Course Descriptions

Theatre Management (9-12):  (1 sem.) This course teaches the elements of theatre, house and stage management through the development of organizational techniques for personnel and technical elements. The students will be expected to create a prompt script with  marked technical cues, learn to run a show technically and work on management crews.  

Advanced Theatre Management I-II: (11-12) (Full year) Prerequisite:  Theatre Management. This is an advanced course in Theatre Management with focus on production management and organizational aspects of productions. This course assigns students to production management responsibilities throughout the performance calendar year. Students in this new course may be eligible for theatre management internships.

Introduction to Plays and Playwrights:  (9) (1 Sem) Required course for new students, this course is designed to teach the elements of a script and to give students an appreciation of dramatic literature.

Beginning Playwriting:  (10-12) (Full year) This class introduces students to the discipline of playwriting.  The course covers character development, dialogue and dramatic structure.  Many of the classes are writing labs and the students are expected to work with focus and concentration for long periods of times.  There is emphasis on discussion; the students learn how to listen to the work of their peers and to give appropriate feedback. The bulk of class work is writing exercises targeting specific skills, culminating in the writing and rewriting of a one act play during the spring semester.

Advanced Playwriting I & II:  (11 & 12)  (Full year) Advanced Playwriting I & II build on the skills developed in Beginning Playwriting.  In Beginning, the students explored a variety of styles and subject matter.  In Advanced, they are encouraged to develop their own voice, and find the writing style that is most authentic for them. There is a major emphasis on the reading and discussing of student work. Several full length plays by major authors are studied. Many classes are writing labs where students are expected to use their time responsibly.  In addition to the major projects, there are a number of shorter, skill-building writing exercises. The final project is producing an evening of 5 or 6 short plays written by select seniors.

Beginning Acting: (9) (1 sem) is a required one semester course for all students new to the Theatre Cluster.  It is an introductory course designed to teach  many of the basic elements of acting. Basic theatrical vocabulary will also be learned. Masks will be explored.  A process of character development will be learned and used by the students.  The students will create their characters physically and emotionally within the given circumstances of the playwright.  A notebook which incorporates these elements as well as research, subtext and a complex character analysis will be developed.  The students will use improv, monologues and scenes during the semester.

Beginning Diction: (9) (1 sem) This is a required first year class designed to introduce students to the components of basic voice and speech.  They learn a comprehensive physical and vocal warm up.  They learn how to breathe using diaphragmatic support and a clear, open passageway.  They study the sounds of words, practicing exercises that develop clear articulation. Each six weeks ends with a performance of a piece of text that utilizes what they have been studying.

Acting Problems (required) 10-12 (1 sem) Acting Problems follows Beginning Acting. It is designed to take a step further into the study of acting by isolating specific aspects of acting that students will encounter, that could be problematic without some training in these areas. We will cover auditioning, the identifying and performance of objectives, identification of stages and the positioning of the body on these stages, a working use of the International Phonetic Alphabet, and the following dialects: Standard American, Standard British, and Cockney.

Comedy: (10-12) (1 sem) In comedy, students will identify what is considered funny and what they think is funny. They will become acquainted with the Comedy Ladder and be able to identify the various forms and styles of comedy. Students will be able to define, identify and perform the elements, techniques and of comedy. Students will also be able to view and study various comedic performances by film performers.

Intermediate Diction:   (11-12) (1 sem)  Intermediate Diction builds on the skills developed in Beginning Diction, Beginning Mime and Movement and Acting Problems.  There is a brief review of the  vocal warm up and articulation exercises, but the students are expected to have a working understanding of the vocal process and their own strengths and weaknesses. The course also addresses individual needs for improved articulation and breath support.  The primary focus is on addressing text through vocal work, and includes use of the Laban efforts (originally taught in Beginning Mime and Movement). The students work with texts from Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and other writers using complex language.  The students will continue to work on the Standard American and Standard British accent using the International Phonetic Alphabet introduced in Acting Problems.

Commedia del’ Arte (11-12) (1 sem)  This acting class teaches the performance elements of the Commedia del' Arte performance style.  Students will study theatre history related to Commedia del’ Arte, and the classical performance style. In this class, students will learn juggling and various clowning skills. All the skills and techniques learned in the class will build on the elements and techniques from the Comedy class.

Modern Scene Study- 11-12 (1 sem) Scene study is geared toward giving the student an opportunity to act in and experience a wide array of American playwrights from the 20^th century. Students will do an in-depth study of scenes from (but, not limited to) such playwrights as Miller, Odets, O’Neill, Simon, Anderson, and Williams

Monologue Study:  (11-12) (1 sem) Course for a student who is interested in learning acting. The students will be preparing at least three monologues—one type, one character and one classical—to have them ready for auditions for colleges and in professional settings.  The class requires an in-depth study of the characters. The character notebook learned in Beginning Acting will be used.  In addition, the students will create characters using the Elements of the Arts used by Paul Baker.

Improvisational Acting:  (11-12) (1 sem) Course designed to teach the basic elements required in improvisational acting and to study ways to use these elements as a performer.  Improvisation is a tool that serious students of acting can use to create complex three dimensional characters.  The focus will be on using improvisation to study characters in complex emotional settings

Stage Combat: (11-12) (1 sem) This course is  designed to teach the basics of arm to arm combat and sword and dagger fighting. Students will learn safety, control and choreography in the various skills of stage combat.  

Advanced Acting LAB: (12) (Full year)  This is an acting internship in co-ordination with the Dallas Theatre Center. The two-semester Advanced Acting Class will examine specific techniques and methods used by an actor to create and sustain a role in contemporary and classical theatrical productions.

Beginning Mime and Movement: (9) (1 sem)  This is a required course for all new students. This course teaches the elements and techniques of Mime and the Laban Eight Efforts. It is designed to help the students learn to communicate with their bodies and to develop agility and promote dexterity. Further, it aids students in the connection of the performer’s subtext and emotion to movement. Students will also learn the vocabulary associate with mime and movement.

Mime Troupe I – III: (10-12) (Full year) Mime Troupe is an auditioned class. It is advanced study, through mime and mask work, in developing acting and mime skills. Students are able to take the course for three years, if eligible. There is a required performance component leading to a full-length production. Students will perform for public occasions. As students advance, technique should improve, larger roles will be taken and leadership positions will be expected.

Directing  Beg/Advanced:  (12) (Full year) This course is for seniors, and is designed to develop directing skills.  In the first semester, students will analyze, work with the playwright, cast and direct a 10 minute play festival. These will be part of the 10 minute play festival. Second semester, students will select a one act play, analyze, cast and direct the play to be performed in a directing festival. Students must meet specific criteria and have the permission of the Coordinator to take this class.  Students must be  successful 1^st in Beginning Directing to take Advanced Directing.