Interview With Director Lisa Chorle

For my interview I choose to interview my high school drama director, Lisa Chorle. I have known her for the past six years. She graduated from Philipsburg Osceola Senior High School in 1984 and continued her education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Education and a minor in Theatre. After graduating from college she moved back to her home town of Philipsburg where she now teaches English classes, Theatre classes, and directs the school’s Fall play and Spring musical.

She is also a second generation English teacher as well as Theatre Director. Throughout her high school and college career she explored all the different positions that the Theatre world had to offer. Her passion for Theatre is part of the reason I decided to join the Theatre department whenever I was a student in High School. From my interview I was able to gain a better understand of my friend’s and former teacher’s love of the Theatre and love of being a director.

• What made you decided to be a Theatre Director?

I would say the main reason I became a director was because of my mother’s positive role model. From a young age I grew up in the Theatre. I would sit in on practices whenever my mother was a director and as I grew I was able to take small roles in plays as a child. Whenever I reached high school I was able to expand my role in the productions by learning the importance of all the behind the scenes jobs as well as the pressures of being cast as a lead. The more and more I became involved the more I came to love Theatre and decided to I wanted to follow in my mother’s footsteps. Throughout my college career I stayed involved in Theatre and finally got the opportunity to be a director whenever I became a English teacher.

• What is the most difficult part of your job?

“The most difficult part of my job would be trying to work with a budget of zero. Our school district does not support the drama department so we have to be self sufficient. Another difficult part of my job is trying to work around all the other school activities. We try to work around each other’s schedules so the student’s do not have to choose between activities.”

• What part of your job do you find most rewarding?

“The most rewarding part of my job would be the relationship I form with my students. I can proudly say that all my drama kids have became extensions of my own family and I love all of them just like they are my own.”

• Do you prefer to direct plays or musicals?

Overall I prefer musicals because of being able to add the extra element of dance to the performance. One advantage plays do have over musicals though is that they are less complicated.

• What was your favorite play you directed and why?

The play I feel a close connection to is “A Wonderful Life”. I had a special connection to that cast in particular and my own daughter Sarah was able to take a small role in the play. Whenever I think back I just have a lot of fond memories from that play.

• What was your favorite musical you directed and why?

There’s two musicals that are close to my heart, “The Beauty and the Beast” and “The Wizard of Oz”. “The Beauty and the Beast” was a great experience because of how close the cast was. They all truly cared about each other and worked together like a giant family. “The Wizard of Oz” was just one of those magical experiences where I do not think things could have worked out better.

• Is there any musical or play you regret choosing to perform?

“There is no play or musical I regret doing, but I did learn a lot from directing “Hello Dolly”. I learned how to not do things and what things work well and what things do not work at all.”

• Do you prefer to make your own costumes or rent them?

Overall we usually prefer to make our own costumes. Most of the time we go “Goodwill Hunting” or sometimes we will luck out and parents will volunteer to help make the costumes. The only play we have ever rented the entire wardrobe for was “The Beauty and the Beast”.

• Do you find it hard to play the role of mother and director at the same time?

“I use to find it very hard to juggle the roles of mother and director. I even considered stepping down as director until my girls were older. After talking to them though I learned that they loved the Theatre just as much as I do and they love the fact that I am a director.”

• Do you think you will continue to be a director even after your children are in college?

“Most likely I will continue directing even after my children are gone. If nothing else it should be able to help me adjust to having an 'empty nest'.”