THEATRE COURSES
ACTING 1: Grades 9-12. No Prerequisites. 1 Term.
Acting 1 emphasizes the basic skills and techniques of the actor including concentration, imagination, observation, and ensemble. The course provides students the opportunity to investigate the craft of acting, while encouraging guided practice of improvisation, scenes from comedic and dramatic plays, and acting training techniques, which develop performance skills. This one-term course cultivates a sense of community among the participants and heightens each student’s self-confidence.
ACTING 2: Grades 10-12. Prerequisite: Acting 1. 1 Term.
Acting 2 is designed to meet the needs of the student who is interested in furthering acting skills and training the actor’s instrument. The student studies concentration, observation, sensory skills, movement, voice and articulation, and characterization. Students will engage in both improvised and scripted/memorized scene work. Emphasis is placed on in-depth character analysis, movement, and relationship communication. Acting 1 is a prerequisite for Acting 2.
DIRECTING: Grades 11-12. Prerequisites: Acting 1 and Acting 2. 1 Term.
This course is designed to give students the fundamental knowledge of the creative and artistic process of directing for the theatre. Students will explore the work of accomplished directors and get hands-on experience directing their peers in monologues, scenes, devised pieces, and short plays. The course will culminate in a workshop production of student-directed work at the end of the term. Acting 1 and Acting 2 are prerequisites for Directing.
IMPROVISATION AND COMEDY STUDIES: Grades 9-12. No Prerequisites. 1 Term.
Students will gain experience in improvisation as a building block for both non-script based performance as well as sketch comedy. The course will focus on improvisation as a tool for use in traditional theatre as well as a performance genre in its own right. Students will learn to create authentic improvisation based characters and solid scene structures through individual work while appreciating the mechanics and ethics of an improvisational ensemble.
EDUCATIONAL THEATRE: Grades 11-12. Prerequisites: Acting 1, Acting 2, and instructor approval. 1 Term.
This course provides a leadership opportunity for experienced theatre students to serve as a teaching assistant in either Acting 1, Acting 2, or Improvisation courses. Selected students will lead warm-ups, guide feedback sessions, model performance work, support rehearsals, and sometimes take part in performance work. This course replaces the traditional "TA" position and allows students to earn a full credit and letter grade for their work. Interested students should contact Mrs. Gerber for approval.
ADVANCED THEATRE PERFORMANCE: Grade 12. Prerequisites: Directing and instructor approval. 1 Term.
This independent study option runs concurrent to the Directing class and provides students with the opportunity to further their theatre education through an independent study project in the area of their choosing. Potential topics could include playwriting, stage management, advanced scene performance, monologue portfolio creation, commedia dell'arte, devised theatre, theatrical design, classical drama, and more. Interested students should submit an application with their topic proposal to Mrs. Gerber.
Acting 1 emphasizes the basic skills and techniques of the actor including concentration, imagination, observation, and ensemble. The course provides students the opportunity to investigate the craft of acting, while encouraging guided practice of improvisation, scenes from comedic and dramatic plays, and acting training techniques, which develop performance skills. This one-term course cultivates a sense of community among the participants and heightens each student’s self-confidence.
ACTING 2: Grades 10-12. Prerequisite: Acting 1. 1 Term.
Acting 2 is designed to meet the needs of the student who is interested in furthering acting skills and training the actor’s instrument. The student studies concentration, observation, sensory skills, movement, voice and articulation, and characterization. Students will engage in both improvised and scripted/memorized scene work. Emphasis is placed on in-depth character analysis, movement, and relationship communication. Acting 1 is a prerequisite for Acting 2.
DIRECTING: Grades 11-12. Prerequisites: Acting 1 and Acting 2. 1 Term.
This course is designed to give students the fundamental knowledge of the creative and artistic process of directing for the theatre. Students will explore the work of accomplished directors and get hands-on experience directing their peers in monologues, scenes, devised pieces, and short plays. The course will culminate in a workshop production of student-directed work at the end of the term. Acting 1 and Acting 2 are prerequisites for Directing.
IMPROVISATION AND COMEDY STUDIES: Grades 9-12. No Prerequisites. 1 Term.
Students will gain experience in improvisation as a building block for both non-script based performance as well as sketch comedy. The course will focus on improvisation as a tool for use in traditional theatre as well as a performance genre in its own right. Students will learn to create authentic improvisation based characters and solid scene structures through individual work while appreciating the mechanics and ethics of an improvisational ensemble.
EDUCATIONAL THEATRE: Grades 11-12. Prerequisites: Acting 1, Acting 2, and instructor approval. 1 Term.
This course provides a leadership opportunity for experienced theatre students to serve as a teaching assistant in either Acting 1, Acting 2, or Improvisation courses. Selected students will lead warm-ups, guide feedback sessions, model performance work, support rehearsals, and sometimes take part in performance work. This course replaces the traditional "TA" position and allows students to earn a full credit and letter grade for their work. Interested students should contact Mrs. Gerber for approval.
ADVANCED THEATRE PERFORMANCE: Grade 12. Prerequisites: Directing and instructor approval. 1 Term.
This independent study option runs concurrent to the Directing class and provides students with the opportunity to further their theatre education through an independent study project in the area of their choosing. Potential topics could include playwriting, stage management, advanced scene performance, monologue portfolio creation, commedia dell'arte, devised theatre, theatrical design, classical drama, and more. Interested students should submit an application with their topic proposal to Mrs. Gerber.
| Advanced Theatre Performance Application |
