Students immerse themselves in all aspects of the craft and artistry of theatre. Mirroring the philosophy of the WEST Academy, program activities strive to stretch students’ imaginations, discover their creative potential and encourage them as artists to understand the commitment necessary for artistic excellence. Students work with master teachers studying acting, improvisation, voice and speech, various forms of physical theatre, Shakespeare, stage combat, disciplines of design and production (e.g., costumes, sound and lights). Skills and concepts learned from this diverse curriculum are applied in creating a final showcase piece. This class is for students with a demonstrated interest or previous experience in theater.
2012 Theme: Banned Books and Censored Art
Most people know Mark Twain’s classic, Huck Finn, topped the banned books list for decades. Many of the WEST PlayLabs from Harry Potter to most Roald Dahl works are also listed. However, why would William Steig’s, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble be banned? We were amazed to find current lists of which children’s books are banned and intrigued to find out what the process is to challenge a work of art or strike it from school reading lists. If art is meant to hold a mirror to humanity, what is it about our society we cannot bear to see or understand? Our conservatory explores and selects works of literature and drama that speak to us–from those works we will showcase our favorite pieces that were near being silenced perhaps forever. Check out Wikipedia to find out more about Banned Books.
Conservatory curriculum includes:
- History of Banned Books: What classics have been banned, challenged or censored and why? Who can challenge a book?
- Movement and voice for the stage actor
- Stage Combat (as called for in scene study)
- Character Analysis
- Theatre of politics and social justice
- Classical and contemporary scene study (from Molière to modern day literature)
- A sceneography of American History and the McCarthy era including Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and the history of the musical, The Cradle Will Rock.
Please Note: This class meets for six (6) days, Monday thru Saturday, for six (6) hours a day. The showcase performance follows the regularly scheduled class time on Saturday.
- Grades: 6 - 12
- Time: 9am - 4pm
- Class Dates: July 30-August 4; Monday-Saturday
- Showcase Date: Saturday, August 4 at 3pm
- Location: West End Studio Theatre
- Instructor: Terri Steinmann & Guest Artists
- Cost: $525 payable in 4 payments @ $131.25/month; Payments are due on or before March 19, April 16, May 14 and June 11; and will be charged automatically each month