Acting &
Advanced Acting

Mrs. Pacht

Greek Theatre

Acting students studied Greek Comedies and Tragedies, analyzing the works of Aristophanes (The Birds) and Sophocles (Antigone) through scripts and movie clips. Students worked together to create original tragedies in the Greek format and presented them to the class.

Commedia dell'Arte

Acting and Advanced Acting students studied the Commedia dell'Arte, the original form of improvisational comedy from the Italian Renaissance. Through texts and internet resources, they did research on a specific stock character and chose their method of introducing them to the class, including their specific masks. Students then rehearsed and performed traditional and modern "lazzi" as their characters.

Playwriting

In Acting and Advanced Acting classes, students have studied story structure, characterization, and conflict. Using different prompts, students have written monologues, scenes, speeches, and commercials.

Voice Acting

Advanced Acting class did some accent and voice over work this semester, looking at careers in commercial and voice over acting. Partnering with Stagecraft students, during their unit on Sound Design and the art of Foley, these talented actors recorded a radio play version of the classic play, Arsenic and Old Lace. Here is a preview of that virtual production.

Stanislavski Process

Acting students learned the Stanislavski Process for Acting in realism. The process follows the practice of informed acting, where actors use the given circumstances and objectives of the playwright combined with emotional recall and the "magic if." They used this process in performing monologues and scenes in class (and while studying remotely).

The Stanislavski System

Improv & Pantomime

Through games and activities, students had the opportunity to explore the world of Improv and Pantomime. These activities help to build important life skills, like creative problem solving, collaboration, active listening, and quick thinking!

Washington Project: 2021

Mrs. Pacht facilitated and directed high school students from around the Hudson Valley in The Washington Project – History Comes Alive! Students learned from historic interpreters from Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh, to write and perform their own theatrical and musical performance pieces based on real events. Here are some moments from this year's virtual presentation featuring some awesome MW talent!

Spring Musical

Monroe-Woodbury High School proudly presents “Working, a musical,” drawn from the novel by Studs Terkel as adapted by Stephen Schwartz, and Nina Faso, with additional contributions by Gordon Greenberg. The score includes songs by Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Rogers and Susan Birkenhead, Steven Schwartz and James Taylor. You don’t want to miss this celebration of American workers!

Watch it alone or with friends June 4 & 5. Tickets are sold per person by streaming device, with special pricing for groups watching together. https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/52593