Open Forum

 View Only
  • 1.  Musical Theatre Class

    Posted 09-22-2017 17:20
    The Chorus teacher at my High School and I would like to put together a Musical Theatre class for next year and we were wondering if anyone out there might already teach such a class, or had looked into putting one together. How does such a class work? Our school does not allow us to do one semester classes, so we will definitely have to gear ours toward a year long program. I feel that there is plenty to teach relating to style and history and even current musical theatre, but is there enough to make it a year-long venture? I also feel that it would end up being very project based with lots of opportunities to do material that already exists as well as maybe create some new material. At any rate, all suggestions are welcome! 

    Thank you!


    ------------------------------
    Jared Wright
    Thomaston GA
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Musical Theatre Class

    Posted 09-23-2017 10:25
    We have one! I co-teach it with my Music teacher. Ours is paired with a show and generally covers these topics:

    1-2 Weeks:
    - Warm up protocols/ class expectations

    2-3 Months:
    - Character Development/ Acting Rep
    - Song Analysis/ Vocal Prep
    - Fundamentals of Physical Warm-ups
    - Show Prep
    - Script/ Libretto Analysis

    1-2 Months:
    - Musical Theatre Audition Training (We use the criteria for NIES)

    1 Month:
    - Choreography fundamentals
    - Creating Choreo

    1-2 Months:
    - How to select a musical: a research project. They pitch shows for the following school year.
    - Research project on a Musical Theatre person of note.

    1-2 Weeks:
    - Exam preps

    This is just about a year. We do this on a semester long schedule but they meet every single day so it could easily be applied to an all year- every other day format.

    Let me know if you'd like to see additional info.


    ------------------------------
    Victoria Kesling Councill
    Chapter Director - VA EdTA/ Virginia Thespians
    Theatre Director- Fine & Performing Arts Department NKHS
    Artistic Director - NKHS Trojan Theatre
    Artistic Director - Kent England Exchange Production
    Virginia Commonwealth University BFA Theatre Education, BFA Art Education '08
    University of Houston - MA Theatre '16

    "Love the art in yourself and not yourself in the art." - Konstantin Stanislavski
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Musical Theatre Class

    Posted 09-23-2017 11:09
    I've taught a musical theatre course for a number of years. I'm fact there are now two levels of the course, both a year in length, so yes, there is plenty of material to cover a year. 

    I do not have have chorus teacher co-teaching with me, though that would be hugely beneficial. 

    Year one focuses on the historical overview of this uniquely American art form and follows its development from Show Boat to modern musical theatre. Within that structure, students study and perform scenes from Show Boat and Oklahoma!, learn original choreography from A Chorus Line, and finish the year by selecting a musical to study themselves culminating in a presentation of a scene from that show. 
    Resources: The Musical by Richard Kislan, PBS' Broadway: the American Musical 

    Year Two begins with a study of the roots of the Broadway musical: minstrelsy, vaudeville, and burlesque. Students do scenework from Fiddler on the Roof and Gypsy, study Bob Fosse and create original choreography in his style, and develop a portfolio of contrasting musical theatre audition songs. They finish the year by studying the works of a composer/lyricist team and then creating a presentation about their contribution including performing two of their works.
    Resources: The Musical by Richard Kislan, PBS' Broadway: the American Musical, Fosse: the musical




    ------------------------------
    Barbara Bowers-Camp
    Celebration FL
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Musical Theatre Class

    Posted 09-23-2017 12:21
    Hi Jared,

    I have taught a HS musical theatre class.  It was a year long course that I co-taught with the chorus teacher.  We approached in a chronological way.  We started with a time period from the early period of musical theatre history to modern muscials.  We would have a history component and then teach the major styles within.  In addition, each unit would have a group song and a solo from musical choices that we provided.  As the year moved on we had the students write original scene scripts that would be paired with composers of modern time periods (1950-present).  At the end of the year we produced a one act musical and performed for parents during a class period.  We could have also performed during the school day for other classes but scheduling did not permit. 
    Feel free to email me with any other questions!
    Tracey






  • 5.  RE: Musical Theatre Class

    Posted 09-24-2017 13:14

    Our theatre program has four full years of Musical Theatre coursework.

    The first year is dance and movement focused where students explore different dance forms (jazz, ballet, traditional and cultural dance styles, swing & partner work, ...), sing only in groups/pairs (no solos required unless they want to do one, which takes the pressure off), and focus mainly on using the body to tell stories. We incorporate Laban, and other theories and language for movement. We show staged versions of famous musicals and use those as we go as well. We also teach actor's care and wellness here and build up endurance and other skills needed for mainly ensemble and chorus/company work in shows. As the end of this class students audition to be able to move on to year two by performing a solo. If they are unafraid to solo, by the end of the year we know they are ready for the next step, and most students by then aren't afraid. This is really most of all an exploratory course as many students have little to no knowledge of musical theatre when they start. 

    Year two is focused on the history of American musical theatre broken down by decades which we spend about two weeks per decade on. Students work in small groups to perform a piece from each decade and do basic research on a show and the general climate of the decade exploring what was going on in theatre as well as in the world at the time. About once a nine weeks we do a special project that isn't decade focused such as a gender swapped performance, or "that cliche piece I've always wanted to do," and other fun stuff like that. We also spend each Friday having students perform solos (they have to sign up at least once a nine weeks to do one) where we review and provide feedback to them as a class. This course really delves more into vocal work to add to their movement work from the first year as they focus on their voice outside of a group as well as continue to work on group vocals, harmonies,...

    Year three also follows decades again, but the focus is now on what they missed the last time they explored the decade. Finding new material, new shows,... and since this class is combined with the year twos our year three students become more leaders and guides through the process. They can't perform any songs or choose to study any shows they have done before or seen done in class before, which pushes them to really go outside of what they know and to research and explore more of musical theatre. Here students are beginning to develop solos for items like college auditions and other work beyond the class, and are encouraged to begin attending auditions and competitions outside of our school if they haven't already as a way to seek feedback from new and varied sources. Here it's about emerging as a leader in the class and in our theatre program when it comes to musical theatre, and also branching out beyond the safety of the class setting to challenge themselves. 

    Year four is a continuation of year three but it's where we push them to become more peer directors and choreographers of pieces that other students are doing, while also focusing on solo work. Some of these students who may also play or are being encouraged to learn piano, guitar,... also serve as accompanists for their peers on some numbers and for themselves, as a way to expand their work and career exploration in the musical theatre world (think of all the shows where people need to be able to play an instrument, and all of the work for accompanists who know musical theatre well). These students are more intensely focused on careers in the musical theatre world, scholarship applications, resumes, auditions,... and even if they aren't planning to continue to study musical theatre in college, they are focusing on cultivating leadership skills in their direction and choreography work.

    Florida has wonderful standards for theatre that can be found on cpalms.com and can be used by teachers anywhere as a jumping off point for what to teach if you are looking for ideas for where to start.

    I hope this helps.



    ------------------------------
    Kathleen McNulty Mann
    mcnulkl@bay.k12.fl.us

    Arnold High School Theatre
    Panama City Beach, FL
    Program Director and Thespian Sponsor

    Florida State Junior Thespians
    District 10 Chair

    Florida Association for Theatre Education
    Board Member
    Membership Committee Chair
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Musical Theatre Class

    Posted 09-24-2017 21:54
    Our choral teacher teaches Musical Theatre on alternate years, and that class meets with my Play Production, Theatre III, and Theatre IV students.  We do a spring musical together, with all rehearsals until tech week done in class.  (Every other year, there is no Musical Theatre class, and my Theatre group of classes does a straight show.)

    We are on block scheduling, so the course is just one semester, 90 minutes a day.

    We spend 2 weeks on an audition unit before we hold auditions.

    We spend approximately 8 weeks on rehearsal.  The choral teacher teaches the music in the choral room, while I work with students on acting, blocking, and some technical aspects in the theatre.  We either hire a choreographer, who comes a couple of times a week, or use a student choreographer in one of the classes involved.  Eventually we all move to the theatre and start running the show.

    After the musical is over, the Theatre class students meet with me to do a playwriting unit, while the Musical Theatre students learn more about musical theatre and do a musical project with the choral director.

    Rehearsing the musical in class was set in stone before I ever came to the school, but I've come to appreciate the process.  I think it could easily be adapted to shorter class periods all year long.  


    ------------------------------
    C. J. Breland
    Asheville High School
    Asheville NC
    ------------------------------