About Me:
Who am I and what are my goals?
I am looking for a position teaching theatre or French at an International School for the 2016-2017 year. I am considered a « third culture kid » because I grew up overseas. I was born in Kenya and lived my formative years in France, graduating from the Singapore American School. Following my Junior year abroad in Paris I toured Germany with Eugene Ionesco and his play Parlons Français playing the character of Marie-Jeanne and later worked at the Festival du Marais 1987 as a techie. After earning a B.A. in Theatre Arts: Acting and French Language and Literature, I was technical director for the Berkshire Ensemble for Theatre Arts in Williams, MA and worked briefly at the Center International du Création Théâtrale (Center for International Theatre) in Paris and Peter Brooke’s theatre Les Bouffes du Nord.
I began teaching Performing Arts at the International School of Geneva in 1989, where I taught 7 though 11th grade for 2 years before finishing my M.A. in Curriculum and Teaching at Michigan State in 1992. That same year I moved to Caracas, Venezuela where I taught Theatre, ran the Forrest Broman Theatre (a 630 seat facility). During my 10 years at the Escuela Campo Alegre I taught drama and theatre at all levels, including film and IB Theatre Arts. I also founded and ran the Caracas Amateur Theatre that brought quality theatre and classes to the English speaking community. I directed over 100 productions during my tenure at ECA including musicals such as Narnia, Oklahoma, Beauty and the Beast, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors, Nunsense, Grease and Anything Goes as well as many One Acts and full length productions such as Top Girls, Romeo and Juliet, Arsenic and Old Lace, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Dining Room.
After moving stateside in 2003, I free-lanced as a Drama Teacher and Yoga/Pilates/Wellness instructor at the YMCA, Kissimmee Charter Academy and adjunct professor at Valencia College. As well running Drama camps, classes and productions for the City of Kissimmee Parks and Rec., Applause Academy and Raskin Dance Studios I founded and ran Drama-Aid, Act out of the Box an internet support company for drama students and teachers.
At WPS, I have been teaching French and Theatre for the past 6 years. My first year I also worked with the first year IB Film students, co-teaching with Kay Hill. I have taught all levels of French from grade 8 through IB and AP. I have offered a variety of theatre classes at WPS including Design and Technical theatre, Theatre Production, Acting for Stage and Screen, Contemporary Theatre, and IB Theatre Arts HL/SL. In addition, I have been the sponsor for the International Thespian Society and the Societé Honoraire de Français; both nationally (and internationally) recognized honor societies. As Thespian and French honor society sponsor I have worked many events over the years such as the Multi-cultural evening, Hip-Hop for Heifer, Tendons la Main à Haiti, Feeding Children Everywhere, Mr. Windermere Prep., Olympic Improv. and Improv Evening, Haunted House and other booths at the Fall Festival. I have also organized and taken students on several school sponsored trips, namely “The Tribe” outward bound type camp at a dude ranch (interim semester 2010), France (Spring break 2011), Thespian Districts and State (2012-2016), SETC (Southeastern Theatre Conference 2014), FTC (Florida Theatre Conference 2014).
In my free time (ha-ha!), I have directed several productions at WPS including Nunsense (MS/HS 2009), A Mid-semester Nights Dream (an all school original multi-media project 2010), Annie (All school musical 2010), Starmites (All school musical 2011), Importance of Being Earnest (HS 2012), Working (HS Musical 2013), Top Girls (Act 1, District Thespians 2013), Zoo Story (HS/one act 2014), This is a Test (HS/one act 2014), A Fable (HS/one act district 5 Thespians), Little Shop of Horrors (HS Musical 2015). In 2010, I created the Renaissance Awards, and have worked with my colleagues to recognize outstanding talent and honor WPS Fine and Performing Arts students for the past 6 years. In 2012, I helped establish the Fine Arts Boosters, drawing up the bylaws and helping fundraise and support the F.A. department. Along with the Troupe 6902 Thespians and the Broadcast journalism students, we devised the W-Factor, which has now become an annual fundraiser and opportunity for Windermere Prep students to showcase their talents.
Outside of work I continue to “play” in theatre, working with The Osceola Center for the Arts (re-branded Osceola Arts), where I performed in Annie, Stage Managed Guys and Dolls and made costumes for The Wizard of Oz , Peter Pan and Footloose. I also continue to work at Raskin Dance studio teaching Beginning and Advanced Acting and have designed the lighting for the recitals for the past 11 years. I also worked with the Florida Film Academy teaching several summer camps and community school film class and continue to audition and perform, if cast locally, in TV and Film.
On a personal note, I have been married for 22 years and have three amazing children! I want to make a difference, in the lives of my own children and others which is why I love teaching (and learning) and look forward to new opportunities and experiences.
Thank you for reading this far, please contact me directly if you have any questions or available job opportunities!
Cindy Kennaugh