Theatre
Theatre at Milton High School
The Milton High School Theatre Program strives to foster an inclusive and collaborative community where students interested in theater arts can explore and develop their talents in the areas of performance and technical theater. Through engagement with theater, we hope to elicit our student's self-expression, artistry, creative and critical thinking, and leadership skills. By setting high expectations for our students on-stage and off, the directors hope to inspire MHS students to be well-rounded students of theater who are ready to bring important stories to our wider community.
For the 2023-2024 School year, the first MHS Theatre Production will was Seussical The Musical! The Spring Production is Footloose the Musical!
STEPHEN MARKARIAN, Director
LAURA MARKARIAN Director & Choreographer
ANDREW SMITH Music Director
For questions about High School Theatre
Contact Laura & Stephen Markarian at lmarkarian@miltonps.org or smarkarian@miltonps.org
About BOXCAR STAGE CO.
We’re Stephen, Laura, Andrew, and Caitlin - a group of four best friends who have been working together running theater education programs for the past decade.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we all found ourselves back in Boston, after spending years apart across New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and New Haven. With our lives as theater and music professionals put on hold, we began work with a group of teenagers on a masked, socially distanced production of Into the Woods - a production that would never get to be performed in front of an audience. Though we knew the students would never be able to share the show live, we still designed a full production with sets, costumes and lights.
At a time that was incredibly dark across the globe, we carved out a space where we, and the teenagers we were working with, could connect and create. We rediscovered theater’s unique power to build community and to help students unlock their confidence and potential - and we were reminded of how much we all love working together.
Soon after Into the Woods, we started dreaming of what our own theater education business could look like. We bought a whiteboard, made a Pinterest board, and even started looking at real estate. Three years later after many brainstorming sessions fueled by Dunkin’ Donuts cold brew and many conversations over meals from Mr. Chans, we are so excited to be launching Boxcar Stage Company.
Theatre at Pierce Middle School
Drama - Grade 6
Grade 6 Drama is a semester long class which introduces students to the major concepts of Theater Arts. Skills such as observation, concentration, memory, and audience etiquette are emphasized. Students practice pantomime, improvisation, dramatic reenactments, and general performance principles, culminating in the analysis, staging, and performance of short, comic skits.
Drama - Grade 7
Grade 7 Drama is a year long class in which students continue to develop the skills and concepts introduced in the sixth grade course. Special emphasis is placed on pantomime, conveying emotion, character development and staging skits. Student will study several well-known plays, as well as try their hand at play-writing and perform their original works.
Theater Appreciation - Grade 8
Theater Appreciation is a year long class which exposes students to all aspects of theater arts from the perspective of the audience, the performer, and the backstage technician. This is achieved through the academic examination of the six elements of theater (audience, stage, script, performer, technical support, and director) and the study of several classic plays.
Acting - Grade 8
Acting is a year long class in which students develop and enhance performance skills utilized both on stage and in film. The major emphasis of this course is on improvisation, script analysis, and character development through theater exercises and scene work. Students will engage in a variety of performance projects to be presented for their classmates. Active participation and script memorizing is required.
Pierce Players
Founded in 1996, the Pierce Players is the Pierce Middle School’s after school drama club. Each year, two full-scale productions are produced. The Pierce Players accepts any student who wishes to be in the cast or crew and can adhere to the club’s requirements. Through a rigorous rehearsal process and live performances, participating students are challenged to learn about theater arts, their community, and themselves.
Questions about Theatre at Pierce? Contact Bill Deschenes at wdeschenes@miltonps.org