Information for Students!

 This course satisfies the Fine Arts graduation requirement. Through improvisation, simple scripted scenes, performance projects, and/or practical application, students learn to identify what makes performances believable and explore the tools used to create, articulate, and execute them. They learn to break down a scene from a character’s point of view, and also learn to sustain a character and build the relationship between actor and audience. Upon completion of this course, students have a strong foundation for future scene work, script analysis, and play production. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom. 

Successful completion of Acting 1 or Technical Theatre Design and Production 1 with teacher approval required to register for Acting 2.

In this class students examine the various dimensions of characters through analysis, discussion, and classroom performance, working with scripts from a variety of time periods and cultures. Public performances and participation in District Festivals will serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. The content includes instruction in specific acting techniques used in various kinds of dramatic presentations. Students will be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom 

 Successful completion of Acting 2 or Technical Theatre Design and Production 2 with teacher approval required to register for Theatre 3 (Honors).

The purpose of this course is to provide an opportunity for advanced drama students to continue their study of acting and production techniques. Emphasis should also be given to the study of acting theories, as well as practice and theory in set design, makeup and lighting. Students may specialize by researching information about and participating in selected areas of theater. Emphasis will be placed on creating full productions and performances. Public performances and participation in District Festivals will serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students will be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom. 

 Successful completion of Theatre 3 (Honors) is required to register for Theatre 4 (Honors).

The purpose of this course is to provide in–depth study of dramatic and theatrical art. The content includes practical application in costume, scenery, lighting, and sound design; makeup techniques; advanced acting techniques; and theatrical management. Students will specialize by researching information about and participating in selected areas of theater, including play writing, direction, stage design and management, choreography, and advanced acting.  Emphasis will be placed on leadership in full productions and performances. Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students may be required to attend and/or participate in rehearsals and performances outside the school day. 

 The purpose of programs for students served on Access Points is to  provide academic, physical, social, personal, and career education so  the students, to the best of their ability, become functioning members  of society. The underlying goal of the instructional program is a philosophy which functions to guide the educational decisions made on behalf of the students served. The premises which support this philosophy are students served in this program have a greater need than most students to practice skills, have a basic need for self-worth, and teachers of students on Access Points curriculum are the key contributors to the comprehensive educational program offerings. 

In Access Theatre students will be challenged to step outside of their comfort zone and perform various styles of theatre including but not limited to basic acting, improvisation, pantomime and musical theatre.  Students will demonstrate what they have learned in a culminating performance on stage, in front of an audience of family and friends.

 This course satisfies the Fine Arts graduation requirement. Students focus on developing the basic tools and procedures for creating elements of technical theatre, including costumes, lighting, makeup, properties (props), publicity, scenery, and sound. Technical knowledge of safety procedures and demonstrated safe operation of theatre equipment, tools, and raw materials are central to success in this course. Students explore and learn to analyze dramatic scripts, seeking production solutions through historical, cultural, and geographic research. Students also learn the basics of standard conventions of design presentation and documentation; the organizational structure of theatre production and creative work in a collaborative environment; and the resulting artistic improvement.  Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific instructional goals. Students will be required to attend or participate in technical work, rehearsals, and/or performances beyond the school day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom.  .

Successful completion of Acting 1 or Technical Theatre Design and Production 1 with teacher approval required to register for Acting 2.

Students focus on developing the advanced tools and procedures for creating elements of technical theatre, including costumes, lighting, makeup, properties (props), publicity, scenery, and sound. Technical knowledge of safety procedures and demonstrated safe operation of theatre equipment, tools, and raw materials are central to success in this course. Students specialize their study in elements of technical  theatre. Students take great leadership roles in theatrical production.  Public performances may serve as a culmination of specific  instructional goals. Students may be required to attend or participate  in technical work, rehearsals, and/or performances beyond the school  day to support, extend, and assess learning in the classroom. 

What is Thespians?

The International Thespian Society (ITS) is the Educational Theatre Association’s (EdTA) student honorary organization. ITS recognizes the achievements of high school and middle school theatre students.  Since 1929, EdTA has inducted more than two million Thespians into the ITS's ranks.  That number continues to grow, with more than 36,000 students from around the country being inducted each year.

How does ITS work?

Having a Thespian troupe at your school raises the profile and stature of your theatre program, making both your school and community aware of the activities and success of your students. A school has a Thespian troupe that is led by a troupe director—usually the 

school’s theatre teacher.  Students earn an invitation to be inducted into ITS.

Who are Thespians?

Thespian troupes include students in grades 9-12, and Junior Thespian troupes include students in grades 6-8. There are troupes in

more than 4,000 high schools and middle schools.

Expectations

All acting, theatre and tech theatre students are expected to keep track and submit their Thespian points on a semiannual basis.  This will be a counted as a graded assignment. It is not required that you join Thespians, but it is required to track your points. 

See the point values worksheet in the Important Documents below.

Thespians Troupe 5729 vs. Sickles Theatre

The Thespian Troupe and the Sickles Theatre Program are not one and the same.  The Thespian Troupe is a subset of the

theatre arts program.  It is the student honor society, and membership is earned though your hard work and participation.  Any student may be a member of the theatre program,

but only students who have been officially inducted and registered with the EdTA home office are members of the theatre program and

the International Thespian Society.

Thespian Club Sponsor

The Thespian Club sponsor is Coach Jones

Students may participate in a variety of adjudicated performances or presentations called Thespys and One Acts. Thespys are divided into acting, musical theater and technical categories. Under the acting category, students may participate in the following events (there may be some limitation as to the number of events in which each student may participate):

Pantomime

Large Group Musicals

Ensemble Acting

Small Group Musicals

Duet Acting

Duet Musical

Monologues

Solo Musical

Choreography

Costume Design

Costume Construction

Makeup Design

Scene Design

Playwriting

Publicity Direction

Student-directed scene

Stage Management

  One Act Plays

Any student(s) wishing to participate in District performances in any category must audition for and be approved by the Theatre Program Director through an in-class audition process. Our troupe is limited in the number of performances we can take in each category. If there are not enough performances to fill our quota in any single event, that does not mean we will take anyone who auditioned in that category. Acts and presentations chosen to represent us at Districts must be appropriate and well-prepared. If we have more auditions than the number of performances allowed in any single category, then the participants will be chosen based on the audition using the official Thespian judging sheets.