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A curriculum meeting was recently held for the teaching staff of the new Cape Theater Arts Academy, which is contracted between the Cape Henlopen School District and Clear Space Productions. Unique to the program is that the various units will be taught by both theater educators and theater professionals.
There will be two Level One classes and one Level Two class offered this school year, with plans to have Levels Three and Four added in the next two years. Technical theater classes are also being developed in cooperation with Cape’s video production department.
Level One students will learn to write critical analyses of scripts and performances; concentrate on improvisation and monologue work; participate in a Children’s Theater unit and tour with the show to local elementary schools mid-year; create costume, lighting, set and prop designs for a well-known theater piece; learn mask work; and develop solo and group performance projects, which will conclude the semester’s work.
All Cape high school students are encouraged to try out for shows. Academy students should expect to participate in every show either on-stage or on the stage crew. Every effort will be made so that theater students who are also involved in other extracurricular activities will be given performance responsibilities that allow for their other interests.
Level Two students will continue to write critical analyses; learn vocal production, contemporary monologues, British accents, classic British scenes and voice for musical theater in the first semester; and movement for theater in the second semester, which will include yoga warm-ups and learning popular theatre dance styles including jazz, the Charleston, swing and the tango.
There will be an informal performance offered free of charge at the end of each quarter for family, friends and the community to experience what students have been working on.
Field trips, exhibitions, competitions and foreign exchange opportunities for theater students are being discussed as future possibilities.
Cape Theater Arts Academy students will receive free tickets to Clear Space Productions’ shows and have access to storage and changing facilities.
The committee also set upcoming dates including a Saturday, Sept. 20 Elvis Weekend Singing Car Wash; a fall show set for Oct. 10-13; a musical Feb. 26-March 1; a vintage prom dress fundraising fashion show and sale in April; and a spring show May 21-24.
There will be Cape Theater Arts Academy information available at both the Ninth Grade Picnic on Aug. 26 and at other high school open house events.
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