Theater Arts: Advanced Acting & Directing

In the Advanced Acting & Directing class, students expand the skills they developed in Theater Arts: Acting. With a specific focus on world theater traditions and practices, students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of themselves and their role as theater makers. They continue to deepen their critical thinking skills and broaden their personal perspectives of social and human behaviors. Learning to ask probing questions and engaging in meaningful reflection, students develop their artistic perception and creative expression. Collaboration, trust and risk-taking are key elements of success at this level of study. Participants in the Advanced program are also given the opportunity to stage Green Room showcases of their work and are encouraged to audition for the performance classes from which the Main Stage shows are produced throughout the year.

The emphasis of the first mod, Styles and Techniques, is on the development of characterization techniques through participation in physical and vocal acting exercises. By exploring a variety of approaches and training methods specific to world theater practices, time period and genre, the actor continues to hone their mind, voice and physicality in ways that will allow them to portray a greater variety of characters.

In the second mod, Script Analysis and Monologues, the student learns, or deepens their facility with a focused process and method of analyzing a script in order to devise a truthful and believable characterization. Students combine skills from mod 1 with the tools gained from script analysis to present two opposing monologues as their culminating project. These chosen monologues can also serve the student who is looking for audition material to be used in the future, especially if they need performance pieces for college applications.

The final mod, Scene Study for the Actor, continues the creative process for the actor by adding the element of collaboration. Working with partners, students utilize all of their collected skills to create believable characters in published scene work. This mod is different each time a student takes it because the experience and learning vary based on the relationship the actor develops with scene partners and the way in which the collaborative process affects artistic decisions.

A student who takes all or part of this course more than once is challenged to enhance their ability to act from a deeply personal and freely imaginative place. By tackling new and increasingly challenging material, the student continues to gain confidence in their personal process while keeping their skills sharp. It encourages the actor to extend their risk-taking and to make more interesting acting choices in their work.

The first time they take this course, students must take all three mods. In subsequent years, students are encouraged to repeat any/all of these mods and may do so in any order.

Min-Max Credit Hours: 3.0-3.0