THR 489: Final Project
Course: THR489 Final Project
Production: A Timeless Journey
Term: Summer 2020
Evaluator: Morris Ertman, Design
Student: Katherina Stegerman
The following evaluation is based upon Katherina’s design renderings, watching the show in performance and a subsequent conversation about the process. It should be noted that Katherina had to do a conceptual pivot from an original concept to a reader’s theatre concept because of COVID. The solution was conceptually good given the context of a reader’s theatre event.
Costumes: I am more enamoured with the costumes in the renderings than in performance. In the renderings, they are conceptually clearly illustrated. They’re nice renderings! In performance, they were not as clear.
Understanding that the story is allegory, I could not make the connection between Balbina and his/her past. Was the floral dress meant to be some kind of emblematic connection to Eden? I couldn’t make a story connection to the choices in that costume - either in the rendering or live.
I love the through-line of Freedom/Journey, and The Holy Spirit. Beautifully rendered and executed. Although I must say that I completely missed the Holy Spirit cape in the performance. I’m not sure why.
But that does lead me to the set. In my conversation with Katherina, I wondered whether the Holy Spirit character costumes needed to inform the scenic projection piece more. She informed me that that was indeed her intention. She talked about the geometric design in the animal puppets and how she was incorporating that into the scenic projection surface element of the scenic design. Katherina was illustrating the mountain and diamond referenced in the story - combining them into a geometric abstraction for the projection of the slides.
The problem is that I spent a good part of the play confused by something that looked to me like a sci-fi helmet or the eye of an insect. I just didn’t get it.
As Katherina and I chatted about that, I pointed out that in allegorical type stories, there is a pitfall in trying to be emblematic if there is no real connection in the staging to tie the audience’s understanding to that emblematic device. I must iterate (with my own set of biases) that the theatre is an emotional more than a cerebral experience. We get stuck on the thing we don’t understand. (Of course, when I’m in the middle of directing a play, I forget that sometimes as well.) And we can’t. The image needs to make visual sense. It has to integrate in a way that creates an “aha!” or series of growing revelatory “ahas!" for the audience.
There was an “aha!!” at the end of the play when a literal illustration of human beings was projected. But that “aha” had more to do with finally connecting to something we readily understood - some humanity in the middle of what was a very abstract visual narrative. I do understand that that was a choice of Katherina’s. And in that sense, it was effective. But there were no steps leading me into that moment. As a result, it arrived as relief rather than revelation.
I must say that in live performance, the images were quite washed out by the light illuminating the actors. We talked about the fact that significant separation has to happen between actor and projection surface for projections to have a chance of working, especially given the abstract nature of these. It’s a common problem in the theatre. Companies and spaces hat are able to use projections effectively have a significant distance between the projection and the actor, or have the resource to light the actor without bouncing up onto the projection surface. So, Katherina’s projections were much more technically vividly successful on line than live.
In our conversation, Katherina mentioned that the abstract projections were all about the view of the central character as she viewed heaven. But they seemed like computer drawings rather than character informed abstractions that gave us a clue into the heaven seen through the eyes of the character.
We always have to start with humanity. If humanity must be distorted for the sake of the story, let the actor do that work in their performance. Scenically, we need to provide a touchstone, a perch to land on in front of the "story bird feeder” if you will, or we’ll not know where to stand so we can know where to put our beak, yes? There’s a deceptive bird feeder in my back yard. It looks fantastic. But birds don’t eat from it. I’ve watched them peck away at the clear plastic, trying to get at the seeds. The whole thing is a caged surface so they can land anywhere on it. But they can’t find the openings to get at the seed because there is no identifiable perch! I bought it on sale in Peavey Mart because I liked the look and finish of it.
Those poor birds …
My poor wallet …
At least I’ll never have to refill it …
Something has to make sense for us or the ”seed” of the story will elude us, yes?
Thoughts: A humbling evaluation for sure, but one that I saw as both very fair and something that I have a lot to take away from. Morris was gracious enough to have a phone conversation with me where we discussed the issues he had with the design and after speaking with him about it I understood his point of view. The simple reality is that with my final project design I allowed the concepts to be cerebral and theoretical more than visceral. With other designs I have done I could “feel” when it was right - I never gave myself the time to wrestle with this design until it didn’t just have a cool concept but also “felt” right. Morris was able to pick up on that, I have learned that the art cannot exist theoretically, it must speak to me, it must resonate emotionally before it is done.
THR 350 Advanced Topics in Design
Course: THR350 Advanced Topics in Design
Term: Fall 2019
Evaluator: Morris Ertman
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Project: Dreams of Kings and Carpenters
When I sat down in the Studio Stage, and looked at the preset on stage, I was struck with how aesthetically elegant it was. The set was evocative and inviting.
As the show played out on stage, I was pleased with how imaginative direction and design married themselves into one of the most successful 359 staging’s I’ve seen. It was most gratifying indeed. The way the scenery was left at the end of the 1st act was beautifully visually evocative. As I recall, a stable of sorts. The show was fluid because the design was fluid. The metaphor in the fabric of a source in the heavens making its way down to earth was striking in the storytelling - again, good design/direction integration.
I can’t say too much about process. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as present in the process because of prior commitments. The conversations I had with both Heather and Katherina showed a willingness to collaborate and a passion for creating something good that would serve story and audience.
I was aware of some creative differences in the process through shared emails. Katherina and I had a conversation about that. In summary: The Director must make the final call. At the end of the day they are the “master storyteller.” That’s a significant responsibility that comes with understanding the whole of the picture. That doesn’t mean spirited collaborative argument should not happen. It absolutely should. That’s part of the process.
Next Steps: Katherina has much to learn. There are significant communication skills with regards to drawing, etc. that must be developed with diligence if she is to succeed. She must purchase an adequate computer so that she can learn Illustrator and Vector-works. This is a non-negotiable must! She should also explore photoshop. And she needs to take classes in painting, life-drawing, and more. The more skill she has to render ideas, the more successful she will become.
To conclude, this project resulted in a triumph.
Thoughts: This evaluation was deeply encouraging for me as I continued to experiment with my artistic voice.
THR 330 Violence, Intimacy and Content
Course: THR 330 Advanced Topics in Acting, Module 2
Violence, Intimacy and Content
Term: Winter 2019
Instructor: Nathan Schmidt FRSA
Student: Katherina Stegerman
In this class, I was concerned with creating an environment where we could safely explore the topics of Violence, Intimacy and Content from a place of objectivity and relative safety. My hope was to provide experiences and resources that would allow students to gauge their own levels of comfort with our topics. Ideally, I would like to have wish I could’ve found more hands-on, practical ways to explore these topics. That said, I valued our discussions and I think the conversation was helpful, at least. This course let the students know that difficult subject matter is the bread and butter of the theatre, and that as performers, they have lots of say about what they will or will not participate in, remembering that if you say yes to a show, they are consenting to what will be happening in the script. The students participated strongly, and our conversations were lively and dynamic. There was lots of courage and honesty alive in the room.
I was grateful that Katherina stuck with the class even though it was tough for her. Her journal reveals a lot of push and pull in her work. A struggle between passion and control. Sparing people but wanting to feel powerful. These topics did put a point on the struggle Katherina is in between her artistic and practical sides. I hope she will continue to find her “special/remarkable” presence with the group instead of isolating herself. That she would stay with the messy chaotic people on the ground, suffer with us, be humiliated with us through the experience of play.
GRADING
Attendance Excused Absence Apr. 27 18/20%
Participation 23/30%
attitude (Commitment)
growth (Understanding)
effort (Presence, Curiosity)
Assignments 16/20%
Journal /Workbook 17/20%
Final 7/10%
TOTAL 81/100% = B+
Thoughts: My work in this class came from a place of personal struggle. I had to fight for my space in the room and found acceptance from my classmates as an imperfect person. It may be an asterisk on my training, but this class was deeply significant for me in my own personal development.
THR 150 Theatrical Design Foundations
THR 150 – Theatrical Design Foundations
Instructor: Brad G. Graham
Winter 2019
Katherina Stegerman
Course Grades Total Grade Your Grade Worth to Final
Attendance & Participation 10% 90% 9%
Positive Professional Attitude 10% 85% 8.5%
Homework/Assignments (30%)
Goblet of Fire 15% 85% 12.8%
Patsy Cline 15% 80% 12%
Projects (2) (50%)
Hedges 25% 90% 22.5%
Othello 25% 95% 23.8%
TOTALS 100% Average – 88% Final Grade: 89%
Instructor Comments:
I’d anticipated some very strong and unique work from Katherina in the realm of costume
design in this course, but was also charmed by the scenic design work she provided and her
growing sense of imbedded imagery and symbolism through the time we worked together. It
was really great to get to see and hear some of her ideas about costume design and rendering
practices and understand some of the background she has in that area.
The early painted costume sketches and renderings she presented, especially the ones for
Hedges, but for a few of the projects along the way, displayed her really beautiful, artful style
and I was really impressed with them.
It may be a function of the way she is learning to digitally render, or the process she is
working through in terms of her growing design abilities, but through much of the design work
she did, especially the sets rendered on computer, there was a crispness that occasionally felt inorganic
and too clean or tidy to feel real. While I also saw her fighting against that in strategic
ways, I felt like it was worth mentioning that consideration to keep her thinking about ways to let
natural lines and textures interrupt the precision that a digital image tends towards.
The first thing to remark on about the Othello design was that there was a real keenness
to how Katherina formatted her final design presentation materials. Her framing and nameplate
detail was really professionally executed and I was impressed by the classiness she added to
what were already very solid costume and set renderings. She created characters with style and
character who would fit well into both the world of the play and the world of the scenic design.
Great work in this class Katherina – I look forward to seeing how your style continues to grow in
this field!
Thoughts: This class helped me begin to apply my design training to theatre and helped me find my confidence and artistic voice as a designer. It was also my first foray into set design.
THR 261 Production Practicum
Course: THR261 Production Practicum - Costume Construction (Daddy Long Legs)
Term: Winter 2019
Evaluator: Leah T. Hearne, F.R.S.A.
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Comments:
Katherina was the costume designer and head of costume construction for Frances MacDonald’s final project, Daddy Long Legs. This evaluation is focused primarily on her work as head of costume construction.
The initial storyboards for the costumes were lovely. Katherina had researched the era of the show thoroughly before proceeding with her design. I loved her use of colour and image; the way she saw Jerusha as an emerging butterfly, and how Jervis came out of his gray garb to take on the colours of Jerusha’s world.
Since the show was a student final project the budget was low, and Katherina’s designs needed to be realized mostly through what could be found in the Rosebud Theatre’s Wardrobe stock. She was successful to this end and came in well under budget.
I am not sure what Katherina had agreed to be responsible for as head of costume construction. I would have assumed that rehearsal costume pieces would be in place at the first rehearsal. The rehearsal pieces did not arrive until late in the short timeline we had for this show. For this and other issues that seemed to arise surrounding the repair of costume pieces it would have been useful for me to know what to expect from Katherina at the onset of rehearsals.
Katherina was not available to come to many runs of the show during the rehearsals, and those she did attend were quite late in the process. As a result, she missed out on learning the reasoning for choices and changes in the costumes. Experiencing this part of the process would have been useful to her education for this work.
I need to point out an area of concern which has troubled me since it occurred. Early in tech week after one of the runs Katherina was able to attend, she and I were chatting in the hall. There was a lot going on in the rehearsal hall, but she made a loud, flippant and disparaging remark about the abilities of one of the cast members. I don’t know if she was serious, or if the actor in question heard her remark, but in the moment, it struck me as insensitive. It occurred to me that I should have spoken to her about this as soon as it happened or at least shortly thereafter. Frankly I was so surprised that I didn’t deal with it well in the moment. Katherina should be aware that in her role of essentially the head of wardrobe for the show her opinions of the actors’ ability or lack thereof is not required, especially at the vulnerable juncture of tech week.
I was pleased with the look of the costumes, but I felt that Katherina was not all in as a team member for the show. We saw her so seldom that there were times I forgot who was doing costumes for the show. I grant that it is possible that what Frances was expecting from her and what she was willing to commit to were two different things. I was only witness to what was happening in the hall and she was not there much of the time. Katherina has beautiful eye for colour and image, and certainly style. Will she invest more of her heart in this work?
Thoughts: This evaluation highlights my struggle to respect the rehearsal hall, I like to share my opinions and to speak, but I am needing to learn when I have the right to do that and where. I also learned that when I am making jokes they are not always perceived that way to others and that can harm a team, even if it was said as a joke. This challenge is something I still try to stay aware of.
REL 321 Faith and Art
Course: REL 321 Faith and Art
Term: FALL 2018
Instructor: Jeany Snider
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Midterm evaluation: Since this is a year-long class, this is just a progress report at the half way point, a “mid-term eval” if you will.
Journal. Took my suggestion and expanded into larger pages and colour.
Cry of the Heart. Katherina had a unique medium and a lovely personal fiction story. I like that she read it out for us. Isn’t it interesting how truth can go down so much easier when put into metaphor or story? It really gave a picture of her love for Cody as well as her need for artistic stimulation. My only encouragement is for Katherina to be more bold, more proud of her creations. She read with pathos, but not passion. I think she could have employed her actor instincts to carve out her read more and risk characterization and greater vulnerability through dramatic interpretation. As the King says, “Listen to your heart; trust your instincts.”
Participation. Early on Katherina tended to interrupt and speak as an expert. I invited her to notice this tendency and after that, she was more tuned to the group dynamic and more sensitive.
Leadership duties. Tricky that the day she was late she was to be the SM. Katherina’s leadership in discussion was a bit general, but the conversation did not suffer for it. Her sharing was great.
Katherina is in a great place to question deeply her love of God and Art and see all the ways that they connect and are one and the same. She has lived long being certain of what is right and now has the opportunity to ponder the Mystery and learn from others who have travelled different paths. She is ripe to embrace more of her own humanness by sitting in the uncertainty of where God may show up next. I appreciate her humility and joy in this discovery time and am so glad that she continues to create to express all that she carries.
Course: REL 321 Faith and Art
Term: WINTER 2019
Instructor: Jeany Snider
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Participation: Katherina went on a journey this year from expounding to listening and sharing and was an intelligent observer and contributor.
Journal: Although small, her journal packed a lot of truth, humour, poetry and a couple visuals as well. She is honest and it does her credit. Her transparency makes her assertions embraceable. She also had some outside-the-box entries where she allowed me to see larger creations visually by sending a picture.
Heart’s Cry: Katherina had a unique medium and a lovely personal fiction story. I like that she read it out for us. Isn’t it interesting how truth can go down so much easier when put into metaphor or story? It really gave a picture of her love for Cody as well as her need for artistic stimulation. My only encouragement is for Katherina to be more bold, more proud of her creations. She read with pathos, but not passion. I think she could have employed her actor instincts to carve out her read more and risk characterization and greater vulnerability through dramatic interpretation. As the King says, “Listen to your heart; trust your instincts.”
Artist Statement: Katherina is a good writer. This is one of my favourite sections: “I found community in art, I found freedom in art, I found refuge in art - but to be an artist would have been giving up on my self, on some sort of “CALLING” to make the world a better place. I loved the arts, but only so far as they would serve a “CALLING” for “THE GREATER GOOD”. I was no artist, I WAS A DISCIPLE - my life was going to make an impact for God and his kingdom. But I was miserable, ashamed of the creative places my heart wanted to go, feeling like I had to harness them into something useful, seeing my soul as something I needed to control instead of something I needed to reveal or unleash.” — Such a relevant theme for an earnest Christian artist and she is courageous for naming it. “…Thankfully, God himself knew better. He knew that I had to learn to stand in the muddy, but life filled, identity of artist. But first I had to learn that art is just as worthy of a calling as any title that might have the word ministry attached to it. “ — Good stuff. And another lovely passage: “I take a deep breath and begin to slide down that slope, the gravity of that truth pulling me gently downward. I am an artist because God is an artist? I desire to create beauty because God desires to create beauty? Not only that, but the beauty that I create will resonate through all eternity? Possibly even continuing to exist when the old earth has passed away.” Her take on beauty is so apt and rare in conversations today, using the image of Mary lavishing Jesus feet with fine perfume and concluding: “Jesus himself spoke to the question of practicality vs. beauty - he leaned on the side of beauty. Beauty that showed love. Beauty that had an impact on a hurting world.”
Another sections demonstrates the growth we hope for in Rosebud students: “…Nothing is as simple as I want it to be: where I expected to find answers I only find more questions. Where I expect to have joy, I now find that I have opened the door to all of the pain I have ever felt in my entire life. But I also find God down there, standing in the mud with me. The more I spend time with him, the more I realize that my life isn’t about answered questions, it is about trusting that he sees the bigger picture. My responsibility is to be faithful.”
This is so good: “My call is to stand tall in the muck of the human experience - the native habitat of the artist. It is a call to be messy, and to have to explain yourself to people, including your in-laws. It’s a call to be vulnerable and put up with people making jokes that come with a side of fries. More importantly, it’s to live your life with your eyes open to the doubt, the pain, the brokenness and the confusion. It’s to see with the eyes of Mary, who was the only one who seemed to know that Jesus had to die that week.” — I could go on. Katherina did a great job and is a great preacher for the artist of faith.
Showcase: Her direction took a bit long to finish, but worked well in the end and had that nice surprise of communion. Katherina was most assertive and striking in the piece that Keisha directed of Rebbekah’s words. I thought she was brave and open. It took a bit of prodding to get Katherina to emerge from behind the text on other parts, but then by performance — she was generous and full.
It has been a special journey through faith and art this year with Katherina. She is willing to look at herself and simultaneously remember what God says about her value. I appreciate her humility and joy in this discovery time and am so glad that she continues to creatively express what she carries.
Grade Breakdown:
(Includes up to 10% for Attendance) Participation: 21/25%
Journal: 22/25%
Heart’s Cry Offering: 11/12%
Artist Statement: 20/20%
Showcase: 16/18%
92/100 A
Thoughts: I am struck by the contrast of this class with Christianity and the Arts in my Certificate year. I have learned to be messy and vulnerable, I have learned that it is not a bad thing to experience pain and wrestle with God. 10 years are reflected in this evaluation, and they were not easy years. I had to unlearn so much about myself and my faith, and then I had to begin to relearn IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. Even in this evaluation there is evidence of my old tendencies of over-asserting myself and the need to be an expert, but that part of me did not have the final say here.
THR 251 Design Practicum
COURSE: THR251 Design Practicum
TERM: Fall 2018
EVALUATOR: Norma Roth
STUDENT: Katherina Stegerman
I would never have taken on this design project if I hadn’t had Katherina to assist. I expected her to be capable, organized and creative. I wasn’t disappointed. Often I handed over specific parts of the design to her and Katherina just did the work. I was so happy with so much of her work, specifically, the back wall, the banners and the crossword.
Katherina is good at what she does. She proved herself to be a competent and capable assistant. However, there were too many times that I felt the need to assert my role as the contracted designer. Too often, Katherina talked as if she had equal weight in making design decisions. This process did have its challenges regarding the amount of time I had in the workshop. There were times when Katherina had to make design calls in my absence but that didn’t change the terms of the contract. Assisting can be thankless work but it is the way to learn. Humility in that role doesn’t go unnoticed.
Katherina is making a transition from fashion design to theatre design. The two are similar but they have one vast difference; fashion originates out of the designer, she is the source; theatre originates out of the play, it is the source of everything. In fashion, the designer leads with her ideas and her view of what she wants to say. In costume design, the play is the leader closely followed by the director. Everything, and I cannot emphasis this strongly enough, EVERYTHING is about the play. Every choice must serve the story the playwright and director are trying to tell. The designer’s role is to bring everything she can to assist in telling that story. Every project is unique unto itself, how will this director lead? Will you have a specific vision handed to you or will the director give you free reign? The designer has to figure that out every show. But serve she must. And communicating costume ideas as clearly as possible is the job. I am thinking of the story boards Katherina presented for the church kids verses the Herdmans. All good ideas but the Herdmans’ board was too similar to the church kids’ board; it lacked the grime and edge necessary to communicate who those characters were. I wanted to almost feel the dirty on my hands after handling their images. The director won’t know what you mean if you don’t communicate your ideas accurately.
Katherina is well on her way. I encourage her to push on to deeper, more connected storytelling. Let fashion and personal preferences go, crawl into the character’s life and design what is actually inside their closets.
Thoughts: This evaluation shows my initial struggle to communicate my design ideas effectively to other people I was working with, I had to realize that people really don’t see what’s in my head and that communication of TONE is just as important as communication of what the piece will look like.
THR 359 Theatre Productions and Performance
Course: THR359 Theatre Production and Performance
Production: The Comedy of Errors
Term: Winter 2018
Evaluator: Brad Graham, Stage Manager
Student: Katherina Stegerman
The roles Katherina was given in this show, both on stage and off, were challenging in very different ways. I know that the timeline and workload for Costumes was huge, but I was glad she was the person making it happen because she understood better than most how to accomplish the tasks she was being asked to tackle, even if she didn’t always feel like she had enough time to tackle them.
In rehearsals, I think it continues to be a steep learning curve about how she sees herself and what she’s capable of, but I think she did discover some important things in this performance about her command and strength, both as an actor and a person. I hope Katherina will continue to accept challenges that she’s not completely confident about, because that bravery will pay off as it has throughout this year.
Term: Winter 2018
Instructor: Nathan Schmidt
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Katherina did really focused and playful work. She worked with good courage at a role that she eventually revealed was a big challenge for her. I do wish she had spoken with me earlier about her concerns, but I do also respect her determination to come to terms with it in her way. This did lead to a struggle the day before we opened. She expressed concern and fear over the role that she had been carrying. I’m so glad that she persevered, and I hope she learned something about her abilities and their relationship to fear.
I thought her work as the courtesan was really great, she was able to play both the seductive notes as well as the worn down and mistreated facets of the character. I saw her really respect this woman that had been cheated and then pursued her justice. During the rehearsal process Katherina was quick to understand the text and was helpful at the table. I would caution her to pay attention to how she shares her smarts. Offering understanding and gauging other’s insecurity can be a tricky balance.
Again, dynamic and honest work in a challenging role. Glad to have had Katherina in the cast.
Production Work (Amy)
Katherina worked hard to complete the final touches on the costumes. I felt confident in her to accomplish the work needed to be done for this show. She took initiative, and got the job done. The costumes looked great and it all came together quite nicely despite the stress of the unorganized production times.
Overall the students did a great job with the execution of the costumes. I was quite impressed with what they collectively came up with for each character. It looked great and worked well with the show. They all worked well together, and each took on tasks to get the job done.
Rehearsal:(Memorization, Participation, Preparation, Willingness, Curiosity, Focus) 51/65%
Production Work: 13.5/15%
Performance: 16/20%
Total 80.5% = B+
Katherina Stegerman: Courtesan/Merchant
This was an extremely fun show. It was fast-paced, the setting worked very well for this story, the costumes and characters were zany and out there, and everyone did a very good job in their roles. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and a true Comedy of Errors!
I was able to see a run-through during tech week, as well as the final Thursday show of the run, and one of things that struck me most about Katherina’s performance was the growth I saw between the two runs. Katherina was asked to play some colours that I suspect she doesn’t often bring out in her role as the Courtesan. My guess is that this may have been a challenge for her. In tech week Katherina seemed unsure and tentative with some of her actions and intentions, but certainly by the time I saw it later in the run I felt that she had taken full control of the role and the moment, and really owned it. It was great to see this kind of growth in Katherina.
Overall, I found Katherina’s presence to be strong, her intentions seemed clear, and I felt she did a good job making sense of the text – she a good understanding of what she was saying, and I had no problem hearing her.
My main challenge would be around the importance and value of the ring and why Katherina’s character wanted it back so badly. What really went on between Antipholus and her? What is the background of the ring? What does it mean to her? These are some of the questions that I felt could’ve filled out the role even more.
However, like I say, I really enjoyed Katherina’s performance. Well done! I’m excited to see where this kind of growth may take her next year.
Thoughts: I am really struck by how visible the struggle I went through was to Paul. He clearly saw the fear that I had to work through with Nathan before opening in the show that he watched. I am glad I was able to come to terms with the character before we opened.
THR 261 Production Practicum - Builder and Designer
Course: THR 261 Production Practicum - Builder & Designer
Production: Prophecy
Term: Winter, 2018
Instructor: Glenda Graham
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Katherina was excited about learning the costume design process and honing her drawing and rendering skills as they pertain to theatre. She was willing to learn and used this learning time quite well. She was professional, more often than not, in her interactions with the Director and fellow staff members but needed reminders to give both herself and others credit where it was due.
Throughout the process there were discrepancies as to what jobs Katherina understood she was contracted to do. She was unable to complete her duties as the Props Builder and had Brad finish the job for her. She was also unaware that budgeting for costumes was solely her responsibility and became frustrated by it. This lies partly in communication with Mikayla, whose final project it was, and in her understanding of what each of the jobs entailed. Katherina was unable to be at the First Read and missed a critical opportunity to hear everyone’s roles and to clarify her own to the group. A lesson here for Katherina is to be specific and to clarify, in writing, what she is and is not required to do for a project.
Her renderings were well executed and so were the garments themselves. She was willing to go to lengths to get them to look right, even going over-budget in order to do so. The communication of her decision to go over-budget was not well executed and she should understand in future to get permission from the producer before spending un-budgetted money.
There were several times when K would forget crucial pieces (drawings, costume pieces, etc.) at home in Airdrie, and even though it was not intentional, it did smack of disorganized unprofessionalism. It was good to see her own it, apologize , and move forward without letting it effect the entire process; an important attribute to have in an artistic process: instant forgiveness.
I’m glad to see her continue to design and be part of other projects, trusting that she will carry all that she has learned into each experience.
Thoughts: This was my first final project and the first time I was solely in charge of a build. This evaluation helps me understand the growth I experienced by continuing to be willing to design final projects.
THR 359 Theatre Production and Performance
Course: THR359 Theatre Production and Performance
Term: Fall 2017
Instructor: Amy Castro
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Mark: 13/15
Katherina did some great work on this show. I appreciated her eye for detail. She did some great work on Mrs. Kindernein's hat.
I would encourage Katherina to maintain a positive attitude toward the work and to take direction without countering it. We may not always agree with a designer and there are times to give opinions but ultimately it is the designer’s choice. When working with limited resources, time and skill we sometimes have to make do with student productions.
I was confident in Katherina's skills in the wardrobe, I didn't feel like I had to watch over everything thing that was done. She was willing and not afraid to take on big projects. Overall she did some great work to help bring this show together.
I appreciated having a such a strong group of students on this big period show. What seemed like such a huge project at the beginning came together so smoothly with everyone's hard work.
Thoughts: This marked the beginning of my work in theatre design. I remember my frustration with historical inaccuracy and a design that doesn’t match my aesthetic. I believe Amy had some good feedback and the need to learn to listen and respect different artistic choices is one that I had to continue to learn (still am)
THR 232 Intermediate Scene Study, Module 2
Course: THR 232 Intermediate Scene Study, Module 2
Term: Fall 2017
Instructor: David Snider
Student: Katherina Stegerman
Katherina is diligent and determined, and that sustained her through a lot of challenge in navigating new territory in acting, and later in the term dealing with illness. There were a few days during the sickness when she was fatigued and minimally present, but she rallied when asked to stay tuned.
A highlight was reading the caring note she wrote to herself after the Hedda Gabler scene, reminding herself that she is learning and encouraging herself to stay the course. Overall, I hear her championing herself as a learner, and that will serve her well. See examples below of moments in the scene work where her understanding resulted in committed communication.
Hedda Gabler:
Working script: noting what she can do to explore text; writing herself a caring note after Hedda Gabler scene sharing. Good job embracing the role of Tessman. You worked steadily to understand him and commit to the actions of his heavy-handed reproach of Hedda, and the reversal that she must actually be devoted to him.
Learned Ladies:
Working Script: Completed the 9Ws questions; typed out the text to hear all of it; drew a rendering of her dress; raised the question of whether rehearsal is “all business” and scene study is “all play”. Good to see you revelling in your engagement joy as part of your argument for marriage.
The Wolves: Exciting to see the growth from you thinking #2 was pretty invisible, to finding her strong presence in the team of minister, offering empathy to Alex on her diagnosis of a torn ACL
In the Soccer Mom scene, a highlight moment of following instinct to give Meghan’s mom a hug. Tender and fitting.
Naturalistic delivery of the dialogue, finding the conversational rhythms of speaking in tandem with others. Even though in the final present the timing of the lines was somewhat jumbled, you stayed in the game of getting your voice heard.
If you were to continue with this scene, what would you want to work on next?
Journal: I hear an honest conversation with herself, processing class experiences, listening to her own discoveries and frustrations like Presence, and how the present charged her.
Attendance (absences/lates): -2
Participation: 26/30
Scenework:
Hedda Gabler: 7.5/10
Learned Ladies: 11.5/15
The Wolves: 12/15
Journal: 13/15
Final Present: 13/15
Total for Module 2: 81/100
Thoughts:
Reading the evaluation compared to the evaluations from my Certificate year almost gave me whiplash. This is a person who is far more willing to learn and process than the one from 2009.
REL 121: Christianity & the Arts
REL 121 Christianity & the Arts
David Snider, Instructor
Student Evaluation: Katherina Buyer
Katherina, I am glad you were in this class. You are intelligent, assertive and outspoken--good leadership qualities. You express a passion for christianity and art. I was happy for you that your final exam demonstrated the level of understanding and articulation I had hoped to see throughout the term.
I sense that this class provided some unexpected challenges and opportunities to the question “What fuels your passion?”. It was puzzling to see below average work on your essay and research assignments, and to have your original art piece lack aesthetic wholeness. There were also times in group discussions where your passion to speak became a demand that dominated the group, and your investment in your point turned to personal defensiveness. You expressed that this was uncomfortable for you, and humbling.
There is an exciting potential opportunity here that a better mark may have hidden from your view. At the same time you are gifted and experienced in popular christian culture, I think this class revealed areas where that background is also a hindrance to your growth as a christian and an artist. It can feel vulnerable and scary to realize that an investment in being an “expert” can subvert the discussion at hand. Put simply, though you are culturally informed and talented, without intentional work and focus you will gain little new cultivation and growth. I encourage you to let this class and some of the negative challenges of Fall term fuel a renewed focus in Winter term. Keep the questions raised by this class alive, even if it means a season of feeling uncomfortable. Consider it “growing pains”.
I look forward to working with you next term.
Thoughts:
While I can’t say I’m perfect yet (or ever will be) seeing this evaluation 10 years later leads me to believe this has been the most growth I have done over my 20’s. I have had a journey of deconstruction, I have gone from the confident “expert” to the searching soul, with a deeper realization that every person holds a dear truth in their soul. Realizing that I could be wrong on some things and that I don’t know everything have been two of the biggest revelations of my life, and if I had learned that lesson earlier I am sure I would have put more work into the projects I had for this class.
Theatre 130: Acting Foundations
THEATRE 130: ACTING FOUNDATIONS
Term: FALL, 2009
INSTRUCTOR: KRIS MARUSHY
Theatre 130 oriented students towards open expression and exploration of self as the foundation for all performance work. It introduced students to fundamental techniques of acting, improvisation and exploration of trust exercises to remove barriers inhibiting free expression. After each class, students were assigned point values for the grading criteria, and their final grade reflects their consistent, daily ability to push themselves towards creative goals. Shakespeare excerpts took the weight of 3 classes, heavily impacting the final grade.
As per RSA policy, absences/lates result in deductions from student’s final grade. Per the syllabus, “unexcused” absence is defined as anything without prior approval.
KAT’s GRADE BREAKDOWN: (each section weighted 20% of grade)
Show up on time, ready to work: 88%
(positive/willing attitude)
Be creative, don’t worry about originality: 84%
(process over performance)
Take risks, listen and support others: 85%
(participation in activities and class critiques)
Challenge yourself with honesty, self govern your progress: 85%
(preparedness and self-motivation)
Respect others and the class environment: 88%
(professional behavior and focus)
Kat is a creative thinker not afraid to take risks. She pushes herself to go outside the box. She came to class with a willing attitude, ready to work and contribute to a group dynamic. She has a strong stage presence, and intuitive understanding of emotional journey and the needs of a scene.
Although I believe Kat’s intentions are usually in the right place, she often demonstrates defensiveness to critique, seeming to want control over how her work is perceived. She is more comfortable looking at the “big picture” of performance and story rather than investing in personal exploration and vulnerability. Her risks seem more outward rather than inward. In frustration she resorts back to her own ideas of success rather than trusting valuable feedback.
I think Kat will benefit tremendously from one-on-one acting coaching in an intimate environment where she can focus on the work instead of an audience. She has a ton of talent, but her work currently consists of broad strokes instead of details and nuance, robbing it of emotional impact. She must work WITH others instead of finding value through comparison and competition. She struggles with “indicating” and “anticipating” instead of being in the moment of true improvisation. The ability to think quickly on her feet often hinders her investment with scene partners: she focuses more on performing a story than connecting with her partner.
I think Kat has the talent to be a strong performer, but her need for control currently undermines this potential, and her creativity lacks vulnerability. Kat has expressed interest in being a writer, but her growth as an actor will serve her more at this time. She has the talent, and growth in acting will translate to the craft of playwriting. Acting requires direct trust in others, a willingness to open up, and risking failure. Kat will benefit from developing these crucial skills.
GRADE: 86%, A-
Thoughts:
This evaluation is very much the feedback I received in my certificate year, talent and a willingness to risk that is undermined by a lack of connection and vulnerability as well as the desire to control.
As I grew up away from Rosebud I feel like I lost that ability to risk, as I grew up I became a lot more thoughtful and risk averse, but I believe my ability to connect with others wasn’t really practiced until I returned to Rosebud again.
It’s slightly painful to see evaluations that say I “could have been” a talented performer, it really does make me wonder what “could have been” if I had chosen a different path.