Summit Theatre is continuously growing to meet the needs of our students. We currently offer 7 different semester long courses and 1 year long touring production class. All theatre classes can be taken for performing arts or elective credits. Classes are offered in both the performance and production aspects of theatre, and are designed to help students develop their theatrical skills in a structured, supportive and fun environment which encourages creativity, risk taking and personal growth. 

*SCROLL DOWN FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT COURSE CHANGES FOR THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR*
Theatre 1: Introduction to Theatre
Whether students are new to theatre or have years of production experience, Theatre 1 is a foundational theatre class for everyone! In this semester long class, students will gain skills and confidence in movement for the stage, voice work, character creation and improvisational theatre. Theatre arts are proven to help students overcome stage fright, develop public speaking and non-verbal communication skills while working collaboratively in a creative environment. 
Theatre 2: Intermediate Theatre Techniques
Theatre 2 is a semester long scene study and monologue performance course where students develop and refine individual acting skills in variety of genres, including drama, comedy and classical texts. Theatre 1 is a prerequisite for Theatre 2. 
Theatre 3: Advanced Theatre Practices
Theatre 3 is a semester long course in advanced theatre practices, which cover historical and world theatre styles: Greek tragedy, Italian Commedia dell ‘Arte, German Epic Theatre & Viewpoints. Theatre 1 & 2 are prerequisites for Theatre 3. This course is only offered in alternating years. 
Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre is a semester long course in the triple threat aspects of theatre: acting, singing and dance. This course serves as a broad overview of the history, styles, works and artists of the musical theatre genre as well as a practical study in the development of the skills necessary for performing in musical theatre. Students will develop their acting, movement, singing and dance skills through a variety of genres and activities throughout the semester. The course concludes with a Musical Theatre Revue performance.
Stagecraft 1: Sets, Props, Costumes & Makeup
Stagecraft 1 is a semester long class that covers the design and practical skills of set building, properties creation, costume design and makeup basics. Students will learn how to approach a script with an eye toward theatrical design, as well as apply skills practically to school productions. It is highly recommended that students take Theatre 1 prior to Stagecraft classes and that Stagecraft 1 & 2 be taken as a sequence. However, there is no prerequisite and Stagecraft 1 and 2 can be taken out of order. 
Stagecraft 2: Management, Lighting & Sound
Stagecraft 2 is a semester long class that covers the design and practical skills of stage management, theatre marketing and publicity, lighting and sound. Students will learn how to approach a script with an eye toward theatrical design, as well as apply skills practically to school productions. It is highly recommended that students take Theatre 1 prior to Stagecraft classes and that Stagecraft 1 & 2 be taken as a sequence. However, there is no prerequisite and Stagecraft 1 and 2 can be taken out of order. 
Stagecraft 3: Independent Study in Production Design
Stagecraft 3 is a semester long class in which students take on one of the following production roles for a Summit Theatre production: Student-Director, Assistant Director, Choreographer, Stage Manager, Publicity and Marketing Manager, Set Designer, Master Carpenter, Properties Master, Costume Designer, Makeup/Hair Designer, Lighting Designer or Sound Designer. Students will develop their designs in concert with the director's vision, attend production meetings and work on a timeline to complete and realize all production designs for their chosen or assigned role. You need permission to enroll in this course. 
Thunderous Applause Performance Troupe
Thunderous Applause is a yearlong touring production class. The class selects or creates scripts, rehearses and designs a one-act production in the first semester and then tours the production to local schools or other venues during the spring semester. Students must have taken Theatre 1 & 2 or Stagecraft 1 & 2 and audition/interview to be admitted into the class. 

2020-21 Theatre Course Changes

The focus this year in Theatre classes will be on building and fine-tuning individual skills with an emphasis on self-directed project based learning. Because a lot of what we do in Theatre is social, collaborative and hands on, we WILL NOT be following the standard course curriculum during Distance Learning. Instead, all Theatre students are going to have the opportunity to plot their own way through the semester by choosing 2 project-based mini-electives for each 6-week term. For each class, there will be a course curriculum targeted option, but students will be able to select an option outside of their course-targeted elective offering if they see something that interests them more!

TERM 1 OFFERINGS (September 14 - October 23)

Acting for Film
(Recommended for Thunderous Applause)
​
Costume Crafts
(Recommended for Stagecraft 1 or 3)

Screenwriting
(Recommended for Stagecraft 1 or Thunderous Applause)

TERM 2 OFFERINGS (October 26 - December 11)

Theatre Appreciation
(Recommended for Theatre 1)

Prop Magic
(Recommended for Stagecraft 1)

Stop Motion Movies
(Recommended for Stagecraft 1 or 3)

TERM 3 OFFERINGS (December 14 - February 5)

Sketch Comedy
(Recommended for Thunderous Applause)

Beginning Acting
(Recommended for Theatre 1)

Prop Magic
(Recommended for Stagecraft 1)

Stop Motion Movies
(Recommended for Stagecraft 1 or 3)
 

2020-21 Mini-Elective Course Descriptions



Acting for Film (Term 1: Sep 14 - Oct 23)
Students will develop acting skills to transition from stage to screen by learning how to play objectives with their eyes, dig internally into a character, and develop the nuance required to “work with the camera.” The term will culminate in students using newly acquired skills to recreate famous scenes from television and film. This elective is recommended for Thunderous Applause, but can be taken by any theatre students. It is a recommended prerequisite for Sketch Comedy.
GUEST LECTURER: Meet and work with actor, Regina Fernandez. Regina has a BFA in Musical Theatre from University of Central Florida and has been working in theatre and film for many years. She was a company member for the 2019-20 season at the Oregon Shakespeare Company, but has worked extensively in Colorado and New York as well. 

Beginning Acting (Term 3: Dec 14 - Feb 5)
Develop or improve your skills as an actor, including: physical theatre, movement, pantomime, voice work and character creation. Over the course of the term, students will develop a digital portfolio of a variety of performances, including a “Pass the Object” class video challenge, narrated children’s story and a mockumentary style character “Confessional” (ala The Office, Parks and Rec, etc.) This course is recommend for Theatre 1, but students of all levels and experience will benefit from the activities and skill building in the course and are welcome to join. 

Costume Crafts (Term 1: Sep 14 - Oct 23)
Need a costume for Halloween, COMICON or to wear around your house to pass the time? Or are you interested in eco-fashion (using recycled materials to create an original ensemble)? In this 6-week course, you will learn the fundamentals of costume design to conceptualize and create a full character costume or eco-outfit by repurposing old clothing, curtains or all kinds of strange objects you may have around the house to create a wearable piece of art that is yours to keep! This elective is recommended for Stagecraft 1 & 3 students, but may be taken by any theatre student.  
GUEST LECTURERS: This course will be co-taught by Broadway costume designer, Evan Prizant (Girl from the North Country, Sunday in the Park with George) and NY based film/television wardrobe supervisor Mariah Fidalgo (Marvelous Mrs. Mazel, SNL, Sneaky Pete).

Prop Magic (Term 2: Oct 26 - Dec 11 & Term 3: Dec 14 - Feb 5)
A Properties Master is a magician. Yes, a magician. Or an alchemist, if you want to get technical. A properties master is a creative problem solver, turning one object into the illusion of something totally different! In this 6-week elective course, you’ll learn a variety of techniques to work with common prop materials and then design and create your own props of your choice. Want to make a faux banquet to trick your sibling into eating? Want to pair a sonic screwdriver with your Doctor cosplay costume from last term? If you can think it, then we can make it! This elective is recommended for Stagecraft 1, but can be taken by any theatre student. 
​ 
Screenwriting (Term 1: Sep 14 - Oct 23)
Do you love TV and film? Are you mesmerized by the witty dialogue of the likes of Aaron Sorkin or the quirky comedic timing of Tina Fey? In this 6-week crash course in screenwriting, you’ll learn the basics of writing stories for the camera and develop your own original or adapted script for a short film. This elective is recommended for Thunderous Applause or Stagecraft 1 or 3 students, but may be taken by any student. It is a recommended prerequisite for Sketch Comedy.  
GUEST LECTURER: Meet and work with actor and writer, Matt Bailey. His most recent writing project, Dividends, received a variety of award nominations at the 2019 New York Film Awards. On screen, he can be seen in many of his own writing projects as well as popular shows such as The Marvelous Mrs. Mazel, Madame Secretary and Boardwalk Empire.

Sketch Comedy (Term 3: Dec 14 - Feb 5)
Learn about the rich history of sketch comedy shows from Monty Python and SNL to modern iterations like Key and Peele and Portlandia. Students will develop improvisational theatre skills, which are the foundation of sketch comedy, then work as a writing and acting team to create a series of comedic sketches to inform an original sketch comedy show to film and premiere on the STC YouTube. This elective is recommended for Thunderous Applause, but any student may take it. The Screenwriting or Acting for Film electives are also recommended prerequisites for participation in this course, but not required. ​

Stop Motion Movies (Term 2: Oct 26 - Dec 11 & Term 3: Dec 14 - Feb 5)
Students will learn about stop motion storytelling by developing multimodal skill sets including: scenic design, found object puppetry, storytelling, voice work and video editing. Students will then apply these acquired skills using the Stop Motion Studio app to create their own original or adapted stop motion short film. This elective is recommended for Stagecraft 1 or 3, but may be taken by any theatre student.   T

Theatre Appreciation (Term 2: Oct 26 - Dec 11)
What makes theatre theatre? What makes a theatre production good? Live theatre may be on hold, but streamed theatre is alive and well. Join this “film study” course on theatre, and watch a variety of performances available for streaming, come together as a group and discuss the merits of the acting, technical and design elements that make a production memorable. For new theatre practitioners, actively learn terminology and operations of theatre in an applicable, immersive and fun way! This elective is recommended for Theatre 1, but can be taken by any student.

The Curiosity Project (Offered as an Option for All Terms)
If you are self-motivated and passionate about a role or area of theatre that is not being offered in one the electives, you can choose The Curiosity Project. The Curiosity Project is a student-centered self-directed project option. Students select a role or area of theatre they would like to research and/or experience, and develop a project end-goal that helps to frame their time within the 6-week term.