X-Posted on Ryan's LJ
As many of you know by now, Mr. Pollet has decided to unilaterally select which plays we do for Spring and Winter shows. Council met with him today regarding the issue. As some of you know by now, the outcome was not favorable. We listed our reasons for having the club itself choose their own plays (including it generates interest, isn't done like that anywhere else in the county, let's us select plays that people actually want to do, etc). He wrote down the reasons, then provided his own for having himself, and himself only, choose the plays. It included a couple examples from the past where the nomination and voting process fell through (lack of interest, lack of voters, one story even included mrs. west failing to read the play before accepting it, thereby setting off a series of botched attempts to reselct one once she finally read it and figured out there was no way the club could put it on) and the fact that he took the job, unwillingly, only if he chose the plays, a decision which neither he nor Lodal agreed to without consulting the council or the club.
His "concession" to us would be that Winter show stays as is, with un having no say in it, and Spring show would be a more "liberal" selection process. He would select 3 or 4 plays (Henry V guaranteed as one of them) to ask the club to read. We would all then get to "discuss" it with him, and he would then pick one of them to perform. We cannot add any plays to that list to discuss. We can, however, approach him individually with plays he'd like to make part of the list of 3, though, it is clear to us, that these would be disregarded almost off-the-bat.
We've gone in, tested him, seen his thoughts, seen how far he will bend. We're calling on you now. We need you to talk to him, let him know that this is not acceptable. He believes that we are incapable of deciding for ourselves and coming to a general consensus, and he bases those beliefs off isolated incidents with a club and council vastly different from the one today. He doesn't think that kids are able to govern themselves and make wise decisions. He doesn't want his absolute power to be threatened in any way. He asked for people to talk to him, he wants people to come see him, and he has been disappointed so far. Go talk to him about this, let him know that its the entire club that doesn't like his changes, not just a group of five kids with the impression of power. He is the sponsor, he exists only because this club exists, he cannot act against the will of the club he is supposed to work with.
However, keep it civil with him. He is the kind that will only become stronger and more resolute if he is overwhelmed or attacked. Leave council to argue with him. Just, voice your opinions to him any way you can. If you write letters, send them through council first.
We doubt that this will end soon. We doubt this will end peacefully. But we cannot sit by and do nothing about this, he is taking the kids he sponsors out of a process that concerns them greatly.
Drama has come through intact before, it will again, but it needs everyone's participation and commitment.
E-mail me or Cara:
RogueLyan@gmail.com
t28r06i42n12a@hotmail.com
I know you all love this club as much as I do. Now we need your support. I hate to make all of this so dramatic, but this is too important to let go. Please, help us show him what it means to us.
Lots of Love
<3<3<3
Cara