THEATRE

Course Offerings

Acting 1 and 2

Students will engage in exercises that focus  on creating an  ensemble and on developing  themselves as actors. Fundamental work on  the actor’s imagination, voice and body*, and the fundamentals of acting. Students will learn how to craft specifically and work organically with their attention on their scene partner and the demands of the script. Basic vocabulary and  the fundamentals of acting will be explored through acting exercises, improvisation, scripted work and traditional scene study. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own work  as they learn about dramatic structure and different ways of approaching a role. Students will work on close to self scenes and monologues from published plays, as well as ensemble based projects.

In the movement portion of the course, students will approach making theatre through a sense of spatial understanding and understanding their body in space. Students will learn to make compositions using non-traditional and traditional theatre techniques and understand the use of their body as an acting instrument on the stage. Actors will learn how to go from “actors neutral” to an activated body so that they are fully physically engaged in the imaginary world.

Acting 3 and 4

This acting class focuses on scene study, script analysis and character development. Students will learn how to apply the fundamentals of acting to scenes with higher emotional stakes and take on roles that will challenge them as actors. Students will sharpen their observational skills, and learn to bring their unique pov and make acting choices based on their careful reading and understanding of the script and the given circumstances of the play. Techniques from various actor training methods will be used to develop the actor with an emphasis on truth, responsiveness and creativity.  Students will spend time working with scene partners, small groups and individually. Through the use of improvisation and physical theatre students expand on character development and  physicality. Students will also engage in creative writing projects as they explore play structure and character development.

Acting 5 and 6

Junior Acting Studio is an advanced scene study class that builds on the fundamentals of acting and gives students the opportunity to work on scenes that challenge and stretch them as actors. Students will explore a range of characters in different time periods and/or heightened circumstances. Students  will work on scenes that  require them to take risks and  create characters that are far from self. In the spring semester students will take on heightened  language and explore Shakespeare and his contemporaries as well as other playwrights whose use of language challenges the actor. Text in prose and verse will be explored. Students will work with their core acting teacher on voice and speech and movement in preparation for their scenes. 

Acting 7 and 8

Senior Acting Studio is designed to expand on the skills learned in the previous three years and to prepare students for the professional world or for college BFA/BA Acting Programs. Seniors learn how to work with directors and in large groups for a sustained period of time. Each performance opportunity gives the student exposure to different performance tasks that help them grow as actors with an emphasis on honing their craft for career readiness. Students will engage as an ensemble. Students will identify specific profession goals and work towards achieving them. Students will learn how to audition, rehearse and perform a large body of work and fully realised productions. Students will identify goals and the application of their skillset to life beyond high school.

Movement and Styles for Actors

Students will learn a set of physical skills necessary for a career in the theater: pantomime, stage combat, juggling, puppetry,  period styles, farce, Kabuki, Greek and other physical movement training will be explored to expand the actors instrument and insight into a wider range of physical theatre skills and styles.

Voice and Speech 1

This course introduces the students to Voice and Speech for the actor. Using a variety of Voice and Speech techniques students will expand their knowledge and use of their voice for work on stage. Students will experience a  range of  vocal exercises that include work on breath control, placement, articulation, projection and vocal variation.

Voice and Speech 2 and Heightened Language

This course builds on the foundational voice and speech work explored during freshman year to emphasize  the development of  the student’s authentic voice and explore rich dramatic text in prose and verse. Students will apply  the foundational skills to create work using a  full range of voice that is performance ready. Students will expand upon techniques learned  during their freshman and sophomore years and apply that work to text by playwrights like Wilson, Shepard, Wilde, Shaw and Shakespeare.

Improvisation and Theatre Workshop 1 and 2

Students are offered classes that support their development as actors. Special workshops may include improvisation, devised theatre, ensemble theatre, social-justice, playwriting & working on camera.