Leadership changes underway in theatre department
Trimmer becomes the head of AJT while Siegel teaches costume and film classes
Maureen Siegel engages film students with background information on a film they recently watched Battleship Potenkin. She discusses with them about how montages contributed in the film industry and when they were used for the first time.
October 18, 2015
After years of Akins actors only knowing one primary leader of the Akins Journey Theatre department, a new theatre teacher is making her debut this year: Burgandy Trimmer.
Since the opening of the school in 2000, Maureen Siegel has taught hundreds of students and directed scores of plays. However, this year she will turn her attention to Costume Design, Humanities and Visual Media classes as Trimmer takes over the program she founded.
Siegel, who is nearing retirement, said that she has been thinking about stepping down as the head theatre teacher for some time, but it hadn’t made sense for her to leave the leadership role and the theatre department until this summer.
“I felt like I had ceased being effective as the theatre teacher, and as much as I loved my kids, I felt like there needed to be a fresh and new perspective and the (school) administration agreed.” Siegel said.
Siegel now teaches both a costume design class and a film analysis class in room 237, located in the AHA building.
“I love teaching film and costume design. It’s really fun and I feel like I’ve gained knowledge from theatre preparing to teach both of these classes.” Siegel said.
Although she enjoys having a less demanding work schedule this year, working with Akins students keeps her motivated to teach, Siegel said.
“If I feel like I have run out of fresh and new ideas to share with the students, then I will retire,” Siegel said. “That’s why I left the theatre department, so that it could go in a new direction.”
Siegal’s expectations for Trimmer, the new theatre teacher, is that she will have a vision for the theatre department that is fresh, new, and exciting and to bring all that to the theatre department.
“I don’t know Trimmer really well. I know that she is very well trained and I expect she will do extremely well at whatever she will do to make a new Akins Journey Theatre because it is a new Akins Journey Theatre,” Siegel said.
The new theatre teacher, Trimmer, is from Virginia and has taught high school theatre for 16 years and has been involved in the local community theatre there.
“I see big things, for the Akins Journey Theatre department, a lot of different main-stage productions, us winning UIL, and maybe growing so large we have to hire different teachers to become a part of our department,” Trimmer said. “There’s a lot of talent, passion, and energy here and I hope to channel all of that energy into successful productions.”
Theatre students have said that they are excited to work with a new teacher and to be a part of her theatre classes.
Senior Joshua Solis said that he can’t wait to see what Trimmer has in store for both the theatre department and the theatre classes.
“Trimmer’s really nice, and I can tell that she is very passionate about theatre so this year should be a great year,” Solis said.
However, Solis and many other theatre students have said that they will miss having Siegel be there theatre teacher.
“I was sad when I found out that Siegel was leaving the theatre department,” Solis said. “She was my director for three years, but I’m really glad that she’s still working at Akins so I could visit her whenever I want to.”
Solis believes that the Akins Journey Theatre department will grow bigger and better with Trimmer in charge because of the energy that she is bringing to the department.
Trimmer said that she is thrilled to be at Akins and appreciates the warm welcome she has received from the students and the staff.
“I’m really looking forward to making the Akins Journey Theatre department and Akins High School my new home, and I hope to become part of that by attending sports, events and dances whenever I can,” Trimmer said.
