It takes a lot of work to put on a play.
You’ve got to set the lights, prepare the sets and sew the costumes. It takes timing, expertise and power tools. At North East ISD’s North East School of the Arts (NESA), it also requires Lindsay Magee.
“NESA is a dream for art teachers. I get to work with creative, inspiring students. My students are some of the hardest working kids I know.”
Magee is the technical theatre director for NESA. That means, she and her students spend weeks and months preparing things behind the scenes to make sure everything under the spotlight shines.
During a recent visit to her classroom, which is really just various rooms behind the Performing Arts Center at Legacy of Educational Excellence (LEE) High School, groups of students were sewing costumes; constructing coral out of old compact discs, pool noodles and hot glue; and painting newly built sets. Magee’s infectious laugh filled the backstage corridors as she joked with and checked in on the various groups preparing for the upcoming plays.
NESA is NEISD’s arts magnet school program, specializing in cinema, creative writing, dance, music, theatre, technical theatre and visual arts. It develops artistic talent through an integrated curriculum designed to help students achieve excellence in their artistic pursuits.
“So, teaching that to kids is really cool because you get to see what they really, really like, and that’s always fun. I think one of the most important things in this program and my philosophy of teaching is having a good rapport with the students. It’s so important that the respect goes both ways for my kiddos. They put in so much time and dedication that the conversation has to go both ways.”
Magee spends several hours with her students every day, including hours together before, during and after shows. She has a unique opportunity to really pour time and effort into her students, and it shows. She builds her classroom on respect and trust, resulting in students excited to come to class and an innovative learning environment that helps them grow and follow their passions.
“It is a dream to work here.”
Learn more about NESA or any of our magnet school programs.
