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Musical Theatre Classes

  • 1.  Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-23-2014 11:46
    Does anyone know of schools who offer Musical Theatre as a class? I am trying to gather Data regarding this. If you know of a school that does or you do can you provide me with the following:

    School/ School System, Location, who teaches it, and whether or not it leads to a musical production. Goals of class overall?

    Thank-you!

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    Victoria Kesling Councill
    Theatre Teacher
    New Kent County Public Schools
    New Kent VA
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  • 2.  Musical Theater Class

    Posted 04-23-2014 12:34
    I teach a G.L.E.E class which another teacher (music) and I (drama) created. It stands for Global Live Entertainment Experience.
    Students are shown some films, listen to musical theater lyrics, discuss composers/directors, try their hand at staging and choreography, and then are put in groups with a theme to create a 15 minute musical. Everyone in the group must sing and be in an acting scene at some point in the show. They must also handle lighting, sound and sets/costumes, all on their own (with teacher guidance). They write the music on GarageBand or they can perform it live if they are able to play piano, guitar etc.
    It's the most popular class I teach - is designed for grade 8 - and the performances are amazing!
    The learning is problem based, the kids assess and grade each other along the way (slackers rise up real fast!) and several kids that I would think would be followers, step up and become directors! It's pretty cool.

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    Ron Wells

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  • 3.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-23-2014 20:36
    I hope to be teaching one in the fall if enough students sign up for it.  Our class will not lead to a musical production.  It will provide technique and experience that students will hopefully take to our musical auditions and separate production.

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    Tracey Buot
    Drama Director
    Atlanta GA
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-24-2014 11:34
    We are offering a Musical Theater class for the first time next year.  We are a private school, grades 6 to 12, and the class is open to anyone in the upper school - grades 9 to 12.  The class has been in the works for several years, but there were a number of obstacles and some objections from the administration that it wasn't "academic" enough. What finally sold the idea to our administrators was the concept of the musical as an indigenous American contribution to world culture.  The other main obstacle was a logistical one.  We are a small department in a relatively small school (approx. 500 students total!) and the course requires two teachers - the theater teacher/director and the vocal/choral director.  Getting them scheduled to have a common period was a huge challenge but, now that the administration has signed off on the idea, we are getting a great deal of interest from students! The complete curriculum has not been mapped out yet, but we are talking about doing a blend of history/theory and performance.  Everyone will have to perform (both individual songs and scene work) and perhaps direct as well, though that will probably depend on the size of the class.  We have also talked about using the class to do audition prep prior to our upper school musical auditions and are considering a capstone project where students create their own mini-musical with an original script and either original songs or public domain songs that they interpolate and reinterpret to fit. 
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    Susan Speidel
    Chairman of the Performing Arts Department
    Morristown-Beard School
    Springfield NJ
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  • 5.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-24-2014 11:55

    My wife and I teach at Stephen F. Austin High School in Austin, TX.  I have taught the class (two years), but currently she teaches it -- and is MUCH better at it!.  In fact, she wrote a curriculum that the state has adopted.  Email her if you wish:  adragoo@austinisd.org.

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    Billy Dragoo
    Theatre Director/ Fine Arts Department Chairman
    Austin ISD
    Austin TX
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  • 6.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-24-2014 12:15
    Hello,
    I co-teach a Middle School and an Upper School MT Class at an ISAS school in Texas.  This year the US students performed a one act cutting of "Title of Show" and the MS students performed a show case of numbers with the theme "MSMT Goes to the Movies" - all numbers that are also featured in movie musicals.  Simply stated the goals of the class are to be audition ready, rehearsal ready, and performance ready.  I'd be glad to answer any other questions you may have about our program.

    KM

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    Kelly McCain
    Addison TX
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  • 7.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-24-2014 12:17
    I teach a musical theatre class every OTHER school year with the help of an accompanist (last time it was the Choral Music Teacher, next year it will an unusually adept student). We do a performance of scenes & songs at the end of each semester in the evening, but it is totally separate from our school shows and it doesn't end in a full production.

    We are part of Montgomery County Maryland Schools, Thomas S. Wootton HS

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    Jessica Speck
    Wootton HS
    Rockville MD
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  • 8.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-24-2014 13:34
    I teach a musical theatre course designed for 5th grade.  I created it with our music teacher four years ago.  It's a year-long course, the kids spend 5 - 6 weeks with me learning about the Golden Age of American Musical Theatre (through discussion and film), then they spend  5 - 6 weeks with the music teacher learning about music theory and also about some of the music written during the Golden Age. They come back to me and write an original musical script -- they write in pairs, small groups and individually, with my guidance.  Once the script is written, the music teacher and I find songs from actual musicals that fit in the script and we insert them to create a 40-minute musical, that is then rehearsed for several weeks and performed at the end of the year.  All of the kids contribute writing (some more than others, of course) and all have to be in the show, but if they prefer to be in the "background, crowd scenes" then we accommodate their preference.  

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    Susan Sterman-Jones
    Drama Teacher/ Director
    New York NY
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  • 9.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-24-2014 23:09
    I have team taught a Musical Theatre class for the past twenty years. It is an audition only class of 74 taught with my Musical Director. We produce one show in November and a large one in June. 
    We audition each April, announce our season at our June Banquet and start auditions for the productions at the start of the school year.

    I inherited this system but have come to love as it allows our three season athletes and active kids to be in the musicals without a large after school commitment. All dress rehearsal (five) and performances are outside of class time, as is some choreography. 

    We do the exact same system with our entry level Musical Theatre class but it is one show per year and is always a Children's Show. 

    For the die hard MT kids we also produce an extra curricular musical each year. 

    There is a whole other track for our Acting, Technical and IB Theatre students. 

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    Krista Carson Elhai
    California
    Claremont CA
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  • 10.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-25-2014 16:32
    A couple of you mentioned creating original content in your musical theatre classes, something to keep in mind for next school year is our Thespian Musicalworks. Read through the guidelines now to start preparing and encourage your students to submit their pieces. We'd love the chance to see the works that your students are developing!

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    Ginny Butsch
    Community Manager
    Educational Theatre Association
    Alexandria KY
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-26-2014 12:21
    We offer a musical theatre class in alternate years. It is a course created by the Edmonton, Alberta. Catholic School System and used by Board permission as a locally approved course. It is a non-auditioned course which does lead to production. This year, the show we built the course around and then presented was Les Miserables. We had 96 students enrolled - including 28 males. With an inclusive philosophy in our program, we also had several 'coded' students and one in a wheelchair. In the alternate year, we offer a similar course, locally approved, based around a non-musical. Next year this will be A Midsummer Night's Dream. ------------------------------------------- William Jacobsen Red Deer AB -------------------------------------------
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  • 12.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-27-2014 08:58
    In the past (and I just found out there is room for me to do so again next year), I have taught a musical theatre class.  The goal of the class is to teach students that while performing is supposed to be fun and rewarding, it also requires planning, focus, and teamwork.  In addition, as I teach in a very remote/rural community, I have a secondary goal of getting the students to expand their understanding of the performing arts beyond Disney and "The Wizard of Oz."

    We cover the history of the genre and study shows and composers. Short oral presentations are required to demonstrate understanding of the "Foundations of American Musical Theatre."  We also cover significant producers, performers, the influence of Hollywood and TV, as well as "show business" like management, marketing, and the role of unions.

    Students are required to perform solo songs and short book scenes that lead into songs as projects throughout the semester. The "final exam" is a cabaret-style review in which the entire class performs one or two group numbers (with choreography) and each student is featured in either a solo or small group number. We usually pick a theme so that the "miss-mash" of songs actually have a collective premise.

    Adaptations are made for students with special needs and I've even had English Language Learners do well in the class.

    For those students that would rather work the technical or production side, I have a small tech crew of 5 or 6 students that design the lights, costumes, set, even hair and makeup. My advanced students also have the opportunity to direct some of the scenes.

    Hope this helps.
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    Josh Ruben
    Chattanooga TN
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    Original Message


  • 13.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-28-2014 07:50
    I teach a Musical Theatre course each spring semester. In Florida, its classified as a "Music" course rather than a "Theatre" course, so we stress more of the musical aspect. Students complete and present the following projects:

    1) imovie decade of MT overview (collaborative assignment)
    2) production overview powerpoint (individual assignment)
    3) Solo/Duet/Ensemble performance of a piece from Musical Theatre
    additionally:
    - Basic sight-reading & theory
    - Spring Concert performance of songs from the genre
    - Spring musical support (solo/ensemble rehearsals during class time), but predominantly prep for the musical after school.

    Hope that's helpful :)

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    Suzanne Livesay
    7-12 Grade Theatre Director
    Orlando FL
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    Original Message


  • 14.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-29-2014 16:59
    Thank-you so much for your input everyone. For anyone else who is interested this is the list I've compiled thus far:

    In Virginia:

    Henrico High School, Henrico County

    Fairfax County Schools

    York County Schools

    Governor's School for the Arts, Norfolk

    Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts, Petersburg

     


    Other Areas:

    Alabama-

    Alaska-

    Arizona

    New Horizon School, Mesa

    Arkansas-

    Canada

    Red Deer School, Alberta

    California

    Claremont HS, Claremont

    Colorado

    Denver School of the Arts, Denver

    Connecticut

    Greater Hartford Schools for the Arts, Hartford

    Delaware

    Cab Calloway School for the Arts, Wilmington

    Florida

    The First Academy, Winter Garden

    Miami Beach Senior HS, Miami

    Georgia

    Cambridge HS, Milton

    Hawaii-

    Idaho-

    Iowa-

    Kansas

    Kentucky

    Louisiana

    Maine

    Maryland

    Thomas S. Wootton HS, Montgomery County

    Massachussettes

    Michigan

    Minnesota

    Mississippi

    Missouri

    Branson High School, Branson

    Montana

    Nebraska

    Nevada

    New Hampshire

    New Jersey

    Lawton C. Johnson Summit MS, Summit

    New Mexico

    New York

    Grace Church School, NYC

    North Carolina

    North Dakota

    Ohio

    Oklahoma

    Oregon

    Pennsylvania

    Rhode Island

    South Carolina

    South Dakota

    Tennessee

    Northwest Whitfield Co. HS, Chattanooga

    Texas

    Greenhill School, Addison

    Stephen F. Austin HS, Austin

    Utah

    Vermont

    Washington

    Wisconsin

    Wyoming


    If you see your state and you know of a school there that offers a Musical Theatre Class please let me know! Especially if you see no schools listed under the state. If your school is on here and I have listed them incorrectly please let me know. I'm slowly working my way through the various blank states and looking into their DOE websites and curriculum to create as comprehensive a list as I can.

    Thanks Again!

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    Victoria Kesling Councill
    Theatre Teacher
    New Kent County Public Schools
    New Kent VA
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    Original Message


  • 15.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 05-01-2014 14:07
    I teach a Musical Theatre Performance class at Davidson Fine Arts Magnet school in Augusta, GA!!
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    Heather Davidson
    Augusta GA
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    Original Message


  • 16.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 05-02-2014 10:54
    Clarksburg High school had a musical theater class one year.  It is offered as an option for MCPS schools but at least at my school unless you have a good number of kids enrolled it does not happen. 

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    Michelle Meyer
    Frederick MD
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    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-25-2014 18:20
      |   view attached
    Hello! I taught a musical theatre class for 6 years at my former school and now teach two musical theatre classes for the past 8 years at my current school. Musical Theatre I is team taught by my chorus teacher and myself, and is not production based, only vocal and drama techniques. Musical Theatre II (repeatable) is production based - we produce one full-length musical for performance in January and several small revue productions in the spring. This class is team taught by the chorus teacher, the art teacher (teaching Tech Theatre, building the sets) and myself. In case you're reading this post and wondering how we can team teach so many classes, here's the easy way to do it: Ask the person who makes the master schedule to line up an advanced drama class with an advanced chorus class, so that they are taught the same period. Then just agree to meet together in the same room. You'll have two teachers teaching a double-sized class, but that's what you usually want for musical theatre anyway. At one point we had a movement teacher as well, so three teachers at once. I've attached the initial proposal I gave to the principal when we started in case anyone's interested. ------------------------------------------- Jake Dreiling Atlanta GA -------------------------------------------

    Attachment(s)

    docx
    Triple Threat Class Description.docx   103 KB 1 version
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  • 18.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-25-2014 18:21
    Hello! I taught a musical theatre class for 6 years at my former school and now teach two musical theatre classes for the past 8 years at my current school. Musical Theatre I is team taught by my chorus teacher and myself, and is not production based, only vocal and drama techniques. Musical Theatre II (repeatable) is production based - we produce one full-length musical for performance in January and several small revue productions in the spring. This class is team taught by the chorus teacher, the art teacher (teaching Tech Theatre, building the sets) and myself. In case you're reading this post and wondering how we can team teach so many classes, here's the easy way to do it: Ask the person who makes the master schedule to line up an advanced drama class with an advanced chorus class, so that they are taught the same period. Then just agree to meet together in the same room. You'll have two teachers teaching a double-sized class, but that's what you usually want for musical theatre anyway. At one point we had a movement teacher as well, so three teachers at once. I've attached the initial proposal I gave to the principal when we started in case anyone's interested. ------------------------------------------- Jake Dreiling Grady HS Atlanta GA -------------------------------------------
    Original Message


  • 19.  RE:Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 04-30-2014 22:56
    Musical Theatre is in the vocal music track here in North Carolina.  On alternate years, we offer Musical Theatre with no prerequisite the same period as the Play Production (which can count as Theatre II or beyond IV,) Theatre III, and Theatre IV.  The choral teacher is musical director, and I am the TD and director for whatever musical we have chosen. We teach a quick audition unit, audition in class, then rehearse in class.  We only have about a week of rehearsals outside of class hours. We conference on grades until the musical is over, then the courses split up.  The Musical Theatre students do a performance assignment and prepare for a concert.  The Theatre students do a playwriting unit, career exploration and resume, and contrasting monologues or scene work.  It works for us.

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    C. J. Breland
    Asheville NC
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    Original Message


  • 20.  Musical Theatre class

    Posted 04-29-2014 16:23
    Branson High School ( Branson, MO) has a musical theatre class.  I originally set it up, but with my Drama load, it was given to the Choir teacher.  It is a semester class, with the goal of making students more comfortable with musical theatre concepts, so they can try out for our annual musical.  In fact, by the end of the semester, they have to have some audition pieces ready.  Along the way, they study musical theatre format, watch a few during the semester, learn songs from musicals, participate in acting scenes ( duets), learn a few dance steps, go see a musical if possible, and write a critique.  Students seem to enjoy it, and I notice that they are more ready for auditions.

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    Debbie Corbin
    Branson High School
    Spokane MO
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  • 21.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-26-2014 10:30
    I teach a Musical Theater class for grades 10-12 at Tewksbury Memorial High School that does not lead to a production. When I taught at Phillips Academy Andover, I also taught a musical theater course that lead to a production, and a second that did not. I also know that Malden High School (Malden, MA) has a musical theater class that leads to a production. ------------------------------------------- Jessica Harms Tewksbury Memorial High School Tewksbury MA -------------------------------------------
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  • 22.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-27-2014 09:41
    I teach a Musical Theatre class that does not lead to a production. I teach the history of musicals beginning with Showboat and ending this year with Memphis. It's interesting to see how a lot of the students really like the early shows like Showboat 1936 & Annie Get Your Gun. If I don't have the stage versions I do show the movie. After every show there is a quiz and a cumulative for the exam. ------------------------------------------- Denise Dirkes Holy Cross High School Covington KY -------------------------------------------
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  • 23.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-28-2014 10:17
    I teach a musical theatre unit in all of my theatre classes. Students perform short scenes and a song (some with choreography). They can either do a scene/song from a Broadway/Movie musical or they can "adapt" a pop song and make it into a theatre piece. It features elements, of writing, dramaturgy, set/costume design, choreography, direction, and of course, performance. For those students that are in the theatre tech classes, they are responsible for the tech aspects of the scenes and work with the performers to help with lights, sound, costumes, and (simple) sets. My advanced class (listed on the Georgia Standards as "Musical Theatre") does this as a formal presentation that we do for guest audiences (both during the school day for other classes and on one evening for parents/families). ------------------------------------------- Josh Ruben Fine Arts Head Chattanooga TN -------------------------------------------
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  • 24.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-28-2014 10:55
    I have seen this handled in several different ways. In my state, we do not have a course number for Musical Theater so historically we have just assigned students to either Advanced Chorus or Advanced Theater which would meet at the same time. My classes have always led to major productions. I learned from another great teacher an idea that I still use frequently today. We have a production in the fall that is basically numbers/scenes from musicals which we call "A NIght on Broadway" and in the spring we do a big musical. The students love it and so do the parents. ------------------------------------------- Ellen Starkey Drama/Vocal Teacher Baton Rouge LA -------------------------------------------
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  • 25.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-28-2014 22:45
    I teach a musical theatre class that does not lead to production. I work at Colorado Academy in Denver Co. The role of the class is to hone skills used in musical theatre-acting, movement/dance & voice. I have tried several different approaches-too numerous to mention briefly. Contact me and I would love to talk about what you might need? Coloradoacademy.org. ------------------------------------------- Stephen Scherer Denver CO -------------------------------------------
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  • 26.  RE: Musical Theatre Classes

    Posted 07-29-2014 11:36

    Denver School of the Arts in Denver has a Musical Theatre elective for 8th graders that involves studying musical theatre history and then culminates in a performance of a song by various groups within the class.  One of our vocal teachers teaches it and it's mainly to expose them to musical theatre history.

    At Appomattox Regional Governor's School in VA (my old school) there were two musical theater classes taught by one of the theatre teachers - one for Junior musical theater majors and one for Senior musical theatre majors.  The Juniors went through various sections of musical theatre history and performed a small section of song/scene from the period (ie.  a song/scene from Gilbert & Sullivan, a song from the the Follies, a Vaudeville routine etc.) - at the end of the year they performed in a  recital and did one song from the Golden Age.  In the Senior year they worked on audition songs for college, and then created a revue that they stage/choreograph/performed based around a composer or composing team (Kander & Ebb, Sondheim, etc.).  This was the model we used when I taught there - I'm sure it has changed but from what I know the two classes still exist.  Neither ended is a musical production but the students in the class were invariably in  the yearly musical and at least had had exposure to the various styles required (ie being an elegant Follies girl is actually quite challenging but the students now understand what it means to carry themselves in that manner).

    Hope that helps!

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    Brandon Becker
    Denver CO
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    Original Message


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