European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Production of Dracula the musical if the students describe Flom As some sort of add its probably because that s the Way he wants it. The senior English and drama teacher is known to students faculty and parents As a god with a Little go a nickname he admits he gave himself. A was i Tell them i done to aspire to the top Job but at least in this classroom or in this environment that a the Way it is a Flom said. A i also use the term a benevolent  and it s Only benevolent As Long As in a Happy. That a what a dictatorship is. It can to operate any other  Flom is reminded of his status by Large buttons students Hung behind his desk. A Green Button reads a a we la get along Fine As soon As you Realise in a  another suggests a be reasonable. Do it my  the sayings go along with Flom a stage and classroom philosophy. A a that a just always the Way in be approached directing a play or rules in the classroom. You have to have somebody in charge in order to get it to function a he said. His students arc Quick to learn Flom a rules whether on stage backstage or in the classroom. Gibbons said Flom once assigned three essays in just one week in his English class. And when it comes to drama a the gives us enough time for memorization but if he gives you time for practice or to rehearse you have to use it. If he secs you and you Arentt Rich crashing hell say a of right now go. A or an  its either perfect or Quot you fail. That usually gets people to Start rehearsing  Kambick said Flom is even More strict on the set than he is in the classroom. A when he tells you to know something you know it a she said. A when he tells you this is when you have to know your lines that a when you have them memorized. You done to miss rehearsals and you never miss a performance. I think you a have to be dead to miss a  Shane Lamond a Sophomore drama student said Flom is a reasonable but he can be cruel at  the cruelty was evident he said when Flom made students perform acts from plays in front of the class after Only three weeks. A it could be a show but a god with a Little go is what he portrays a the 16-Ycar-old said. Though hey admit Flom is at times unforgiving his students believe the trait is a necessary evil. A the first thing when you walk into his class he intimidates you he a just so overpowering Quot Godwin said. Quot he a a Tough teacher and he makes you work and he makes you learn. But a teachers supposed to do  a a he a demanding but the Way he does it it s not Drill sergeant demanding Quot Kambick said. A the Way he is with his personality you know what you do for him should be right it should be exact. I  say he a domineering but you know he expects a great Deal from you and he wants you to do your  like other students Gambier said Flom does have a sense of humor and likes to joke around just As much As the next person. A but when its time to work its time to  a the results of Flom s hard driving no nonsense methods arc seen in the audience s reaction to the a Cru Morse performance. The people arc supposed to be laughing and they arc. A lot. Flom dressed in jeans sneakers and a plaid flannel shirt is again in the shadows watching the twisted plot unfold on stage while he tugs on his heard. Suddenly he cranes his neck to the right in reaction to a cafeteria Side door that bursts open allowing in Light and the distracting voices of students seeking Entrance to the play. Flom glances Back to the stage for a moment tugs his Beard once More then moves quickly to quiet the students and shut the door. Flom believes his students Are successful on stage because they Are not doing a High school productions. The 42-Ycar-old teacher said he never directs a High school plays. He believes when people hear the words a High school in the same sentence with production or play a a there a a mindset that Clicks in that its very amateurish that kids arc on stage giggling a More grown up version of some elementary school Type of thing. What i want them to do is be As close to a Community theater production Quality or College Quality As possible. And they can do  that a one reason for the demanding directing mom said. "1 want them to be at the very very top of what they can do on that stage. I done to want people to walk out and say it was a Good High school play. They re fully capable of doing very challenging work and we have done very challenging work like children of a lesser god an extremely difficult drama. Very few High schools attempt that. Its a Challenge to students and a lot of times they done to think they can do it. But they can. Its just a matter of. Making them aware of what they actually can  children of a lesser god revolves around a deaf woman trying to Cope w Ith everyday life in a world that can hear. The script Calls for a lot of sign language something students  fudge on Flom said. A deaf woman came to one performance Quot to see if they were being honest a he said. They were and the woman complimented them in sign language at the end of the show. Deaf students came to another performance. Flom said their teacher translated parts of the play that involved characters who were not deaf. But her hands were still when sign language was used on stage. F a they re really doing an excellent Job Quot a Parent in the cafeteria audience tells Flom Between acts of a a rumours. A a you re really doing an excellent Job. They re really delivering their lines Well. I m impressed Quot the teacher smiles and utters a Humble Quot thank you a before running into a student in the audience. A this is great a she says in a bubbly voice. A the set is great too a after another thank you Flom turns and Heads for the cafeteria door. A now i can see How the Sale is  he says while walking to the ticket table. Moments later Flom is with the actors in he Green Nam behind the stage tugging at his Beard while listening to the nervous chatter of his students. One actress stands on a chair with her head out a window to and off. Lie helps fix the Necktie of another in a police costume and reassures a third that his makeup is Fine. Before going Back on stage the actor gather in a Circle fora prayer. Flom stays out of the Circle and leans against a stack of chairs. One student continued on Page 6 Tom Gibbons left starts the twisted plot of rumours by explaining to Dea Mcalister and Terrance Cook How their Friend shot himself. Sas John Millor january 12 1992 sunday a Page 5