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  • 1.  High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-04-2018 11:21

    Happy New Year!

     

    The Fine Arts Department at my school is choosing new textbooks this spring and while I haven't used any one book for my classes thus far I was wondering what, if any, textbooks you use.

     

    My courses are as follows:

     

    Theatre 1 - introductory survey course that establishes the base for all subsequent theatre courses. Performance is not required.

     

    Musical Theatre 1 - introductory survey course that establishes the base for all subsequent theatre courses. Performance is not required.

     

    Scene Study - beginning/intermediate acting class that expands the actor's knowledge base and continually refines techniques and skills. This course culminates in a final showcase & can be repeated.

     

    Musical Theatre Ensemble -  hybrid choral & theatre course emphasizes ensemble work that is a hallmark of musical theatre. This course culminates in a final showcase & can be repeated.

     

    Advanced Theatre - honors level acting course where students focus on individual material and technique further developing and refining performance & audition material. This course culminates in a final showcase & can be repeated.

     

    Jessica Magers-Rankin

     

    Theatre; Fine Arts Dept

    Knoxville Catholic High School

     

     



  • 2.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-04-2018 13:55
    Highly recommend Michael Shurtleff's Audition for scene study. Easy for students to understand and implement. Definitely a gold standard in my opinion.

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    Victoria Chatfield
    Executive Director
    National Theatre for Student Artists
    www.nationalstudenttheatre.org
    vchatfield@nationalstudenttheatre.org
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-05-2018 13:48
    I don't use a textbook for any of the seven courses I teach.  I have a set of old The Stage and School books that I use for two different simple assignments when I have to be out of school.  

    Once upon a time, when North Carolina was still giving school systems enough money to buy textbooks, I got permission to buy a bunch of materials in lieu of choosing a textbook.  I bought multiple copies of several 10-minute play collections, books of scenes for 2 actors, books of scenes for 3 actors, and several plays on VHS (which I've replaced with DVDs), and several reference books.  If you can get permission to use your funds in that way, you might consider using the option.


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    C. J. Breland
    Asheville High School
    Asheville NC
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-06-2018 07:07
    I too reccommed Aufition - we use it with our 10s/11s. We also have recently started using Acting for Musical Theatre (Joe Deer). It's really comprehensive and beautifully organized. In fact, we reference it in non-musical classes all the time. 



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    Jake Miller
    Department of Theatre
    Germantown Friends School
    Philadelphia PA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-07-2018 09:05
    An added perk to Acting in Musical Theatre is that you can have opportunities to learn and interact with Joe Deer in real time at the 2018 International Thespian Festival! Joe Deer will be teaching a professional development intensive course (PDI) for teachers and several workshops for students throughout the Festival. He is also a frequent contributor to Dramatics and Teaching Theatre magazines. Joe is one of EdTAs highest rated teaching artists and a really great person to boot.

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    Betsy Singer-Lefton
    Educational Programs Manager
    Educational Theatre Association
    Cincinnati OHbsingerlefton@schooltheatre.org
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-08-2018 09:44
    Thank you for your insights! The Acting in Musical Theatre looks great and I'm definitely going to get a copy to look through. I'd still like suggestions for a text for Theatre 1 - this is a general survey course and I've used a bunch of different resources, including my Theatre: The Lively Art book from college. ;) I'd appreciate any other suggestions you may have specifically for a general theatre course.

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    Jessica Magers-Rankin
    Theatre Teacher
    Knoxville Catholic High School
    Knoxville TN
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-08-2018 19:14
    A number of schools have been using my "Acting at the Speed of Life; Conquering Theatrical Style" (based on material that I've workshopped variously at International Thespians). It picks up and develops a couple of themes in "Audition." 

    I would be happy to offer a free perusal copy to anyone who cares to request one. (Just email your physical address to tim@timmooneyrep.com.) Also, I expect to be offering more workshops at this year's Thespian Fest, if you'd like to see it "live".

    Tim

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    Tim Mooney
    www.timmooneyrep.com
    www.moliere-in-english.com
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  • 8.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-09-2018 08:14
    There is a great general theatre textbook called "Basic Drama Projects". It is a large hard-covered textbook, but it provides overall information about all aspects of theatre and explains in a way students with not much experience would understand.

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    Lynn Glener
    M.A. Applied Theatre Candidate, CUNY School of Professional Studies '19
    B.A. Theatre/Theatre Education, SUNY Potsdam '16
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  • 9.  RE: High School Theatre Textbooks

    Posted 01-09-2018 10:55
    I do not use book either, meaning that all students do not work out of the same text book.  In my syllabus I list the inspirational books that I "work" out of and then I tell them "you do not have a book for this course.  I have read them all which is why you have to LISTEN when I talk."

    Shurtleff's AUDITION is a great book, and I consider it a bible for anyone who plans to study theatre in college (it's often their graduation present).

    I've thought about creating a reader with a bunch of the different books in it, but I have had to change my curriculum so many times in the past 18 years that I just try to go with the flow and make it a fun experience for the students (and me!).

    Cheers!

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    Valerie O'Riordan
    Drama Director, MFA, AEA, Russi House Provincial
    Archbishop Riordan High School
    Troup 5596, I.T.S.
    San Francisco CA voriordan@riordanhs.org
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    Original Message


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