Acting I
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This class introduces a variety of sensory and imagination building techniques as well as foundational skills of the Meisner Technique, an actor training technique developed by Sanford Meisner, one of the founding members of the Group Theater. The first semester begins with foundational exercises to train the actor's reflexes toward behavioral truth within imaginary circumstances. Once this layer of work has been established, the students begin to apply themselves to scripted text.
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Acting II
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This class continues the work that began in Acting I. Building upon the use of repetition and related activities, the class will explore techniques for deeper emotional commitment and more fully realized immersion in the given circumstances. Students will learn how to craft specific character based relationships based on the text and on the behavioral choices of their acting partner.
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Audition Technique
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The study of musical and non-musical based audition techniques aimed at mastering monologues, cold readings, sides, and all peripheral elements that contribute to a successful audition. Included in the class with be a unit of work focused on professional preparation and the business of acting covering topics related to casting, audition prep, head shots and resumes, personal style, awareness of type, and current trends in the profession.
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Song Interpretation
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This course introduces students to the techniques and comprehensive disciplines required for interpreting the various styles of the musical theatre canon. It is designed to provide exposure to the script, score and artistic analysis necessary for successful interpretation of the song. Students will concentrate on safe and effective ways to sing songs from various periods of musical theatre, ranging from the distant past to present day.
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Ballet I
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This class provides a highly disciplined and developmentally appropriate sequence of ballet training. In class training focuses upon building strength, flexibility, musicality, and coordination. The class will cover the basics of placement/alignment, turnout, line of positions, port a bras, quality of movement, class etiquette, ballet terminology, and the knowledge base necessary to move forward in the dance sequence.
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Ballet II
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This class provides a more advanced level of ballet training. In class training builds upon the work of the first semester with continued emphasis on strength, flexibility, musicality, and coordination. This class will review and expand upon the French terminology and introduce some Russian terms as well. There will be opportunities to learn about the history of dance, current trends, and masters of the art form. Dance audition technique will be introduced and appropriate performance opportunities will be provided.
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Ballroom Dance
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Ballroom dance is the art of partnering. In this course, students will study no less than two standard dance forms selected from but not limited to the following: Fox Trot, Swing, Tango, Waltz, Quick Step, Salsa. Ballroom dance helps actors to develop confidence, stage presence, and increases their physical, emotional and rhythmic sensitivity. Many of the requisite skills can be applied directly to scene work and quality acting. In this course, each dancer will lead as well as follow.
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Jazz/Theatre Dance I
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This class is designed to teach each student the correct alignment and specific techniques necessary for advancement within this and all dance genres. Class is aimed at increasing strength, flexibility, endurance, and the ability to learn and retain choreography. In additional to practical application of technique in class, students will also be introduced to the history and the major choreographers of Jazz and Musical Theatre Dance.
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Jazz/Theatre Dance II
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This class is designed to build upon all the work introduced in the first semester. More advanced work is incorporated including greater challenges in the warm up, across the floor work, centering, and combinations. An emphasis this semester is placed upon audition decorum, preparation, and conduct; incorporating mini-auditions and call-backs. Students are guided to employ the acting and storytelling elements of dance.
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Comedy
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This course is designed to help students identify their own brand of humor and to guide the discoveries made in class to the comic demands within the art of musical theatre. The class will also expose the students to the various types of comedy that exist, further helping the student to find ways to comically engage with a wide array of material.
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History of Musical Theatre
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This course teaches students to identify prominent figures in both early and modern theatre; including composers, lyricists, performers, directors, choreographers, and producers. Students study the effects of the great historical events and trends that affected the art form from turn of the last century to today.
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Improvisation
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Students will explore the fundamental principles of improvisation and how it enhances and applies to all of their performance work. Working in pairs and groups, the students will create improvised scenes and environments, explore character, learn to trust instincts, and practice making honest, fully committed choices. With the introduction of music and lyrical components, students will apply all the same principles, but with an emphasis on genre, ensemble support, and fully invested song improvisation.
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Performance Lab I
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This is a performance-based class that approaches musical theater the same way an actor explores text in a play. During the course, each student will develop necessary skills to thoughtfully investigate material in order to combine organic choices in movement, acting and singing. Students will explore the fundamentals of text analysis and research in order to provide intentions, stakes and conflict for each character in a variety of contrasting musical theater genres.
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Performance Lab II
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This class is a playground to gain confidence in performance and solidify the process of character development and analysis learned in Performance Lab I. The foundation of work in the class will originate from the interpretive choices, given circumstances, and style of the chosen material. From this foundation we will explore various techniques to activate performance physically, vocally and emotionally. Attention is given to activating choices, exploring transformational characters, and acting within an ensemble.
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Pop Rock I
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This class is class designed to introduce musical theatre students to basic concepts of Pop Rock singing. Students will learn a brief history of Pop Rock and its place in the Musical Theatre Repertoire. Special emphasis will be placed on finding material that is successful for each individual voice and sung in a healthy manner that aligns with the acting demands of the song.
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Music Theory
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This class teaches students to be literate in the written language of music. Actors who have the ability to read music fluently have a much easier time learning songs and can do so without the help of a coach or musical director. Actors who read music are acknowledged in the industry as a valuable commodity. A professional musical theatre actor known to be a good music reader is much more likely to be hired than one who is illiterate. Sight singing is the ability to sing what is notated at a glance, the equivalent of a "cold read" in scene work. It requires the ability to identify intervals immediately and sing them correctly, and in time.
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Stage and Film Combat
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This course covers the fundamental principals of unarmed stage and film combat. With emphasis on safety, students will learn a basic vocabulary of slaps, punches, kicks, hair pulls, rolls, and other fight related illusions. Angles for stage masking and camera viability are learned, allowing each student to know how best to enact a safe and effective moment of physical violence for stage and screen.
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Ensemble Practicum I
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This course is designed to help students increase knowledge of rehearsal techniques, professional behavior, and musical skills. Students will receive practice in ensemble singing in large groups, duets, trios, and small group numbers. In addition to the pedagogical instruction, the class is the practicum studio for assembling music suitable for showcase consideration.
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Ensemble Practicum II
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This course continues building upon the work of the first semester. Music selections are found and techniques are learned for effective development and performance of songs. Special emphasis is applied to duo, trio, or ensemble works. Selections are rehearsed and prepared for possible inclusion in the showcase event.
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Voice and Speech I
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In this class, students work with basic elements of preparing the body for authentic phonation, breath support, auditory sensory awareness and the freeing the natural voice. Students study the effective production of pure vowels and diphthongs, consonant action, and the interplay of the spoken word within imaginary circumstances. Teachers may make exercise substitutions while maintaining learning goals.
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Voice and Speech II
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In this class, students retain continued work on resonance and work with intermediate elements of speech, such as obstruent and diphthong differentiation, heavy or light consonants, intonation and meaning, personal point of view, and integration of growing verbal skills. Students also learn the value of dialect and work towards expressive and effective mastery of general American speech. Teachers may make exercise substitutions while maintaining learning goals.
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Tap I
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Introduction to the basic Tap dance principles and techniques. Tap is a style of American theatrical dance, distinguished by percussive foot work, which marks out precise rhythmic patterns on the floor. This class will focus on Broadway style Tap dancing, incorporating warm up, drills, standard Tap steps, terminology, and performance combinations.
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Scene Study
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This course is taught using musical theatre dialogue, music, and lyric in an active, tangible scene study format. Partners are used in the scene study portion, as well as group assignments. The course is based on the teachings of Sanford Meisner and how his theories apply to musical theatre performance. This course is designed to teach students how to analyze the components of musical theatre (dialogue, music, and lyrics) and implement their analysis in a Meisner based performance.
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Voice Studio Lab
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This course is designed to introduce students to the theory and practice that forms the basic functional skills of vocal production and singing. Topics include: breathing, muscular and air support, diction, the vocal anatomy, tone production, vowel and consonant modification, resonance and vocal health. Students will also develop a greater self-awareness, confidence and the tools of expression that are essential in singing.
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