The Theater Arts Program is designed to develop performance and production skills, creative collaboration, and aesthetic appreciation of Theatre at the highest possible level. The process of Theatre Arts study enhances the development of creative and critical thinking skills, affords opportunities to build individual and group work ethics, and increases achievement through both individual and collective efforts. All Theatre Arts courses satisfy the Fine Arts graduation requirement. The Theatre Arts Program affords opportunities in co-curricular productions that allow for mastery and application of performance and production skills taught in Theatre Arts courses. 

Theatre I: Principles of Acting 

Credits: 5 

Course Length: Full Year 

Grade Level: 9 - 12

 Theatre I: Principles of Acting is designed to introduce students to improvisation and character development skills. Students begin the course by working as an ensemble to create improvised scenes that plan and present movements and execute stage directions. Students will become familiar with acting techniques created by Stanislavski and Uta Hagen to create believable objectives and actions in order to generate physical and emotional involvement. These techniques will help students master the understanding of character development and analysis. Students will perform monologues with emphasis placed on given circumstances, character objectives, beat-by-beat analysis, and emotional memory recall. The interrelationship of an actor and director in the rehearsal process is explored. This will allow students to experience staging and characterization as well as learn about the basics of directing and design. 

Theater II: Advanced Scene Study

Credits: 5 

Course Length: Full Year 

Grade Level: 10 - 12 

Backstage Elements 

Credits: 5 

Course Length: Full Year 

Grade Level: 9 - 12 

Backstage Elements is designed for students with an extreme interest in learning the behind the scenes aspects of technical theater and stage production. The class provides students with a basic understanding of design, construction and/or use of theatrical scenery properties, lighting equipment, sound equipment, theatrical rigging systems, and the proper and safe use of tools associated with these areas. This hands-on course will teach students the skills necessary to implement both prop and set designs on paper to actual practical application by working on two musical productions. Students will read scripts and identify technical theatre elements needed for them such as props, scenery, lights, and costumes. Students will develop the physical, conceptual, and intellectual skills associated with identifying technical theatre elements by locating the resources needed to support a production such as identifying how the history, place, time, and social structure of the scripted play determine the production concept and requires strong research, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Through these activities, technical theatre vocabulary as well as careers exploration in theatre will be introduced. Leadership, teamwork, and critical thinking will also be developed and practiced by collaborating with others.