Theatre Classes
The Lakewood High School Theatre Company is a co-curricular program that boasts a generous menu of classes for every student's skill level. Below is a list of courses, in a typical progression, to take a student from novice to experienced.
Some classes, taken in sequence, result in concurrent enrollment* opportunities for performance and technical theatre students.
Foundations of Theatre Arts
Prerequisites: Grades 9-12
In Foundations of Theatre Arts, students are introduced to the variety of programs and occupations in the arts, audio/visual technology, and production. Students will also learn the basics of acting, improv, and how to create characters to portray a story. Within this context, students will be expected to develop an understanding of the various and multifaceted career opportunities in this cluster and the knowledge, skills and educational requirements for those opportunities. (Semester, Fine Art/CTE Credit)
Technical Theatre Beginning
Prerequisites: Grades 9-12
Technical Theatre Beginning introduces students to different methods of constructing and painting scenery and properties, operating stage lighting and sound equipment, and implementing costumes and multimedia into productions. this course also explores the proper procedures of serving on Stage Crews. Students in this class will also help develop staged sets for productions that the LHSTC puts on. (Semester, Fine Art/CTE Credit, Concurrent Enrollment with RRCC)
Theatre Beginning
Prerequisites: Grades 9-12, Foundations of Theatre Arts
Theatre Beginning introduces students to methods of performance and performance dependent careers. Students will learn how to develop an environment, relationship, objective and character to best portray scenes on stage. Though performance is a significant part of this course, further topics include financial awareness, promotion and marketing, and management and leadership. (Semester, Fine Art/CTE Credit, Concurrent Enrollment with RRCC)
Theatre Intermediate
Prerequisites: Grades 10-12, Theatre Beginning
Theatre Intermediate teaches students how to further develop their acting understanding and skills through the language of Shakespeare. Students will learn 4 different types of Shakespearean scenes, being a Sonnet, Soliloquy, Monologue, and Duet Scene. Students will learn to translate Shakespeare into modern-day English, how to identify types of Shakespearean scenes, as well has how to work with others in a conducive learning environment. (Semester, Fine Art/CTE Credit)
Technical Theatre Intermediate
Prerequisites: Grades 9-12, Technical Theatre Beginning
Technical Theatre Beginning further develops skills that students learn in Technical Theatre Beginning. Technical Theatre Intermediate students help to build sets for LHSTC productions, as well as gaining more knowledge in the Stagecraft side of technical theatre. (Semester, Fine Art/CTE Credit, Concurrent Enrollment with RRCC)
Unified Theatre Mentor
Prerequisites: Grades 10-12, Theatre Intermediate, Teacher Approval
Unified Theatre is designed to partner students with and without significant disabilities through the lens of theatre. The mentor student model will be used so that students will collaborate throughout the semester to develop theatrical skills, social-emotional expression, and creative problem solving. The course will culminate in an evening performance of a Unified Theatre production. All students can expect to build skills in improvisation and characterization, working as an ensemble, and more. Mentor students can also expect to develop skills in leadership, product management, marketing, and direction. This course prepares students to manage the planning, design, preparation, and production of plays and other theatrical production. Course content may include instruction in theatrical design, program management, dramatic production, rehearsal management, personnel management and casting, actor coaching, directing concepts and techniques, dramaturgy, and script interpretation. (Semester)
Capstone
Prerequisites: Grades 11-12, Theatre Intermediate, Audition
Capstone allows for individualized, advanced, and/or cumulative work in a program of study. This work is individualized to the student within a specific program of study and may include problem/project based learning or preparation for industry certification. The specific content and course design is determined by the instructor, in collaboration with the individual student. This course will also delve in to the techniques of other western ancting teachers including Meisner, Hagen, Chekhov, and others. Students in Capstone will be required to attend the Annual Colorado Thespian Conference in December and perform an IE (individual event), participate in the Jeffco Theatre Festival, as well as perform in or direct the annual Advanced Acting Showcase in the spring. (2 Semesters, Fine Art/CTE, Concurrent Enrollment with RRCC)
IB Theatre
Prerequisites: Grades 11-12
IB Theatre teaches students about theatre practices beyond western realism. IB Theatre meets both an IB elective credit and serves as an advanced theatre option for those serious about the eart of theatre. This course takes the student through down the path as a creator, examining various World Theatre traditions, devising original work, and a glimpse into the theoretical world of directing. Students do not need to be in IB to enroll in this course. (2 Semesters (SL), 4 Semesters (HL))
All courses help students prepare for extra-curricular productions both at Lakewood High School and beyond, however, students do not need to be enrolled in a class to audition for any LHS Theatre Company production.