Megan teaches to create good humans. She strives to create a learning environment in which the artistic pursuit and the act of being human are integrated through the act of moving. Students are met with a determination that they become more empathic, generous, driven, and aware. Class is meant to empower students to not only receive, but to give, and the art of pedagogy is transparently divulged. Part of the hope for students is that they gain sensitivity and virtuosity in communicating not only as a mover, but also as a guide for others.
Megan approaches Musical Theatre training as life training. In a show where everyone is coming together to tell a shared story, yet each person has a singular perspective, students must gain skill in contributing to a whole. Learning to shine inside a supportive ensemble, learning to lift others up to their unique potential, and building a story from the ground up are skills that not only create compelling theatre, but create conscientious, activated humans. Megan engages students to learn difficult new skills simultaneously, challenge their pre-conceptions of themselves, and learn through doing rather than through theory. Practice is for a purpose. She draws out the specific gifts of each performer, and they are called upon to celebrate each other rather than foster competition.
The genre allows for a multiplicity of people in the room in terms of age, body type, experience, talents, and of course race, gender, and identity. This creates a realistic community, rather than the rarified experience of being with only your age group, doing a singular activity, as in a traditional children’s class. Megan works with both high stakes and delight. Fun is paramount, but so is respect for the creative process and the sacred art of storytelling. Rehearsal is an opportunity to truly care about something as a group, teaching students that community is something to both lean against, and carry upwards with strength and perseverance.