Sean Patterson
Drama Teacher, actor, author, director...
Nuts and Bolts - where did you attend college?
When I was at Jesuit, I was a National Merit Scholar; and because of that, I was offered the chance to be a Taylor Scholar at the University of New Orleans, which at the time was a different scholarship from what it is today. I majored in Drama, with an emphasis in performance, and minored in English. I have two MFAs, one in playwriting from the Creative Writing Workshop at the University of New Orleans, and one in Musical Theatre Writing (Libretto and Lyrics) from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I love seeing students "get it." In theatre, there are no right answers, really, and there's often a number of different ways to achieve a goal. I love giving students pieces of the puzzle and watching them figure out new and exciting ways to put them together. I also love working with students to get them to do something they didn't know they could do.
What do you enjoy most about Country Day?
From my first day on campus, I have been welcomed, included, validated, supported, and encouraged. We, as faculty, have the freedom to pursue our intellectual curiosity, to experiment and take risks. It's wonderful that we instill those attitudes in our students as well. That, and the food.
If you had pursued another profession what would it have been (or what was it if you did something else in the past)?
There was a time when I really thought I'd go to law school.
If you could do anything other than teach, what would you like to do?
I would work full-time as an actor, writer, and director. I could also see myself as a novelist or a painter.
Tell me about an interested volunteer gig, vacation, hobby, or other experience outside of work?
I have written three shows for the National World War II Museum: Let Freedom Swing!, which was a recreation of a Stage Door Canteen show for the troops; On the Air , a live radio show set on Mother's Day, 1944; and The Mysterious Wisterias, an audience-participation murder mystery evoking comedy films of the 1940s. I love being able to contribute to the mission of the Museum in such an unusual way.
Have you won any awards that you don't mind bragging about (professionally or otherwise)?
I have won two Big Easy Awards (Best Actor in Play for Fully Committed, Best Actor in a Musical for Hairspray), and I've been nominated about 10 other times. I also won the inaugural Jean Banks Award at BMI for an original musical I co-wrote called The Donut Dream.
What is a secret about you that you don't mind sharing? Something that one wouldn't know readily?
People see me perform, and they think it comes very easily to me. I am really painfully shy. When students tell me they're afraid to get on stage in front of an audience, I know I can help them overcome that.
Do you speak any foreign languages? If so, which. If not, which would you like to speak if had the opportunity to learn it?
I used to be really good in French. I won medals at District and State Rally. I studied in college. After Katrina, when I taught at Holy Cross, they even had me teach a couple of sections of it. Now, I feel like all I can do is say "Bon jour" and "ça va?" So, I'd really like to get that back up to speed one of these days. I also want to learn more Spanish. And Korean.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I think I'd really like to go back to Prague. I went for the first time when I spent a summer in Europe when I was in college. My wife has never been, and I'd like her to see it. I'd also like to go to Seoul. One of the composers I worked with at Tisch lives there, and I'd like to visit her and rewrite our musical. It has a lot of potential.
What historical or literary figure do you most admire?
Shakespeare. Whether he wrote the plays himself or he's just a face hiding some other secret authorship, theatre as we know it would be very different without his contributions. His ability to reveal truths of human nature is extraordinary. That his plays still hold relevance 400 years later is astounding.
300 Park Road, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 837-5204
Established in 1929, Metairie Park Country Day School is a coed private school for New Orleans area students in early childhood through Grade 12. From the elementary grades through upper school, the care and cultivation of each child comes to life in our exciting academic program, creative arts, and competitive athletic offerings.
Country Day accepts qualified students without regard to race, color, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin.
