Seventh Grade Drama introduces students to life onstage and all the imaginative possibilities that lie within. The class addresses introductory concepts such as personal presentation, projection, movement and more, all with the goal of boosting confidence in front of an audience. Students discover their own avenues for expressing themselves and learn the tools used to effectively communicate a story. Through theater games, a variety of scripts and assorted exercises, students develop characters and learn to deliver performances in a fun and supportive environment.

Eighth Grade Drama is a further exploration of concepts presented in the 7th grade, with an additional emphasis on production. In the first quarter, students focus on acting technique needed for performance and apply it to improvised and scripted exercises. Additionally, students have an opportunity to learn the production components (such as lighting, sound, directing and more) involved in creating a show. Together the class produces a short play for public presentation and celebration of their achievements.

Drama 1 explores the world of theater through many facets including acting technique, scene study, drama history, production elements and more. What is theater? How does the art form represent life? What role does it play in present society? The class dives into historical worlds and draws connections to our contemporary perspectives. Through improvisation, observation, character development and performance technique, the actor brings to life stories that are diverse and engaging. The course also examines the technical side of theatrical production, including space, lights, sound, makeup and more.

The Drama 2 course focuses on the individual actor’s artistry by exploring different acting techniques.  What is acting? How does an actor connect? Students will learn a variety of different acting styles and techniques including Meisner, Strasberg, Adler, Grotowski, and more. As a class, we strive to capture the present moment as an impetus for all stage life within a given reality and to examine emotional response as a basis for action. Students take a deep dive into their own personal experiences to explore truth in character. Through studying the artist’s process, the class builds a foundation for performance and each student develops an individual technique via diverse styles of scene study performance, acting exercises, storytelling, and improvisation. Over the course of the year, the student discovers their own approach to developing and portraying characters onstage within a collaborative atmosphere.

The mission of Drama 3 is to empower students to produce original performance pieces and to reimagine existing works.  Theatrical development is the art of sparking an idea, setting an intention, putting it into action, designing an outcome, and presenting it to an audience.  How do you sculpt a piece that lands a message?  From studying dramatic theory, diverse artistic forms and styles, the class acquires essential tools to initiate their own individual process in a collaborative setting. The driving force behind theatrical production is a study of human identity and the relationships between our immediate, local, and global selves. Students analyze the many ways to tell a story using spoken word, music, and movement across different forms, including adapting diverse sources to the stage, devising original pieces, exploring site-specific work, and experiencing performance art. The course culminates in an original theatrical demonstration of the students’ own devising with exhibitions of work throughout the year.

Drama 4 is an amalgamation of theater training accrued over the years by applying skills to a codified production company.  Each student is an active collaborator, artist, visionary and entrepreneur. Through script analysis, dramaturgical study, students propose creative choices through character/relationship study, design, and performance intent. Why this piece now? Through the partnership of artistry and business, this student-driven process showcases individual acting techniques, inquiry, and the synthesis of ideas while actualizing a dramatic piece. Additionally, students will have opportunities to connect with the greater Los Angeles professional world by seeing and studying live performances and engaging in artistic collaborations.  The company will have opportunities to produce and present its own works throughout the year.