Theater instruction in the Elementary and Early Middle Schools is integrated with the students’ study of music and speech, and is taught by the music teacher and the classroom teachers as they prepare for programs, recitations, and for the Speech Meet. During the preparation process, students learn the basic elements of theater, public speaking and expression. Students may choose a Bible selection, poem, fable, or patriotic reading to prepare, or they may create an original speech to deliver.
In this introductory course to drama, students will learn the basic elements of theater. Through class instruction and performances, students develop basic skills of stage performance, pantomime, and improvisation. Students will increase their confidence through confidence-building activities and drama games, and will participate in solo and group class performances.
Theater students develop skills across the spectrum of live theater production focusing primarily on acting, but also including dance, mime, theatrical make-up, set design, and costuming. This is a performance-oriented class where students complete milestones toward the major class goals that include building a performance portfolio, a fall performance, a full-scale Broadway musical, a performance directed by the seniors, and a contest piece.