my students creating a lot of their own material and working as an ensemble to tell stories about people of all walks of life. I also mentor high school students, ensuring that they are developing the personal skills needed to be successful.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Make good grades! Learn everything you can, and remember that education is a gift. If you want to become a teacher yourself, it's a good idea to keep a notebook of strategies / exercises / activities your own teachers use! They won't mind if you use what they're doing. And when looking at colleges, make sure you go somewhere that puts you on the path toward certification (if you really want to teach in the school system). Otherwise, you'll have to complete an alternative certification program.
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You're so good at math, majoring in the theatre would be a waste of your marketable skills. You're not conventionally pretty enough to be an actor because you'd only get character parts. You're too emotional to be taken seriously."
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
LGBT
