Hi! I'm so glad you found your way here.
I'm Marie, and I've been teaching high school Theatre and ELA since 2007.
I hold a Master's degree in Theatre Arts. I've directed more productions than I can count. I've taught all four grades of high school English, run programs with no budget and no support staff, and kept showing up — for my students, for my craft, and for the profession — through everything the last several years have thrown at educators.
I teach in the school district where I grew up, where my own kids go to school, and where I genuinely intend to keep teaching for as long as I possibly can.
Why The Caffeinated Classroom exists
Nobody handed me a ready-to-teach curriculum when I first started. Nobody gave me an audition system, a production contract, a unit plan, or a communication template. I built everything myself - usually the night before I needed it - and then rebuilt it again when my students or my circumstances changed.
For a long time, I thought that was just part of the job. Turns out, it's just part of the isolation that too many teachers experience without ever naming it.
The Caffeinated Classroom started as a place to share ideas, and over the years it has grown into something more - a real resource for Theatre and ELA teachers who want to teach effectively, lead strong programs, and still have a life outside of school.
What you'll find here
YouTube videos - real classroom snapshots, lesson breakdowns, honest teaching reflections, & more
Monthly lesson plans - exactly what I'm teaching in my Theatre and ELA classrooms, shared for free
Blog posts - ideas, strategies, and the occasional rant about the state of arts & public education
The Drama Teacher Lab - my full membership library for theatre teachers who are ready for more than inspiration
Where to start
If you're new here, the best place to start is the free Drama Class Starter Kit — six ready-to-use classroom templates that give you a real sense of what my resources look and feel like.
If you're a Theatre teacher looking for something more comprehensive, take a look at The Drama Teacher Lab. It's the resource library I spent nearly twenty years building - and it keeps growing.
And if you just want to see what's happening in my classroom right now, come find me on Instagram or YouTube. :)