Questions from a newbie

<p>Hey all! Just found the site yesterday, and it's been an interesting read so far. I'm applying to Yale EA, but I had a few questions about the app, and you guys seem to be experts at this. :P Just some background info, international Asian male, lived in the Middle East for 11 years. Small private school (70 kids in the class), in top 10%, maybe higher.</p>

<p>My main passion is theatre, specifically technical theatre. It's clear to see on my ECs and I know my drama teacher wrote about it in his recommendation, but should I still elaborate on it in the short answer or the essay? Because for the CommonApp short answer, I was thinking about writing about my senior project of creating a whole new tv show for our school from scratch since my school doesn't offer programs in video editing, and I had an idea for the CommonApp essay that does not mention theater at all. So how else can I show my interest for theatre?</p>

<p>About EC: My ECs reflect my passion for the arts (Student director for HS theater productions, stage manager, chamber choir, talent show, piano for 12 years, etc.). But most of my other ECs, I've only done for two years max, and there are only about four of them. Will this count against me? :S</p>

<p>Recommendation: I asked my AP Eng. Lang. teacher to write one of my recommendations, and I'm not worried about that. However, I did also ask my drama teacher, who taught me in 10th grade but also worked with me for 2 years now on the school theater productions, to write my other one. Was this a bad idea? Should I ask a core subject teacher?</p>

<p>And do high honor rolls and "best student in this subject" awards count, or are they too "trivial"?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>