Theatre

Grade: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Credit: .25

The main cast of the Simpson and Family Guy are only a handful of people. Each cast member plays multiple characters per each episode. This class will explore the world of the voice performer. We will go over vocal placement to achieve the perfect pod-cast voice, accents, vocal characters and sounds, and playwrighting. There will not be any public or class performances. We will be working with podcast apps and Garage Band to make recordings in place of being in front of an audience.  Homework for this class will only occur if you do not finish projects during class time.
 

Grades: 9-12 
Prerequisite: None 
Credit: .25  

Acting I is an orientation course focusing on the skills and techniques used by actors. Students will learn how to use their voice (diction, projection, inflection, emotion), as well as their bodies (gestures, tension, facial expression) to convey characters. These skills will be applied to, monologues and scene work throughout the class. No previous acting experience is required for participation in this class.
 

Grades: 9-12
Prerequisites: None
Credit: .25

Formerly titled IMPROV II. This class will focus on different versions of long-form improv, styles of comedy, and sketch comedy writing in the style of SNL, Monty Python, Key & Peele. At the end of the term, students will be able to share their sketches with an invited audience.
 

Grades: 9-12
Prerequisite: None 
Credit: .25 

Improvisation is actors creating relationships, conflicts, dialogue and plot off the top of their heads. The class will provide the skills, control, confidence, mental agility, trust, and spontaneity all of which allow students to improvise. There will be a component of comedy writing for beginners, as well as basic long-form improv. Both of these elements will be elaborated in Comedy Sketch Writing  class.
 

Grades: 9-12
Prerequisites: None
Credit: .25           

An introduction class to the skills of Musical Theater. Students will have the chance to work and perform songs and pieces from modern musicals as well as traditional musical material. An emphasis on performing solos, duets, and chorus numbers, with basic choreography, will be incorporated into class curriculum. No pre-requisite, or previous Spring Musical experience is required.
 

Grades: 9-12 
Prerequisites: None 
Credit: .5 

Stagecraft I is designed to provide introductory practical level technical and production disciplines to students. This includes set design and construction, sound design, lighting design, properties production, costume design, hair, and makeup.  This course introduces students to the basic fundamentals of design, which are the same for theatre, architectural design, and fine arts. Stagecraft I is a lecture and demonstration course with an emphasis on creative projects and emphasizes the exploration process and communication tools that designers use to solve problems and communicate design ideas. 
 

Grades: 9-12
Prerequisites: Stagecraft I
Credit: .5

Building upon the foundational technical skills, creative problem-solving abilities, and effective communication developed in Stagecraft I, Stagecraft II offers students an immersive exploration into the specialized world of theatrical design. This course invites participants to apply their acquired knowledge to one specific area of design, fostering a deeper understanding and mastery of the skills required for successful execution. 

Discover the essential art of model making, a cornerstone of theatrical set design. In this course, students will learn to create detailed, scaled models that bring stage concepts to life, aiding in the design and visualization of theatrical productions. While the focus is on theater, the skills and techniques taugh, such as precision crafting, spatial planning, and visual storytelling are also invaluable in fields like filmmaking, architecture, museum exhibit design, and diorama creation. This course is ideal for those passionate about theater and eager to explore how these versatile design practices extend into other creative industries.
 

Grade: 9-12
Prerequisite: None
Credit: .25

This Theater History class will be on a yearly rotation of topics. We will explore the origins of theater in this non-performing class. Spending time looking at Ancient Greek Theater, Japanese Noh and Kabuki, Indian Kathakali, African ritual and performance, and Indigenous American ceremonies and storytelling, we will see how they all have similar roots – especially masks. Throughout the class, we will spend time constructing different sorts of masks based on based on characteristics of certain styles: Large expressive masks to see from far away (Ancient Greek), small masks with visibility only to the sides (Noh), character masks (Kathakali and Kabuki) . Homework for this class will only occur if students do not finish projects during class time.
 

Grades: 9-12
Prerequisites: None 
Credit: .5 

This semester-long course ties directly to the Winter Play. Class time will be split researching and discussing the play, playwright, historical context, and culture along with actual rehearsal and crew build/work time. All students will be assigned a crew responsibility (props, marketing, build), and students who wish to audition for a role can. All students will be a part of a crew; however, you do not have to be a performer. Rehearsals for the play will take place during class time, as well as after school during the months of December and January. The Winter Show is performed at the end of January. To be in class, students need to commit to being in the production in January. 

The 2025-2026 Winter Show will be Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind: 45 plays in 90 minutes by the Neo-Futurists. This is a collection of 90 plays that we, as a group, will decide to pick 45 plays from. Each two-minute play is performed in random order that the audience decides on. An onstage 90-minute timer keeps everyone honest, and when the clock reaches 0 - the show is over.  The plays vary in style from comedic, tragic, anti-theater, and absurd.