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  • 1.  Restructring Advanced Theatre Class

    Posted 05-22-2014 15:55
    Hello Everyone!

    The end of the year is just a week away for my school, and I am finshing my second time enrolled in Drama II.

    Drama II is the most advanced theatre course offered at my school, and my director is looking into revamping the class and want your help! Currently the class is centered around acting, and improv. We focused a lot on the 12 Guideposts of Acting, by Micheal Shurtleff, and wrote, directed, and performed in a variety of 10 minute student plays. Our improv unit consisted of bringing in a professional improv troupe to teach us their tools of the trade, we had our "final" by performing three different games for the school.

    What I am wondering, is if your school offers and advanced theatre class, how is it structured? What kinds of lessons or activities do you focus on and find successful?

    Thanks!

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    Alex Minton
    Omaha NE
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  • 2.  RE:Restructring Advanced Theatre Class

    Posted 05-23-2014 00:05
    Hey! So at my school we have drama I, II, III and both Theater Production and Adv. theater. Each class is a little different but dramaIII, theater pro, and adv theater pro are mixed together and focus more on the acting and directing of theater. We do a lo of scenes in grouped and take turns directing. We also so a large play at the end of the year for a final and also film a short film in groups and present them on the last day of class. I currently finished drama III and will be taking both theater production classes next year andI changed one of the classes to be during a drama I class where I will assist my director and direct their class play.

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    Adelina Perez
    Albuquerque NM
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  • 3.  RE: Restructring Advanced Theatre Class

    Posted 05-24-2014 08:07
    We have a Theatre I, II, and III.  Theatre III is our Advanced Theatre class and admission is by audition only.  Theatre II and III are both production classes.  The drama productions at our school are done only through these classes (that way the only after school practices we have are usually tech & dress).  All of these classes have student directors (usually 4) and directors are all students who have taken Advanced Theatre.  Theatre II does a large-cast one act children's play and we invite area elementary schools in for two matinee performances during the school day and charge them $2 each (with teachers and chaperones free).  We also do two public evening performances where we charge $5-$7 for tickets.  We make enough off the children's theatre performances to spend much more on our Advanced Theatre class, which usually does a challenging full-length play.  We have a Stagecraft class scheduled for each production class which does all the tech for the shows.  All of these classes are stand-alone (none are mixed) except the student directors are enrolled in an "independent study theatre directing" class.

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    Kristie Bach
    Traverse City MI
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  • 4.  RE: Restructring Advanced Theatre Class

    Posted 05-24-2014 14:02
    My most advanced theatre class is centred around interpretative movement , writing monologues, writing children's theatre based on art work our grade 3s paint to inspire us, and subsequently performing for them, and finally an intensive acting for film unit where our black box becomes a proper film studio. Good luck in your planning. I love this class the most because only the kids who really love theatre take it. ( I love all of my classes, but this one is that much more special). ------------------------------------------- Natasha Hart Montreal QC -------------------------------------------
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  • 5.  RE: Restructring Advanced Theatre Class

    Posted 05-23-2014 08:13
    Hi Alex--

    I teach a one-semester Advanced Acting class every other year (I pair it with Play Directing as a class in the fall) and I've had a lot of success teaching it as a "Methods of Acting" class, introducing the kids to the basic tenets of many acting methods--starting with historical development of acting methods and leading all the way through Stanislavski, Strasberg, Adler, Meisner, etc. With each "method" I also pair a seminal text--Greek, French, and then some of the major American classics to give them really sophisticated material to work with. Only works with my most dedicated actors, but there are two years of prerequisites to enroll in this class.

    I'd be happy to chat further if it interest you. (And, I'd like to have a class like the one you've described too).

    Jessica

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    Jessica Speck
    Thomas S. Wootton HS
    Rockville MD
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