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| Alice Cooper's song keeps going through my head, so I put the lyrics on the fridge |
Due to COVID restrictions, it was a most unusual ceremony. It was live-streamed and then posted on youtube. To see Ben's 25 seconds of fame, go to 2:16:50--
Glen has been spending some of the last couple of weeks in at school cleaning his classroom and auditorium and was able to turn in his school keys on Friday for the last time . Due to COVID-19, he did not have to go to the graduation ceremony (and he was fine with that as he didn't want to have attention on him as a retiring teacher). Thanks again, Glen, for being such a good provider for us.
This post will not do him justice or be complete, but here are some things that I recently collected to pay homage to my wonderful husband.
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| Adonna, the school nurse, gave Glen a parting gift (Purell) |
The following are things taken from facebook (including from a group started by our nephew, Michael, to honor Glen) and from a news article.
Kelli Perez--Thank you, Mr. Perazzo, for your time spent as an educator. We hope you enjoy your retirement!! ❤️
(I wish I had more photos of the productions on my computer, so I don't and this will have to do)
From the "Honoring Mr. Perazzo after 31 Years of Service!" facebook page (thanks, Michael! that was so sweet of you!):
Michael James Perazzo--As many of you may now, my Uncle Glen, or as most of us now him by, Mr. Perazzo, has been the Theatre teacher at Churchill County High School for the past 31 YEARS! He has brought joy to thousands of people through his teaching, his acting, his directing, his plays in general during that time! But now, as he is finishing up his last year before retiring, he won't be able to receive his well deserved standing ovation due to Covid-19! That's where this group comes in! Help me honor the greatest teacher CCHS has ever had by videos, or pictures or messages, however you choose to honor and thank Mr. Perazzo! Let it be a trip down memory lane! We love and thank you Mr. Perazzo! Have a happy retirement!
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| backstage at Annie |
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| as Horace Slughorn at a thing at the old movie theater |
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| Michael in front, Ryan in back of bus on a UTA Conference trip to Utah |
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| UTA trip--Hannah in the middle with Michael, Ryan, and Skylar behind her |
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| Hannah (left) and Michael (right) in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat |
Corrine Hellyar Christian --He was such a fun rambunctious teacher who taught us so much. Not just about being dramatic but about living each moment of our lives to the fullest💥 I remember seeing him on a camping trip and bringing his own chickens and rabbits with him live, so he could butcher them and make them into dinner like in the olden days. I remember trips to Ashland Oregon for Shakespearean festivals and how he immersed himself right into every setting. You taught me to chase after dreams and to not think small of myself. He taught me how to use my voice and demand respect. He taught us to engage with others with the most authentic feelings. He had a flair for lighting a fire under of person or waking them up to their own potential. He was more than a drama teacher - he was a life teacher. Thank you Glen for pouring into our young impressionable minds! You did a fabulous job and you should be proud👏👏👏
Kelli Perez--I unfortunately never took theatre in school, so I never had the pleasure of claiming Mr. Perazzo as a teacher. However, working alongside him as an adult on various productions and projects including serving with him on The Fallon Theatre Board of Directors has been an honor. Glen is dedicated, patient, and unendingly resourceful. He’s been an integral asset to the historical theatre and we’re lucky to have him! Thank you for all your work in and for the community, Glen!!
Robyn Jordan--I never had Mr. Perazzo for a teacher, but I loved going to his classes productions! Here are a few pictures from this past year.
- The Theatre 1 class presented a Christmas Carol at the Fallon Theatre.
- Mr. Perazzo giving a tour of the set from Arsenic and Old Lace on the Yellow Bus Tour of Schools. We went to Arsenic and Old Lace, honored to see some of his last productions as a CCHS instructor!
Rickey Reed--All I have to say is that you’re a great person and I will never forget Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat. I’ve still got the little hat hanging on my wall from that play I loved it
Hector Dork Anaya--Great guy!!!
Alexander Perazzo--Hello, Elder Perazzo here! The kid featured in the cover photo; Mr. Perazzo's son who's currently serving a mission in Salt Lake City, Utah for our Church.
I just wanted to add real quick that not only has my father been an awesome teacher (although I never had him for theater. Only World History), but he's been the best father I could have ever asked for.
He truly is the best example of Christ-like service I know and continues to help our whole family become more like Christ.
My dad is awesome.
Tabitha Lynn Johnson-Emhoolah--I don't have any pictures, but I did want to say a little something for Mr. Perazzo. He was such a unique teacher. He genuinely cared for his students. One of my favorite classes in high school was stage craft. I also loved assisting in back stage production for a few of the plays between 2010-2013. He really showed his love for the arts and was a wonderful person to learn from! Congrats on your retirement! I am so thankful I was able to learn from you throughout my high-school career. Stay rockin Mr. P!
Shauna LeBlanc--Glen, I hope you enjoy your retirement. You have been such a great asset to our community in more ways they you can possibly know. Thanks for all the memories. Thanks for all your help and teaching me the lights the past couple years. Best wishes for an awesome retirement!
Debra Clifford--Glen, it was a sincere honor to work with you at CCHS for the 8 years I was there. Your dedication and passion are truly contagious. Enjoy your retirement! You deserve it!
Allison Diegel--Mr. P was my teacher for all four years of my CCHS theater life in the late 90s.
Being a "theater kid" gave me - and so many others over all of Mr. Perazzo's years teaching - a sense of belonging that we couldn't find elsewhere. Over those four years in Mr. P's classes, I found my people, my community - my high school experience would certainly not have been the same without his class. I might not have been a star athete or a cheerleader, I wasn't an academic superstar, I wasn't the prettiest or most popular girl in school - but when I would step into that auditorium, I knew where I BELONGED. Mr. P made it a safe, creative space for all of us - even when we were too young and ego-driven to understand what a gift that was.
High school in general and theater classes have changed a lot since the 90s, and they will change even more without Mr. P there teaching - but and I am so proud and SO fortunate to be one of the kids who were a part of something big - all thanks to him.
Now, I am raising my own "theater kids", and I even teach a Theater class at Stars on Maine. Mr. P is never far from my mind when I am teaching - and on many afternoons, he is actually puttering around the theater in person! He often reminds me that I can call him Glen - and I often pretend I don't hear him - sorry, you will always be Mr. P to me! Thank you for providing that safe place and that sense of belonging for me - and for so many otherwise misplaced "theater kids" over the years! I'll see you around a different theater, Mr. P! #actwellthypart #thespiansdoitonstage
(picture: The Best Actress Glennie I won in 1998 for a little play called The Birds That Stay ❤)
(The above is a picture of a Glennie--meaning it was an award for an Advance Theatre production. Beginning productions earned Mini-Glennies and Semi-Glennies, as shown below)
Jared Lance Huston--So I actually got emotional while writing this... so bare with me!
Perazzo saw something in me in 7th grade and little did I know he was going to have the greatest impact on my life even 6 years after I’ve graduated. Perazzo welcomed me with open arms when I said “I want to be an actor!”. He listened to me, saw potential in my craft and pushed me further than I knew I was capable of. While in high school I attended 4 straight years of Utah Theatre Associations, Regional and State Thespian Festivals and competed at the International Thespian Festival representing Troupe #3918 twice. I served as a Nevada State Thespian Officer my junior year and represented Central Nevada theatre. I owe all of my theatrical success to Mr. P
My troupe and I had countless dinners and game nights at Perazzo’s house/farm. We went to Reno/Las Vegas to see SO MANY SHOWS & he got me into singing “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire” for someone’s birthday. (Only CCHS Thespians would know)
Secretly, because of Mr. P I always wanted to one day take over his job as a theatre teacher at CCHS once he retired.... but I would never have been able to leave the legacy that he has left inside those walls.
Mr. Perazzo, from the bottom of my performing heart, thank you so much for allowing me into the world of Theatre, being apart of Troupe #3918 and for seeing the talents I had within when I didn’t even know they were there. Mr. Perazzo, you showed me how to be a better actor on stage by showing me how to be a better person off stage. Thank you for that
Congratulations on your retirement! I am so thankful to have had you as my theatre teacher.
Congratulations on your retirement! I am so thankful to have had you as my theatre teacher.
And scene.
NEWS ARTICLE COMMENTS (which will be followed by the article):
Rickey Reed-- He’s a good man truly
George Tucker Jr. --One of the very best!
Donna Reed-- Glen will always be a part of everyone’s life, he’s a great person and best friend! We love him so.
Rickey Reed-- Donna Reed He is a saint in every meaning of the word
Noel Garcia--I loved his class! CCHS class of 2005
Joel Peixoto--Bravo! Take your bow, Perazzo. You've earned this retirement! We are all better people because of your teaching. So many great memories in that theatre.
Linnea Wolters--I was there when they hired you! Amazing memories you had a huge hand in!!! You had huge shoes to fill and pulled it off like a legend!!! Best wishes in your retirement!!!
Wes Ridenour--So glad to have had you as teacher and friend. There will never be another P.
Jennifer Knighton--You were my first of many theatre teachers - I went on to go to a performing arts high school after I moved and am now in LA acting, voiceover, etc. You helped me start that path.
Mary Hutchings--Congratulations, Glen. Well done.
Hanna Jardine Perazzo--I've never met someone who didn't love having Glen as a teacher. Congratulations on your retirement, Glen and Beth.
Merrill Yesslith-- Yay Glen! I was in your Theatre class when you first arrived at CCHS. We performed Diary of Anne Frank that school year. I was also in your Pyschology class at CCHS. You were/are great!
Christopher Nelson-- Mr P! Congratulations on your well deserved retirement. Growing up in Fallon, one wouldn’t expect to get a robust theatre experience, yet you gave of yourself day after day to give your most dramatic students opportunities to thrive. I have followed in your footsteps and have proudly become the high school theatre director in one of the countries 20 largest high schools. I continue to draw from your inspiration that benefitted me so much in my life and career. Thank you for ushering my young love of theatre so masterfully.
Jen Moberg-- Oh my goodness! Congratulations, Mr P!!! You were such a great teacher and the fact that you put up with our shenanigans over the years truly shows what an amazing educator you are!
Cheryl Bond-- Congratulations on your retirement, Glen! I remember being in plays with you during our high school years. It’s hard to believe that was thirty-mumble-mumble years ago.
Stacey Manning-- Happy Retirement, Glen! You were my teacher in HS and then I got to take some classes with you as a colleague after I became a teacher. :) May GOD bless your future endeavors!
Ryan Paul-- So many great memories in your classes, Mr. P! It was an honor to spend countless hours on your stage. Hope you enjoy many more trips to Reno just to buy some lightbulbs. 😉 Thank you for all your years of dedication to the very important arts. Enjoy your retirement!
Jennie Friesthler-- Glen, congratulations on your retirement. I enjoyed the many times we worked productions together and your terrific ideas. From reviews of former students, your input then just resounded what your future would hold. Fellow thespian and classmate Jennie Freeman Friesthler.
Gina Sidlow-- Congratulations 🎉 and thank you for all the great productions and classes!
Leslie Brown-- Thank you Glen for all of your patience and many years of talent and joy you gave to our entire community! Enjoy your retirement! 👏❤️🎶👏
Siss Smith-- Aww! Mr P you were one of the best teachers ever! It was a joy to be your student and nice to become a friend!
Woody Swenson-- Congrats Glen! Such a great career!! And for the few times I was able to-it was always a pleasure helping you behind the scenes! Break a leg!!👍
Patti Martin Anderson-- Glen you have truly been an amazing, caring teacher. The world and school is a better place because of you!!! ❤️
Naomi Brown-- Happy retirement! Congratulations for all you have done! Best wishes to you and Beth!
Viado Dee-- Glen is such a devoted teacher & a very nice man. Congrats Glen 🎉🍾
Star Olsen-- I remember watching "Anne Frank" way back in the early 90's when the theater department at CCHS was still a little room with 1/2 foot off the floor stage that would later become part of the lunch room. I couldn't wait to be part of a production after that! I feel so fortunate to have had Mr. P as a teacher through out high school. From Ceaser and theater history to Co-directing plays, I have tons of fun memories on the stage. The passion he has for theater has touched many students and I'm sure he has made the world a more entertaining place to be. It still feels weird to call you Glen now, but I will try my best!
"Act well your part; There all the honor lies"
Peggy Graham-- Enjoy your retirement Glen. You have earned it. Lots of neat things to volunteer to do. Best Wishes.
Shaunte Nordwall-- Happy retirement Mr. P!! Enjoy yourself, you deserve it!!
Lance Wright-- You were such an amazing teach Mr. P!! You will be missed!
Norma Sheley Klenakis-- Congrats & Best Wishes Glen!! 👏👏
Kimmie Lowman-- Congrats Mr. P!
Laurie Lynn-- Heard nothing but good things from my son about him.
Hopefully the district lets him actually retire lol
Stevie Koestner-- Good luck Glen..
Michelle A Murray-White-- Enjoy your Retirement Mr. P
Mary Kilpatrick-- Good luck 👍
Veronica Koelsch-- Jaramhe your drama teacher ❣️
Here's the nicest article written about Glen in a local paper on May 20th and published on facebook by Lahontan Valley News.
https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/longtime-theatre-teacher-ends-career-perazzo-switches-from-a-final-stage-production-to-online-theater-lessons/
Longtime theatre teacher ends career: Perazzo switches from a final stage production to online theater lessons
News | May 20, 2020
By Thomas Ranson lvnsports@yahoo.com
Glen Perazzo will retire at the end of the school year after spending 31 years teaching thousands of theatre and history students.
Over his 31-year teaching career when he directed and oversaw countless theatre productions, Glen Perazzo collected his fair share of neckties.
Varying in uniqueness and color, Perazzo decided this year to give them away to his students.
“Students would claim the tie I was wearing and at the end of the day, I’d take my tie off and staple it to the classroom wall with a little note tag with their name,” Perazzo said.
The line of ties grew along the first wall, wrapping around the corner and heading south on the east wall. Then the line stopped. Not because Perazzo ran out of his ties, which totaled more than 100. The line stopped because of COVID-19.
In March, the state of Nevada closed school campuses, leaving the districts to come up with a remote learning plan in a short time. Two weeks ago, the campus closure order was extended through the rest of the school year, which meant no more ties to be claimed by Perazzo’s students.
Perazzo didn’t imagine this is how his farewell tour would go.
Perazzo, who has taught theater at Churchill County High School for more than three decades, will see his curtain close for the final time when the school year ends despite the pandemic forcing him and his students to finish learning away from campus.
There won’t be any in-person goodbyes or final productions this month. Instead, Perazzo, who had a middle-school play contest canceled on March 14, has been left to his home to finish out instruction for the last two months of his teaching career, including substituting his spring play, “Leave it in Writing,” with once weekly GoToMeetings with his Theatre 234 class.
“We planned to perform it mid-April. We canceled our performance and focused next on exploring the massive theatre resources available on the internet,” he said.
Perazzo said the high school was set up with Google Classroom and Chromebooks before the pandemic closed school doors in March, but there have been challenges with teaching theatre without the in-person interaction.
“One of the challenges that I’ve had in the process of teaching from home is balancing rigor with compassion,” Perazzo said. “As an educator, I still have my curriculum that I wanted to get through. The students were still receiving credit for schooling.”
Like his peers, Perazzo needed to improvise and adapt with distance learning. What worked in the classroom was not going to be the same remotely. Perazzo said he tried to “maintain that rigor with short daily lessons” but he reached out to administration, which gave him direction to understand about his students.
“(They) must take responsibility for their own learning and if they don’t do the lessons that the teacher presents, it’s the student that is missing out on the learning opportunity and they will lack in the knowledge of that subject and material,” Perazzo said.
Instead of working on production sets or memorizing lines to be read in front of a packed auditorium, students have been diving into the classics. Beginning and Advanced Theatre classes have been reading abridged versions of classic plays, which Perazzo said didn’t happen during normal circumstances.
“We would be in rehearsals for our own production and that’s where all of our focus would be,” he said. “This weekly play reading activity will expose the students to a wider range of plays and playwrights than they would have been otherwise.”
Among other surprises and positives, Perazzo, who’s normally cooped up in his classroom or on the stage with his students, has been able to take in the weather during breaks, working on his yard.
“During this time for the past 31 years, I’d be in rehearsal with my own plays, working in the auditorium for some other event or building sets late into the night and many Saturdays for musicals,” Perazzo said. “It’s been nice to work from home where I conduct my classes from my office and venture outside for a bit to work in the yard as well.”
Through the years, he’s instructed thousands of students and has the neckties to show for it. He’s advised the International Thespian Society and National Honor Society, and he’s taught his children. Although he will never be able to see whether his line of ties would be able to wrap another corner, Perazzo felt it was his time to step aside.
“I’ve had so much fun in the past 31 years. I thought it would only be right to let someone else come along and have some fun,” Perazzo said. “What a way to retire.”
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