Theater & Dance

This course allows students to experience many facets of theater including design, acting, directing, playwriting and performance. Discussions, group activities and feedback encourage students to think creatively while collaborating, problem-solving and presenting original ideas.

Theater History is essentially the history of storytelling. Whose stories do we tell and how do we tell them? Merging celebration, ritual and drama, theater is a cultural performance. We will explore the influential traditions of the West African Griot, Ancient Greece, Elizabethan England and Tokugawa Japan. Through the lens of our own current story--global pandemic, upheaval and unrest--we will look at characters who challenge authority in the pursuit of justice and face devastating consequences for their actions. We will study Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus and Antigone in conjunction with the modern Theater of War’s Antigone in Ferguson, conceived in the wake of Michael Brown’s death in 2014. We will also examine how revenge differs culturally by comparing Shakespeare’s Hamlet to the Japanese classic tale of Chushingura (The Revenge of the 47 Samurai). As well as reading plays in their written form, we will look at the process and practice of performance--past and present. By viewing film clips, as well as getting up on stage and embodying the texts we read, we will better understand how an actor or director’s interpretation affects the story.

What’s in our students' acting and directing tool box? As an actor, how does one identify given circumstances, analyze a character’s intentions, map out actions and embody emotions fully? As a director, how does one best convey a story through blocking, stage composition and script analysis? How can design and research help flesh out one's interpretation? In this active studio class, students will experiment with a range of acting and directing techniques, ultimately deciding what tools work best for them. Students will both act and direct in scenes and monologues.

In Introduction to Theater Design, students expand their imaginations through a comprehensive overview of scenic, lighting, sound and projection design. Through conceptual projects and practical activities, students synthesize the design process and develop presentation skills. The class introduces technical skills in scenic painting and set/prop construction, all while honing an eye for compositional design.

Skills are further honed in Advanced Theater Design. Students build the curriculum, in coordination with their teacher, based on the interests they would like to further explore. Past topics include scenic design, drafting and model building, projection and animation design, electrics and lighting design,and more. The class prepares students to find practical solutions to creative ideas and prepare a portfolio of finished work.

Yoga is a harmonizing practice that brings balance to body and mind through postures, breathwork, sun salutations, guided meditation and deep relaxation. Yoga I students learn how to safely practice classic yoga postures and gentle movement sequences while maintaining a connection to their breath. Emphasis is placed on developing self-awareness, maintaining a sense of ease, exploring a personalized approach to the practice and creating a solid foundation to build upon. In Yoga II, a wide variety of postures, concepts, movement sequences, breathing techniques, meditation and deep relaxation expands each student’s practice. Every class is customized to support the student's interests and needs.

Each student in Production Workshop is assigned a “job,” such as stage manager, assistant director, assistant costume designer or assistant set designer, and contributes in a meaningful way to the staging of the spring play, from conception to execution. In this advanced level course, students team up with the Theater & Dance Department faculty in a truly collaborative process.

This course, open to twelfth graders only, is one of the culminating experiences for theater students at CGPS. In the Senior Play, students build upon the lessons learned in introductory classes to produce, design, direct and act in a collection of one-act plays. This class is an exciting opportunity for students to exercise their creative autonomy and see their independent artistic visions come to life.

This class is open to all students who are interested in a nurturing and creative approach to dance-making. Through structured improvisations and small choreographic tasks, participants will broaden their range of motion and understanding of what dance can be. Exploring different sources of inspiration such as images, poetry, current events, and music, participants will develop original choreography, both individually and in small groups, with the intention of sharing thought-provoking material. All genres, traditions, and styles will be welcomed and celebrated. This class is ideal for artists, actors, musicians, dancers, or anyone curious about how the body can express itself through movement.

Modern Dance encourages self-expression and freedom of movement. Students are led through a technical warm-up designed to open and strengthen the body. Students explore movement sequences, structured improvisations and spontaneous reaction to time, space and energy. Full phrases of movement strengthen each student’s understanding of the principles covered. This style of dance inspires imagination, independent thinking, intelligence and awareness. Modern Dance I encourages individuality, self-confidence and growth. In Modern Dance II, students are led through complex technical exercises designed to open and strengthen the body. Through structured improvisations, dancers discover new qualities of movement and broaden their range of motion. Intricate phrases of movement are taught and explored, challenging dancers both intellectually and physically.

Every good speech tells a story. In this class, students will explore fundamental elements of effective storytelling by studying masters of the craft. Confident public speaking is a valuable tool to achieve success in many professions. This performance-oriented course will strengthen students' presentation skills for a variety of situations. We will address personal speech and body language habits, while improving posture, voice and diction. Through active peer feedback, students will sharpen their skills in critical listening. As well as performing famous speeches, students will also write their own personal story, inspired by The Moth, as well as compose a persuasive speech. The ultimate goal of this course is to empower students to be more articulate, compelling and brave.

Stagecraft is a hands-on workshop course that focuses on the development of practical technical theater skills. Students learn to safely use power tools, and practice techniques in scenic painting, set and prop construction, electrical wiring, lighting and sound programming, and projection mapping. The course compliments our Production Design classes, teaching students how to practically bring designs to fruition onstage.