Theater
Students at all ages at the Academy have opportunities to develop their theatrical talents both in the classroom and in extracurricular offerings.
The addition of the James W. Wilson, Jr. Theater in 2009 has transformed the theatrical experience. The Wilson Theater is a flexible black box space that seats approximately 175 people and has state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems. This space has provided students on the Vaughn Road campus access to a legitimate theater "lab" in which they can learn about the technical aspects of theater using the same tools that are found in professional theaters around the country. Additionally, the community now has access to an inviting and comfortable venue for public performance. In essence, the building has raised the expectation level of the quality of performance, and our students are meeting those expectation levels.
Lower School
Theater at the Lower School falls under the auspices of the music program and the classroom curriculum. The music teacher, along with the classroom and resource teachers at each grade level, directs each grade level in a class play or pageant that is performed for the entire school community.
Middle School
The formal curriculum for theater really begins at the Middle School level with the goals of developing an appreciation of the history of theater over the ages as well as developing the skills for performance. All students in the 5th and 6th grades are introduced to the theater on a rotational basis. Then, a semester theater elective is offered to 7th and 8th grade students. Two distinct courses are offered so that students could elect to take theater two times during the 7th and 8th grade years.
Upper School
In the Upper School, students have the opportunity to take two acting classes: an introductory class and an advanced class. Furthermore, classes on improvisational theater and on analysis of film are also offered. Students who have special interests in writing for the stage or in set/costume design also have opportunities to display their work.
Beyond the classes, students have the opportunity to perform through several full-scale productions. Currently, there is one Middle School production each year, one Upper School play, and one Upper School musical that may use some Middle School students. These productions are open to the entire school community and usually culminate in three or four public performances.