Not just playing: La Conner students take theater seriously

There's plenty of drama going on at La Conner Schools these days.

Which is just fine, especially when blended in equal measure with comedy, stage craft and set construction.

Theater arts, which boasts a long and storied tradition here, is back on campus after an intermission imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A trio of young college- trained theater aficionados is welcoming La Conner students back to the stage twice weekly as an extracurricular program – similar to the format used in districts whose states schedule drama as an after school competition event, akin to athletics.

The instructional team is led by Alicia Pedroza, director of the La Conner Co-Op Preschool. She attended the elite Los Angeles Theater Academy prior to graduating from Portland State University.

She is joined by her cousin, Taylor Pedroza, a theater arts and philosophy graduate of Gonzaga University and his fellow Gonzaga alum, Jess Clement. He earned a communications degree with a theater arts minor at the Spokane school.

Clement and Taylor Pedroza are Seattle-based independent video production contractors.

Introducing local students to the many facets of theater arts is truly a labor of love for them. They gladly block out 90 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the schools' Bruce Performing Arts Center.

"We're excited about it," Taylor Pedroza told the Weekly News. "Kids come here who want to be here. They're very willing to meet and learn."

The focus thus far has been on the basics – instruction in the fundamentals of acting, vocabulary unique to the theater and an introduction to stage-building and set design.

"I like to say that we're thinking big and starting small," said Clement.

They began with cleaning the theater arts classroom and clearing that space to create a hybrid instructional area and green room.

The goal is to build upon the history of school-community popular productions guided by numerous faculty sponsors and administrators over the years.

Along the way, the hope is students will gain appreciation for the role theater arts plays both in the economy and with community bonding.

The study of theater arts, Clement and the Pedrozas insist, is a springboard to real world jobs.

"It builds teamwork that transfers to other industries," Taylor Pedroza stressed. "There are a lot of opportunities out there with significant rates of pay. Most of the people we work with aren't actors."

They cited as an example La Conner's Ethan Anderson, whom they said is engaged in major stage construction projects in Hollywood.

"The teamwork you develop in theater arts," said Taylor Pedroza, "can fit in with any career."

Clement said that La Conner students will be learning all that goes into a theater production.

"I feel real strongly and passionately about this," she stressed. "It's a great opportunity to train for future careers.

"It brings 100 art forms together," Clement said. "Every small detail builds a finished product."

"There are so many pieces that go into it," Alicia Pedroza confirmed.

Taylor Pedroza began his career as an actor but has since shifted to writing and directing. He noted that stage managers have knowledge and expertise in each aspect of a production – a skill set that is widely valued within the industry and beyond.

"It's important for the kids," added Alicia Pedroza, who pointed out that beyond the world of work theater arts opens the door to lasting friendships and insight into the human experience.

Clement agreed.

"It's the journey that's fun," she said. "It's magical. You learn so much about yourself and your peers. You make friends for the rest of your life.

"It's more than careers," insisted Clement. "It's about the camaraderie. I'm passionate about making that available to the kids. When you work with acting partners, for instance, you learn how to understand them and why they might be portraying a character differently than you would."

The tri-directors are grateful to the La Conner Arts Foundation, which helped them find grant support for a spring play.

"That was awesome," Alicia Pedroza said. "We're excited about that. The grant is for including the community in some way. We love that the arts community in La Conner is so supportive of having a theater program. People in La Conner are interested in community theater.

"So many people in La Conner can sew and create costumes," she said. "We have amazing artists and musicians. There is so much talent here."

In the meantime, the plan is to present a showcase event sometime after Thanksgiving.

Thus far, a half dozen or so students are involved in the program, launched shortly after school started, by which time commitments to fall sports and other extra-curriculars had been made. Student numbers for theater arts are expected to increase after the holidays.

"The kids," Alicia Pedroza said, "have been so tenacious to keep it alive for themselves and future students."