Teacher Appreciation Week: Meet John Perine

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we continue to celebrate and thank our amazing Gulfshore Playhouse Education team!

Today we meet John Perine, Education Associate, a director, performer, playwright, and educator who has worked professionally as a teaching artist with several theatres before joining the Gulfshore Playhouse Education team!

Q & A with John Perine

What is the goal of Gulfshore Playhouse Education?
Our goal as an Education Department at Gulfshore Playhouse is ultimately to foster a lifelong love of the arts. Whether that love manifests as a career in the arts (our pre-professional training lays a great foundation) or future season ticket holders for a theatre company (students build an impressive vocabulary as well as a strong appreciation for the craft), we recognize the value of incorporating arts into our daily lives. 
What makes a good theatre educator?
A good theatre educator is still plugged into their inner child in terms of never hesitating to play along with their students. I try to maintain a balance of taking the craft seriously while not taking myself too seriously, and that creates a space that welcomes and celebrates risk-taking, which is where the very best art is made.
Why do you love being an educator at Gulfshore Playhouse? 
Gulfshore Playhouse Education offers a variety of different kinds of educational opportunities, which allows me to flex my various teacher muscles. From directing youth productions to leading Creative Drama based on students’ favorite books to teaching the anatomy of insects with puppets, there’s never a dull moment! 
Why does Theatre education at Gulfshore Playhouse matter? 
As a professional theatre company, an integral part of our relationship with our community is “lifting the veil” of the artistry. Theatre is an art form with so many different kinds of people involved, and the educational efforts grant some access not only into the world of performance with our education productions, but also the worlds of design and playwriting with our Story Explorers creative drama initiative. Additionally, our audience engagement efforts like Pre-Show Discussions and Performance Guides further explore the various efforts that go into bringing a production to life. 
What’s the best part of being involved in theatre education at Gulfshore Playhouse? 
I love being part of a team that trusts and challenges each other. When planning, I am glad to work in a team that will hear my zany ideas and won’t jump straight to, “Absolutely not,” but will instead turn around and respond with, “YES! And how can we make that even better?” 
What do students gain from the involvement in theatre at Gulfshore Playhouse? 
Students involved with theatre education opportunities at Gulfshore Playhouse have the opportunity to work with professional directors, music directors, and choreographers, as well as some pretty awesome teachers. Students also get to engage in some exciting peer-to-peer learning, as our students’ levels of experience are pretty widely varied. 
What does theatre education help to promote in our community?
By valuing theatre education, our community uplifts creative problem solving and a greater sense of empathy. At the core of a fruitful educational theatre experience is a collaborative spirit, which is a trait that not only serves the theatre artists of tomorrow, but also innovators in the worlds of business, medicine, education, you name it!

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John is thrilled to be directing the Summer Student performance of Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo Jr.! Performances run June 22-23, 2023… CLICK HERE to purchase tickets!