Performance Course Offerings

Acting provides opportunities for students to investigate the craft of acting, while encouraging each student to explore their imagination and unique creative expression. Study includes guided practice of improvisation, scenes from comic and dramatic plays, and acting training techniques which develop performance and storytelling skills. This one semester course cultivates team spirit among the participants and heightens each student’s self confidence.

Acting One is a prerequisite for Acting Two.

Acting III is designed to meet the needs of the student who is interested in furthering acting skills and training the actor’s instrument. The concentration during this semester is placed on in-depth character analysis, movement, creative play writing, and advanced improvisation.

Acting One and Two is a prerequisite for Acting Three.

This semester course provides highly creative projects designed to offer students structured support in developing directing skills. Study includes application of staging techniques, actor coaching, and script analysis. Each student will direct a piece of theatre to be performed for an invited audience at the end of the semester.

Acting One, Two and Three or the consent of the instructor are prerequisites.

Acting Studio is a year long course which provides a dynamic and creative laboratory for performers to apply their acting training and playwriting skills. All projects are designed to inspire and challenge the actor’s imaginative power, develop confidence in diverse performance styles, and promote intellectual inspection of acting theory and philosophy. In addition, each actor will create and perform a 30 minute solo-show for an invited audience. Acting I and II are prerequisites for this course. ATP may be taken for honor credit.

Acting Three is a prerequisite for Advanced Theatre Performance.

Students develop their own study in acting, directing or play writing are possibilities. Working with the instructor as a teaching assistant is a popular option.

Technical Theatre Course Offerings

Tech Theatre provides opportunities for students to develop skills in the execution of stage design for theatre. Study includes hands-on experiences in scene construction, set painting, special effects, computer drafting, stage lighting, sound, and production planning. Students will strengthen their organizational skills as they use creative problem solving techniques to complete group projects. Students work in small groups throughout the year to develop their team building skills. The class splits it time between class labs working on the current production and class discussions. There is no after school requirement for this class.

Design for the Stage provides advanced students an opportunity to develop design skills in scene, lighting, sound and costume design. The design process takes them from script analysis to design presentation techniques. Production planning, creative problem solving and developing team-work skills are also developed in this year long class. Students in this class have practical design experiences during the current production season and students who take this class are given the opportunity to design Stunts, Dance HP in Concert and The Short Play Festival and assist in crew at other productions. Design for the Stage can be repeated, with students tackling more complex projects each year.

Technical Theatre and Directing for the Stage are prerequisites for Design for the Stage. Students may also receive instructor consent to take the course.

Students develop their own study in one of the design areas or create a project that focuses on technology. Working with the instructor as a teaching assistant is a popular option.

Film Making Course Offerings

Film Making I-II

Students learn about the process of creating a film from initial concept through editing. Students write scripts, work with filming equipment, and learn editing skills with Adobe Premiere. Students also watch, analyze, and discuss films. Projects include a music video, a 60 second film, a genre film, and editing professional footage. School equipment is provided for students.

Advanced Production

Students enhance and hone their film making skills, tackling complex projects individually or in groups. Students explore an expanded range of genres, including documentaries, visual albums, and more. Students in Advanced Production often submit their work to the Focus on the Arts Film Festival at HPHS, as well as local film festivals. Advanced Production can be repeated, with each year tailored to the needs of each student.

Film Making I-II is a prerequisite for Advanced Production.