Many students believe that the theatre department is strictly acting, which causes them to hesitate in participating in theatre classes. However, the theatre department is a large, well-rounded part of the school that has a class for just about everyone.

Let’s look at four different theatre classes offered here. To start, there is Introduction to Theatre Arts. This is the basic prerequisite class for all theatre classes, often taken by freshmen to get their fine arts credit. Intro is an all-around, basic theatre class. In this class, students learn about the fundamentals of theatre, such as different genres, how to present oneself on stage, and much more. It is good for any student to take Intro to Theatre, as it teaches a lot of information in one course.

After a student has taken Intro to Theatre, they’ve essentially unlocked a whole new world of classes. The courses are more specific now, as students can choose which aspect of theatre they want to follow. The next class to talk about is Acting I.

In Acting I, students are expected to take reign of themselves, as stated by long-time theatre member, Andrew Geier (’16). “You discover yourself as an actor.” Geier explains while sitting in his Advanced Acting class. Students in Acting I should be prepared to perform in mini plays, perform on stage and be ready to memorize their lines. A large part of Acting I is to figure out which students are truly dedicated and should move on to Advanced Acting.

Another second level theatre class is Stage Productions. This class gives students experience in technical departments that they could pursue as careers such as lighting, sound, carpentry, and many more. People in this class have the ability to discover which specific department of tech they want to go into if they decide that acting isn’t for them. Students in this class should be ready to do plenty of physical work and shouldn’t be afraid to get dirty. Stage Productions also interacts with the rest of the theatre department, often assisting with productions in other classes as well as the afterschool productions such as the fall play and spring musical. This class is mostly for people who prefer the behind the scenes aspects of theatre.

After a student has passed Acting I, they can move on to Advanced Acting. This class is for the seriously dedicated. It is almost entirely run by students, simply guided by Mr. Minor. Each student directs at least one play out of six that they all participate in. As well, they are expected to write reflections after these plays are done. Overall, it is a class designed for students who are committed to acting.
The theatre has an option for almost every interest. People who don’t wish to be on the stage can work backstage in Stage Productions. Students who prefer the spotlight can follow the acting track. Just about anyone can be involved in the theatre department, all you have to do is join.