Performing Arts Courses

The Performing Arts Department offers a full four-year program in theater arts and vocal and instrumental music. The serious drama student who plans to pursue theater in college has the opportunity to avail herself to a core of structured classes while giving all students the opportunity to grow in confidence through a variety of performing and technical activities. Likewise, the student of music may study voice and/or instrumental music for four years. The courses include:

Speech is a graduation requirement of all freshmen, focuses on the art of presentation through a variety of public speaking experiences.

Acting I lays out the fundamentals of acting for the beginner in theater. The emphasis is on group work, culminating in a scene study for analysis.

Acting II is an intermediate level acting class that assumes knowledge of basic terms. The focus is on individual growth as an actor, learning how to develop a character.

Actor’s Workshop is an advanced level acting class that assumes not only a working knowledge of terms, but also experience in performance. The focus is on ensemble performance as students learn how to produce a children’s play and take it on the road.

Directing teaches all aspects and responsibilities of the director in the production process. Students choose and direct one act plays for “A Festival of One Acts.”

Theater Production presents an overview of technical theater and gives students an understanding of “behind the scenes” workings of a production.

Oral Interpretation examines the dramatic interpretation of literature in the categories of storytelling, prose, poetry, dramatic duo, and dramatic performance. The exploration of three public speaking types is included.

Broadcasting is designed to acquaint students not only with the workings of a radio and television studio, but also with knowledge of computer video editing.

Marlin Chorus is the entry level choir for freshmen and sophomores that concentrates on basic vocal technique and music theory. Emphasis in the fall semester is on the “Pizza, Jamz and Jeans” Concert in October and the Christmas Concert while the spring semester focuses on the Spring Concert in May.

Concert Chorale is the advanced choir for junior and seniors, focusing on the same concerts as the Marlin Chorus, but studying more advanced music.

Orchestra accepts students on all four grade levels who have an intermediate playing ability and can read music. The orchestra performs for school concerts and individual students may audition to perform in the pit of the spring musical.

The Performing Arts Department suggests the following program:

For the theater student:

• Freshman Year: Speech and Acting I
• Sophomore Year: Acting II and Oral Interpretation
• Junior Year: Actor’s Workshop or Directing and Theater Production
• Senior Year: Directing or Actor’s Workshop and Broadcasting

For the music student:

• Freshmen Year: Marlin Chorus or Orchestra
• Sophomore Year: Marlin Chorus or Orchestra
• Junior Year: Concert Chorale or Orchestra
• Senior Year: Concert Chorale or Orchestra