My Story
My name is Jennifer Luv. I studied Theatre Arts at the University of Texas at Austin (BA) and the University of Cincinnati (MFA) before becoming a theatre arts educator. I taught theatre arts in public education for 13 years. During my tenure as a theatre arts educator I was consistently challenged with what to do to engage students who were not currently on stage working with me. How was I to educate and entertain these small groups of students who were not even all working on the same theatre discipline? There were stage managers, actors, designers as well as just some students who didn’t know what they wanted to do, but wanted to be doing something. From this conundrum year after year, I developed Herding Cats: Theatre Modules for ALL DISCIPLINES. Weekly instructions separated into seven disciplines of theatre: Acting, Stage Management, Scenery & Props, Costumes, Lighting, Sound and Marketing. I call it Herding Cats as a kind of tongue in cheek reference to what it can be like to engage a group of students who are working on different areas. My idea for Herding Cats became more realized after the COVID 19 pandemic when the nation really pushed for 1:1 technology. Whereas the lessons can work as paper/pencil tasks, the ideal way to implement the strategy is by using an online digital platform like Google Classroom. The summer of 2021 I presented my idea at TXETA’s Summerfest and it was very well received. I began a free trial run of Herding Cats that school year. After receiving feedback, modifying and adjusting the lessons I decided this tool should be shared with a larger audience. In August of 2023 I posted the lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers and began to get the word out on educational theatre Facebook groups. The response has humbled me. Several educators have reached out with concerns about the TpT platform and have asked for an alternate way to receive the curriculum for their classrooms and Viola . . . this Luv Ink. website was created. I pride myself in customer service and making sure these lessons are easy to use. Please reach out with any questions or concerns you might have. And, have fun herding your cats!
It’s not just herding cats . . . in my journey on Teachers pay teachers I realized that I had more classroom resources that other teachers might benefit from. I am making those resources available here at Luv Ink. too. Enjoy!
From one and done, self contained crafting activities like the 3-D Theatre model to several great “Getting to Know You” activities through some fun end-of-the-year activities and everything in between, Luv Ink. has something for every theatre arts educator.