Upper School

	FOUNDATION ARTS OS101, 102, 103 (1 UNIT) FALL, WINTER, SPRING	Foundation Arts, the integrated introductory course for all the arts, is required for students in 9th grade. The course is designed to introduce, at an early, formative moment in the Upper School arts curriculum, an integrated model of learning, with visual arts, dance, theater and music acting as equal partners. The goal of the course will be the realization of various forms of art production that emerge through the collaborative process of research, design and discussion. Creative works from various periods and cultures that rely on the dynamic integration of music, art, theater and dance will serve as exemplars for student work. Because successful multidisciplinary works frequently span time and cultures, the work undertaken in this course will also enrich study in other academic disciplines. Examples of integrated creative works will include films such as "The Lord of the Rings," the turn of the century Ballets Russes production of "Petrushka" (a collaboration between Sergei Diaghilev. Igor Stravinsky and Alexandra Benois) and traditions such as Indonesian shadow puppet theater. Student productions themselves will be realized in the context of studio workshops and rehearsals, culminating in public performances for parents, and a documentary film for students' self-assessments. External evaluators will be used for public performances. Underpinning the coursework are the National Arts Standards, which provide a framework for what students should know and be able to do in the arts. (9th grade)
	ACTING FOR THE STAGE 801, 803 (1 UNIT) FALL, SPRING	A basic acting class for those students who are interested in learning the art of acting and improvisation. In addition to doing acting exercises, students will have an opportunity to do scene work as well as monologue work. The finished products of the class will be performed during class for students from other divisions or in assemblies. Other assessments include journal writing and class participation. (10th, 11th and 12th grades)
	PUBLIC SPEAKING 814, 815 (1 UNIT) FALL, WINTER	The purpose of this course is to help students become more adept at speaking in public and giving presentations. People use more than the voice to communicate, including facial expressions, body language, the words chosen to communicate the point, and listening to the audience. In addition, in today’s society, students have a variety of technologies to assist in their oral presentations, but few know how to use them properly. In Public Speaking, students will have three assignments to complete. Assignments will include; writing a speech using certain words from a list, giving a solo three minute oral presentation using only an index card, and giving a group presentation using technology. Students will be able to take risks in a safe rehearsal environment revolving around critique and reflection in order to improve their presentations for this class and for the future. (10th, 11th and 12th grades)
	DIRECTING SKILLS 824 (1 UNIT) FALL	Have you ever wanted to know what goes into directing a show and think you might want to give it a try yourself? This course will take a step by step approach by walking you through the process from picking a play to the performance when your work will be realized. You will learn the art of script analysis, how to create a concept for your show, how to hold an audition, the importance of casting, how to block a scene, how to talk to performers, in addition to other necessary skills. Students will keep a director’s notebook as well as choose a scene from a play, cast it, rehearse it, and bring it to performance level by the end of the course. (10th, 11th and 12th grades)
	RACISM, SEXISM & OTHER "ISMs" in FILM 808 (1 UNIT) WINTER (2005 - 2006 school year)	Is the director’s intention to inform, incite, or entertain? That will be the groundwork for our discussions in this course. Students will view clips from films throughout the ages, both commercial and independent. They will see how society has affected film, and how film has affected society. What has changed for the better or the worse since the beginning of film as an art form? What role does race, sex, religion and sexual orientation play in the way a film is made. If a film is adapted from a book, is material edited out so as not to offend the mass audience and protect society or to make sure there is more revenue from the box office. In addition to regular forms of assessment, students will be expected to present a clip from a film and then discuss its impact on themselves as well as society in general. (10th, 11th and 12th grades)
	HISTORY OF MUSICAL THEATRE 805 (1 UNIT) WINTER (2006-2007 school year)	This course is designed to show the progress and major innovations in the American Musical Theatre. Musicals are examined from the early 19th century operetta to the present day. Students will also explore the lives and assess the contributions of some lyricists and composers such as Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Bernstein and Sondheim. The course will entail reading, listening, analysis and criticism, as well as student presentations. Students may choose this elective to fulfill the music requirement for graduation. (10th, 11th and 12th grades)
	WRITING FOR THE STAGE, SCREEN & TV 823 (1 UNIT) SPRING	Using playwriting as a foundation for this course, students will focus on how to write dialogue for the stage using proper format while learning how to construct a scene. Television and film script writing will also be reviewed, but writing for the stage will be the primary thrust of the course. Each week students will write 5-10 pages of a scene, and then discuss their work with classmates after reading the material aloud. Areas to be discussed will include, but not be limited to; character development, conflicts, raising the stakes, where to find material to write about, using props in the script, opening and closing the scene. Students will also learn about the difference in writing for the stage versus film, television and commercials. (10th, 11th and 12th grades)
Click here to view Mr. Roche's website


FALL	WINTER	SPRING
OS101 Foundation Arts 801 Acting for the Stage 814 Public Speaking 824 Directing Skills	OS102 Foundation Arts 808 Racism, Sexism and Other "-Isms" in Film (2005-2006 school year) 815 Public Speaking * 805 History of Musical Theater (will be offered in the 2006-2007 school year)	OS103 Foundation Arts 803 Acting for the Stage 823 Writing for the Stage, Screen, and TV




	The Upper School produces two organized productions each year, and offers many classes for the students to partake in. The Fall Play is exclusively for the Upper School students. The Musical is primarily for the Upper School students for two years, and every third year involves grades K-12. Students may also audition for other projects, including the Senior Comprehensive Project which are organized by the students.

	The Theater Department offers five courses to Upper School students. All 9th grade students are required to take a one trimester course, Foundation Arts, which is an integrated, introductory arts course including dance, music, theatre and visual arts. In grades 10 - 12, students may select any of the one-trimester theatre courses as part of their three-credit arts requirement. This change begins for the class of 2008. Students in the classes of 2006-2007 were required to take Introduction to Theatre to fulfill their graduation requirement in Theatre. Students may elect to take independent studies with any Theater Department teacher in the areas of costume design, set design, lighting design, script analysis, acting styles, choreography or directing skills.