Theater Teacher Belinda Brown, who founded the Theater Department during UC High’s initial years, will be retiring this year after 32 years of teaching theater and English as well as coordinating theatrical productions at UC High, according to Brown.
“When I started [at UC High], there was not one hammer or nail in the scene shop,” said Brown. “There were no costumes or props in our storage room. The Theater Department had no money or club funds. I basically started with nothing. Our first production was Up the Down Staircase because it took place in a classroom. I didn’t have any budget or set pieces so I just used the chairs and desks from UC High as set pieces,” she added. “If you go in there now, see what we’ve accumulated and accomplished over 32 years. [The Theater Department] has always been self sufficient. We’ve always raised our own money.”
Coming from a small liberal arts college with a small theater department, Brown came to UC High with expertise in multiple fields of theater. “I felt fairly confident teaching my students about directing and acting,” said Brown. “Set building was my weakest area. I can visualize what I want in my head, but I don’t know how to get there.” She was able to develop a working relationship with Lighting Specialist and Artist Chris Wren, who has been the Theater Department’s set designer for 15 years.
“I have taught as many as five different classes. I’ve had to change gears every period. Coordinating two productions, teaching two different kinds of theater classes, two English classes, a public speaking class, and being part of the ArtsTECH Academy has worn me out over the last six years,” she said.
Brown has put on a variety of productions at UC High, including courtroom dramas like 12 Angry People, musicals like How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Dracula, Radium Girls, and most recently, Lend Me a Tenor.
According to Brown, some of her most memorable moments have been taking her students on trips to New York and Brazil. “I’ve taken my kids on educational theater trips to see productions on Broadway,” she said. “I’ve also taken a group of students to Brazil to perform a play at multiple venues across the country because a student of mine from Brazil asked me to and had connections with the president of a theater company in Brazil,” she added.
Five years ago, Brown collaborated with ArtsTECH Academy Coordinator Lauriel Adsit to create the ArtsTECH Theater class, which will no longer be offered at UC High next year. The ArtsTECH Theater class is in charge of producing plays. Junior Irina Solovieva, who is in ArtsTECH Theater, said, “She [Brown] gives us a lot of creative freedom. I’ve learned to step out of my comfort zone.”
Freshman Danielle Bucalo said, “She’s the best theater teacher I’ve ever met. She’s very caring and she takes the time to explain things to you. She handles everything very calmly. She takes plays very seriously and allows her students to critique every aspect of the play.” Sophomore Soljan Fjelstad said, “I learned how to be calm onstage. I’ve learned about how people externalize their creative passions and ideas. She will be a missed body of input. I think the next teacher will really have to start off running. Replacing her will be a difficult challenge.”