Open Forum

​Dear Everyone:
  I hope all are doing well as we get ready for 2018-2019 school year. May your plays break all the legs!

  So, I teach in a college preparatory program and this is my fourth year. I have two classes that are college and career focused for the theatre artist. Here is a brief description of both:

    Dramatic Emerging Artist: This class helps the student create a "monologue menu" for audition purposes. They also research colleges and prepare for their senior year. This class is for the student pursuing theatre arts in college. Students are required to pick an additional theatrical interest other than acting and establish a proficient understanding of that art form (it can be lighting, stage management, set construction, etc).

    Graduate Aria: This senior level class is a creation of a showcase or one person show for a graduating senior in the theatre program. They are required to research topics that interest them and use past material as they create a show that showcases them.

My question is this. I have all the big assignments for these classes, but does anyone have any good ideas for additional small assignments for these two classes? What skills do you think students need to accomplish in these classes? I'm looking for a little bit of brain storming ideas!

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Christopher Dwyer
Head of Drama
St. Vincent Pallotti High School
Laurel, MD 20707
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If I was a student, I'd want to learn how-to (video); sign-up, and navigate audition/portfolio stuff.

These folks seem to be industry leaders. Not endorsing. 

Acceptd



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Michael McDonough
TRW Director of Amateur Licensing
New York
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2018 12:32
From: Christopher Dwyer
Subject: Career management for High School students

​Dear Everyone:
  I hope all are doing well as we get ready for 2018-2019 school year. May your plays break all the legs!

  So, I teach in a college preparatory program and this is my fourth year. I have two classes that are college and career focused for the theatre artist. Here is a brief description of both:

    Dramatic Emerging Artist: This class helps the student create a "monologue menu" for audition purposes. They also research colleges and prepare for their senior year. This class is for the student pursuing theatre arts in college. Students are required to pick an additional theatrical interest other than acting and establish a proficient understanding of that art form (it can be lighting, stage management, set construction, etc).

    Graduate Aria: This senior level class is a creation of a showcase or one person show for a graduating senior in the theatre program. They are required to research topics that interest them and use past material as they create a show that showcases them.

My question is this. I have all the big assignments for these classes, but does anyone have any good ideas for additional small assignments for these two classes? What skills do you think students need to accomplish in these classes? I'm looking for a little bit of brain storming ideas!

------------------------------
Christopher Dwyer
Head of Drama
St. Vincent Pallotti High School
Laurel, MD 20707
------------------------------

Consider, for both classes, a unit on career management in the arts including (but not limited to): ethical business practices of agents/management, SAG/AFTRA, planning for audition/pilot season, basic money management for performing artists, and resume/film reel/artist website construction.  We all know that the kids need this support in the industry, but they are never taught much about this aspect of career development either in high school or college.

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Suzanne Katz
Washington DC
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-15-2018 12:32
From: Christopher Dwyer
Subject: Career management for High School students

​Dear Everyone:
  I hope all are doing well as we get ready for 2018-2019 school year. May your plays break all the legs!

  So, I teach in a college preparatory program and this is my fourth year. I have two classes that are college and career focused for the theatre artist. Here is a brief description of both:

    Dramatic Emerging Artist: This class helps the student create a "monologue menu" for audition purposes. They also research colleges and prepare for their senior year. This class is for the student pursuing theatre arts in college. Students are required to pick an additional theatrical interest other than acting and establish a proficient understanding of that art form (it can be lighting, stage management, set construction, etc).

    Graduate Aria: This senior level class is a creation of a showcase or one person show for a graduating senior in the theatre program. They are required to research topics that interest them and use past material as they create a show that showcases them.

My question is this. I have all the big assignments for these classes, but does anyone have any good ideas for additional small assignments for these two classes? What skills do you think students need to accomplish in these classes? I'm looking for a little bit of brain storming ideas!

------------------------------
Christopher Dwyer
Head of Drama
St. Vincent Pallotti High School
Laurel, MD 20707
------------------------------