THEATRICAL LITERACY, HISTORY, AND CRITICISM
660010 1A Grades 10-12
660020 1B Grades 10-12
660030 2A Grades 11-12
660040 2B Grades 11-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. This class is a survey of Western theatrical history, drama and practices from Classical Athens through the Restoration. Students will study the social, political, musical, cultural and historical influences of each period to understand the context in which theatre was created. Likewise, they will explore the means by which theatre was produced and practiced including theatre companies, acting styles, design and architecture. They also will study the dramatic literature of each period including a critical analysis of each text. The class consists of a performance lab.
ADVANCED SCRIPTWRITING (.5 CREDIT)
660150 1 Grade 12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Students continue to explore dramatic writing using a variety of techniques and methods that expand and branch of earlier techniques. The class expands on methods learned from the previous two years.
ADVANCED METHODS AND TECHNIQUES (.5 CREDIT)
660090 1 Grades 10-12
660100 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Methods and Techniques focus on the many different methods of actor training, including Stanislavski, Stella Adler, Meisner, Whelan and many others. The curriculum includes an extensive investigation of various techniques such as concentration, communion, emotion memory, and public solitude. Students will also ascertain a practical understanding of terms such as action, objective, tactic, obstacle, conflict, intention, motivation, and “beat.” Particular emphasis will be given to ensemble-building, cultivating personal responsibility, instilling self-discipline, imaginative play, enlarging creativity, memorization techniques, building self-confidence, and strategies for collaborating successfully
VOICE AND MOVEMENT (.5 CREDIT)
660110 1 Grades 10-12
660120 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. The focus of the Voice and Movement class is to create a greater awareness of and connection to the actor’s natural voice and physical body. Further, it is to free that natural voice toward greater psychological and physical connections and improved self-awareness, imagination, expressiveness and embodiment. Students will focus on breath and vocal production, opening the physical channels of communication, exploring physical alignment, and releasing tension to begin to build vocal strength and connect the voice to creative impulses.
THEATRE BUSINESS (.5 CREDIT)
660050 1 Grades 10-12
660060 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. The business of acting. This class concentrates on choosing contemporary and classical monologues best suited for an audition. Class will explore the audition process itself, how to find work as an actor and insights into the day to day workplace of theatre, television, film and commercials. The class will discuss cold readings, creating showcases, voice-overs, meeting agents, contacting agencies, pictures & resumes, mailings and life as an actor professionally and regionally. Senior 1st year students will spend time on the collegiate selection process. Preparation and expectations during the college audition process.
WRITING FOR STAGE AND FILM (.5 CREDIT)
660070 1 Grades 10-12
660080 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Writing for stage and screen provides a chance to explore dramatic writing in a number of different ways. The class includes theatre games and improvisation activities, which illustrate narrative techniques particular to the Playwriting genre. Students read and analyze a number of plays, and apply points of craft to their own work. After experimenting with various writing exercises, students write and revise a ten to 30 minute one-act play, which is then work shopped both in class, and during individual conferences, and, finally, submitted in the young playwright’s competition through CenterStage Baltimore.
ADVANCED THEATRE STUDIES MARKETING AND PRODUCING
660180 1 Grade 12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Preparation for college auditions and/or entrance into the profession including an overview of the business of acting and audition preparation. The continued study of the business of theatre and theatrical organization. Students study the importance of various aspects of a viable theatrical organization including: the mission statement, incorporation and non-profit status, control boards, funding sources, and strategies. As part of the class, students will create a hypothetical theatrical organization, locate and design a venue in the U.S., identify funding sources and develop an inaugural season based on the organization’s mission statement.
ADVANCED THEATRE STUDIES CAPSTONE PROJECT
660170 1 Grade 12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. The creation and presentation of two senior showcases. In the fall, all third year students will present an Audition Showcase featuring monologues to be used for college and professional auditions. Following that, students will write an original oneact or full length play or musical, as a final project that will be submitted to contents and performance venues.
660010 1A Grades 10-12
660020 1B Grades 10-12
660030 2A Grades 11-12
660040 2B Grades 11-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. This class is a survey of Western theatrical history, drama and practices from Classical Athens through the Restoration. Students will study the social, political, musical, cultural and historical influences of each period to understand the context in which theatre was created. Likewise, they will explore the means by which theatre was produced and practiced including theatre companies, acting styles, design and architecture. They also will study the dramatic literature of each period including a critical analysis of each text. The class consists of a performance lab.
ADVANCED SCRIPTWRITING (.5 CREDIT)
660150 1 Grade 12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Students continue to explore dramatic writing using a variety of techniques and methods that expand and branch of earlier techniques. The class expands on methods learned from the previous two years.
ADVANCED METHODS AND TECHNIQUES (.5 CREDIT)
660090 1 Grades 10-12
660100 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Methods and Techniques focus on the many different methods of actor training, including Stanislavski, Stella Adler, Meisner, Whelan and many others. The curriculum includes an extensive investigation of various techniques such as concentration, communion, emotion memory, and public solitude. Students will also ascertain a practical understanding of terms such as action, objective, tactic, obstacle, conflict, intention, motivation, and “beat.” Particular emphasis will be given to ensemble-building, cultivating personal responsibility, instilling self-discipline, imaginative play, enlarging creativity, memorization techniques, building self-confidence, and strategies for collaborating successfully
VOICE AND MOVEMENT (.5 CREDIT)
660110 1 Grades 10-12
660120 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. The focus of the Voice and Movement class is to create a greater awareness of and connection to the actor’s natural voice and physical body. Further, it is to free that natural voice toward greater psychological and physical connections and improved self-awareness, imagination, expressiveness and embodiment. Students will focus on breath and vocal production, opening the physical channels of communication, exploring physical alignment, and releasing tension to begin to build vocal strength and connect the voice to creative impulses.
THEATRE BUSINESS (.5 CREDIT)
660050 1 Grades 10-12
660060 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. The business of acting. This class concentrates on choosing contemporary and classical monologues best suited for an audition. Class will explore the audition process itself, how to find work as an actor and insights into the day to day workplace of theatre, television, film and commercials. The class will discuss cold readings, creating showcases, voice-overs, meeting agents, contacting agencies, pictures & resumes, mailings and life as an actor professionally and regionally. Senior 1st year students will spend time on the collegiate selection process. Preparation and expectations during the college audition process.
WRITING FOR STAGE AND FILM (.5 CREDIT)
660070 1 Grades 10-12
660080 2 Grades 10-12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Writing for stage and screen provides a chance to explore dramatic writing in a number of different ways. The class includes theatre games and improvisation activities, which illustrate narrative techniques particular to the Playwriting genre. Students read and analyze a number of plays, and apply points of craft to their own work. After experimenting with various writing exercises, students write and revise a ten to 30 minute one-act play, which is then work shopped both in class, and during individual conferences, and, finally, submitted in the young playwright’s competition through CenterStage Baltimore.
ADVANCED THEATRE STUDIES MARKETING AND PRODUCING
660180 1 Grade 12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. Preparation for college auditions and/or entrance into the profession including an overview of the business of acting and audition preparation. The continued study of the business of theatre and theatrical organization. Students study the importance of various aspects of a viable theatrical organization including: the mission statement, incorporation and non-profit status, control boards, funding sources, and strategies. As part of the class, students will create a hypothetical theatrical organization, locate and design a venue in the U.S., identify funding sources and develop an inaugural season based on the organization’s mission statement.
ADVANCED THEATRE STUDIES CAPSTONE PROJECT
660170 1 Grade 12
Offered only at Governor Thomas Johnson High School within the Academy for the Fine Arts, which meets for two entire instructional blocks daily. Students from all other Frederick County public high schools are eligible to audition for these courses after meeting admission requirements. The creation and presentation of two senior showcases. In the fall, all third year students will present an Audition Showcase featuring monologues to be used for college and professional auditions. Following that, students will write an original oneact or full length play or musical, as a final project that will be submitted to contents and performance venues.
