Drama/Theatre Arts

Students examine the various dimensions of characters through analysis, discussion, and classroom performance, working with scripts from a variety of time periods and cultures. They learn to break down a scene from a character’s point of view, and also learn to sustain a character and build the relationship between actor and audience. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students focus on development of significant acting skills and knowledge of the actor’s literature, compiling a working actor’s portfolio for exhibition and/or the interview process. They research potential job opportunities in the film, television, game animation, and theatre industries, as well as scholarships and opportunities available at the university level. An inquiry-based capstone project may be required. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students create characters for theatrical and film/video productions through scene, character, and technical analysis. Through improvisation, script writing, and aesthetic creation and collaboration, actors refine their working knowledge and independent thought, articulating and justifying their creative choices. Students’ “critical eye” becomes more developed and significant mastery of artistic choices becomes evident. An inquiry-based capstone project may be required. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

AICE A Level Drama

Pre-AICE Drama

This course will cover theatre in a multi-cultural, social and historical context, emphasizing the practical aspect of theatre arts. Students will analyze theatrical design, acting and vocal theory, dramatic literature and develop individual performance skills. They will apply these techniques independently and will create a research project.

The subjects in the arts allow a high degree of adaptability to different cultural contexts. The emphasis is on creativity in the context of disciplined, practical research into the relevant genres. Each subject is designed to foster critical, reflective and informed practice, help students understand the dynamic and changing nature of the arts, explore the diversity of arts across time, place and cultures, and express themselves with confidence and competence.

Students learn from the styles and techniques used by well-known singer-actor-dancers and choreographers to build a performance portfolio for auditions and/or interviews. Students examine the contributions of major writers, composers, lyricists, and choreographers of musical theatre and learn to analyze the structures, stories, and settings of musical theatre exemplars to understand how those components serve the story and concept. Students extend their dance and movement techniques required to sing and dance at the same time. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students learn from the styles and techniques used by well-known singer-actor-dancers and choreographers to build a performance portfolio for auditions and/or interviews. Students examine the contributions of major writers, composers, lyricists, and choreographers of musical theatre and learn to analyze the structures, stories, and settings of musical theatre exemplars to understand how those components serve the story and concept. Students extend their dance and movement techniques required to sing and dance at the same time. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students refine their audition techniques and performance/audition portfolio, and consider the contributions of musical theatre in the community and beyond. Students select a number of pieces to showcase their abilities and become conversant about individuals who, currently and in the past, are considered major contributors to the field. Students refine their dance and movement techniques required to sing and dance for long periods of time in rehearsals and performance. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

The purpose of this course is to develop student understanding of drama through practical and theoretical study.

Drama

Students create characters for theatrical and film/video productions through scene, character, and technical analysis. Through improvisation, script writing, and aesthetic creation and collaboration, actors refine their working knowledge and independent thought, articulating and justifying their creative choices. Students’ “critical eye” becomes more developed and significant mastery of artistic choices becomes evident. An inquiry-based capstone project may be required. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students focus on the design and safe application of basic tools and procedures to create elements of technical theatre, including costumes, lighting, makeup, properties (props), publicity, scenery, and sound. Students develop assessment and problem-solving skills, the ability to connect selected literature to a variety of cultures, history, and other content areas. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend or participate in technical work, rehearsals, and/or performances beyond the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students regularly reflect on aesthetics and issues related to and addressed through theatre, and create within various aspects of theatre. Student designers and technicians assemble a portfolio that showcases a body of work representing artistic growth over time, growing command of theatre skills and techniques in one or more areas, and evidence of significant oral and written analytical and problem-solving skills. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend or participate in technical work, rehearsals, and/or performances beyond the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students regularly reflect on aesthetics and issues related to and addressed through theatre, and create within various aspects of theatre in ways that are progressively more innovative. Students analyze increasingly more sophisticated theatre literature to inform the work of developing technical design and production pieces for one-acts or a larger production. Students assemble a portfolio that showcases an extensive body of work representing personal vision and artistic growth over time. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students learn the basic tools and procedures for designing and creating costumes, hair, and makeup. Students learn the conventions of design presentation and documentation, the organizational structure of theatre production and creative work in a collaborative environment. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend or participate in technical work, rehearsals, and/or performances beyond the school day.

Students learn the basic tools and procedures for designing and creating scenery and properties (props). Students learn the conventions of design presentation and documentation, the organizational structure of theatre production and creative work in a collaborative environment. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend or participate in technical work, rehearsals, and/or performances beyond the school day.

This course is designed for students with little or no theatre experience, and promotes enjoyment and appreciation for all aspects of theatre. Classwork focuses on the exploration of theatre literature, performance, historical and cultural connections, and technical requirements. Improvisation, creative dramatics, and beginning scene work are used to introduce students to acting and character development. Incorporation of other art forms in theatre also helps students gain appreciation for other art forms, such as music, dance, and visual art.

This course is designed for students with a year of experience or more, and promotes enjoyment and appreciation for all aspects of theatre through opportunities to build significantly on existing skills. Classwork focuses on characterization, playwriting, and playwrights’ contributions to theatre, while improvisation, creative dramatics, and scene work are used to help students challenge and strengthen their acting skills and explore the technical aspect of scene work.

This course is designed for students with significant experience in theatre, and promotes depth of engagement and lifelong appreciation for theatre through a broad spectrum of teacher-assigned and self-directed study and performance. Students regularly reflect on aesthetics and issues related to and addressed through theatre, and create within various aspects of theatre in ways that are progressively more innovative. In keeping with the rigor expected in an accelerated setting, students assemble a portfolio that showcases a significant body of work representing personal vision and artistic growth over time, mastery of theatre skills and techniques in one or more areas, and evidence of significant oral and written analytical and problem-solving skills based on their structural, historical, and cultural knowledge.

This course is designed for students with extensive experience in theatre, and promotes significant depth of engagement and lifelong appreciation for theatre through a broad spectrum of primarily self-directed study and performance. In keeping with the rigor expected in an accelerated setting, students assemble a portfolio that showcases a significant body of work representing personal vision and artistic growth over time, mastery of theatre skills and techniques in one or more areas, and evidence of sophisticated oral and written analytical and problem-solving skills based on their structural, historical, and cultural knowledge.

In Theatre, Cinema, and Film Production, a one-credit course, students explore the elements of film and cinematic techniques used by those who create movies. Students study the techniques in film that serve the story and articulate the theme. Students also prepare a comparative for theatre, film, and literature. Public performances may serve as a resource for specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend or participate in technical work, rehearsals, and/or film production beyond the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.

Students learn to select, organize, and mount formal and informal staged productions by exploring the roles of director and stage manager. Students focus on the effect of the director’s concept on the production, vocabulary and principles of the various elements, techniques used to create an effective theatre work, and basic knowledge of staging. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day.

Students execute the responsibilities of director or stage manager. Coursework includes, but is not limited to, play selection, justification, analysis, and the formation of a directorial concept, assembling a prompt book, assembling a cast, production team, and tech crew, effective team-building and communication, and planning and running rehearsals. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day.