Episode 47 - Work Hard and Don't Be a Jerk with Amber Harrington

Welcome to the blog & show notes for Episode 47 of Sally’s Performing Arts Lab Podcast. In this episode, I interview my favorite drama teacher, Amber Harrington, from Edison High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’m your SallyPAL podcast host, Sally Adams. I talk to people about creating original work for a live audience. Send an email anytime to [e-mail]. I have an update on the SallyPAL empire. SallyPAL now has a STORE! You can buy t-shirts, totes and coffee mugs with vintage theatre photos and paintings. Each one has a caption or speech bubble that will make you chuckle (especially if you’ve ever been backstage). Click the link to go to SallyPAL.com/shop and see for yourself. In addition to building the store, I’ve been toying with a YouTube channel. But I could use some advice. So far I’ve used it for live TOWN Stages interviews, encouragement videos and my own original music and covers. But I’d like to know what you want to see. My son, my music partner and I are working on a new musical. Would you like to see the process and what that actually looks like? Do you want me to share videos of original performances from around the world? Do you want more video interviews? I have to admit, I’ve got a steep learning curve on this one. Just click this link to go to YouTube for the SallyPAL channel. Subscribe and comment on the channel and I can start sharing useful stuff! Before I tell you about one amazing drama teacher, I want to share about a little project at our Virginia cottage. Because I am constantly struggling to get better sound, George and I created a recording studio in an under-stair closet. Here’s a pic of my closet under the stairs Harry Potter space. You might even be inspired to try something like this in your own home. It required that we both give up items of clothing we know longer wear to free up the space, but that’s a good thing, right? Amber Harrington was never my drama teacher. She’s quite a bit younger than I am. But she taught all three of my kids. And as her peer, I’ve watched her work and been so impressed. Amber lives by her mantra, Work Hard and Don’t Be a Jerk. She’s been teaching theatre in Tulsa, Oklahoma for nearly 20 years. This very special artist has received numerous awards for her teaching. And her students regularly win awards for their performances and technical work. Every year she expands the theatre program that has changed so many lives including the lives of my three kids. Amber Harrington teaches nearly 250 students each year. This sometimes requires her to accommodate two classes at once. This would be tough enough for most teachers, but Amber’s organizational skills, work ethic (and Google Classroom) make it work. She learned what it means to be a drama teacher from her dad, Paul Harrington. He taught her about raising money, building sets and marketing the work of young local artists on a teacher’s small salary. Amber Harrington graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a theatre degree after learning every facet of theatre craft. As a teacher she created projects and performances that helped her students grow. And every year the Edison Eagle theatre program gets a little bigger. There are so many opportunities in Amber's department. Early in the school year there is a district-wide one-act competition that has often led her students to compete at the state level. The annual Halloween show, Creeps, has dance, music, spoken word and original writing. Fall Funnies features comedy scenes and monologues. She produces mainstage plays and musicals with the help of other interested teachers including history teacher Chris Burnham and now retired Folger Shakespeare Library Mentor Teacher, Paul Stevenson. When the teacher walk-out forced students to forego one of the annual productions, Amber created a summer Comedy Camp to make up for the lost stage time. During