Theater

Music Production 1.0 credits per trimester AY or F, W, S 10-12

Do you make your own beats? Write your own lyrics? Have you ever wanted to record live music? These are just a few of the opportunities available to students who take Music Production. This course allows students to develop fluency in the creation of recorded music in many forms. As a project-based class, students have the opportunity to collaborate with other Wooster musicians as they work towards a final recording submission: a track on the Wooster Music Production Playlist! This course may be repeated for credit. This course runs during G period and incorporates asynchronous responsibilities.

Theater

Wooster Theater seeks to engage and challenge both the novice and the aspiring actor, writer, designer, or director. Courses in Acting and Technical Theatre provide practical, real-life training for students to hone their craft while working on productions in the Black Box Theater. Acting classes are based on the work of Sanford Meisner, who described the foundation of acting as “the reality of doing.” Students are guided through the study and performance of classic and contemporary scenes and plays. Technical theater electives immerse students in the world of backstage theater through the design, creation and performance of Wooster productions. The study and practice of theater at Wooster provides a nurturing and safe environment for students to discover their place on or offstage, while becoming more engaged, empathetic, creative, and confident human beings.

Acting Workshop 0.5 credits per trimester AY or F, W, S 9-12

Sanford Meisner said that acting is “behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances.” This laboratory class has students learning how to develop the skills to recreate real life onstage through the Meisner Technique, Scene Study, Improvisation, and Acting Games and Exercises. During this course, students keep a journal and are asked to write about their experiences and observations of people with different writing prompts. Some of those journal entries are used as monologues and as a basis for self-discovery. This course runs during I period and may be repeated for credit.

Fall Play 2.5 credits F 9-12

Afternoon Activity

This course is the primary preparation and rehearsal time for the Fall Play. Collaboration and participation in and outside of class are expected, including choosing, rehearsing and memorizing scenes and monologues. The week leading up to opening night is “Tech Week,” during which full rehearsals are run and students are expected to be at school until approximately 7:30 pm. Performances occur on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons and evenings. This afternoon activity is pass/fail.

Winter Musical 2.5 credits W 9-12

Afternoon Activity

This course is the primary preparation and rehearsal time for the Winter Musical. Collaboration and participation in and outside of class are expected, including choosing, rehearsing and memorizing scenes and monologues. The week leading up to opening night is “Tech Week,” during which full rehearsals are run and students are expected to be at school until approximately 7:30 pm. Performances occur on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons and evenings. This afternoon activity is pass/fail.

Technical Theater 2.5 credits F, W 9-12

Afternoon Activity

Technical theater is a fun and exciting environment where students collaborate to bring to life all aspects of backstage theater. This course occurs during our afternoon activities block from 4:00 5:30 pm. Students directly create the world in which the play lives through the scenic design process, light, sound, scenic painting techniques, prop construction, and stagecraft. We will use the selected play as our textbook to understand its requirements and serve the needs of the play. Participation in the productions is required when taking this course. This afternoon activity is pass/fail.

Spring Theater Backstage Production 2.5 credits S 9-12

Afternoon Activity

Students who wish to participate in a Spring theatrical production can be part of the Middle School Spring musical by assisting in the roles of assistant directing, choreography, stage management, technical design, and music directing. This is an excellent opportunity for students interested in the backstage production experience to learn the skills of theatre production, from casting to production. Students participating in backstage production would work with and mentor middle school students, under the supervision of the faculty directors. Participation must be approved by the theatre faculty. This afternoon activity is pass/fail.