High School Theatre Arts Courses
Theatre Arts
Through a varied and solid curricular and co-curricular production program, the Theatre Arts Department expands the concept of “classroom” to include the performance and production arenas. Academic study is wedded to practical theatre activities in order to create a unique, hands-on study of the theatre. Learning opportunities may include dramaturgical research and writing, field trips, special workshops, physical and vocal performance work, and backstage design/ technical opportunities. Under the eclectic umbrella of Theatre Arts, large numbers of students and staff are regularly involved in performance and in fine and practical arts study.
There are four aspects of the Shaker Heights High School Theatre program:
- The Ensemble Acting approach to development and training of student performers;
- The writing development program, which finds its regular voice through the annual production of the new playwrights series New Stages;
- The active shared involvement of students, alumni, faculty, community and professional artists through a Guest Artist Program;
- A technical and production management program with course work in basic stagecraft, film studies and individually shaped programs for students in theatre production and company management.
Course Selection
Listed here are course offerings available to students through the department along with a suggested course sequence. Theatre Exploration and Stagecraft serve as a foundation for the more advanced classes. Film As Art and Dramatic Literature and Writing may be taken as English or as Fine Arts credits. However, these courses do not replace basic English requirements.
Course of study goals for each course listed include the theatre's primary responsibility to develop skills in expressive as well as responsive communication. Other inherent goals include skill development and mastering tools for making effective, civic-minded, ethical decisions affecting the whole group, as well as skills with creative thinking and problem solving and opportunities to explore a range of theatre-related careers. All courses encourage students to develop a sense of mutual humanity in our global, multi-cultural society.