Theater

"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts..." - As You Like It

The Theater Arts program at McCallie and Girls Preparatory School is led by Chelsea Padro. She previously taught at St. Andrew’s Sewanee School where she directed upper school productions such as Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Into the Woods, Much Ado About Nothing, and Robin Hood.

Recent productions have included The Jedi Doth Return by Ian Doescher, the Star Wars saga reimagined as an Elizabethan drama, as well as winter productions combining the acting and writing talents of both students and faculty!

Students act out a scene from Peter and the Star Catcher

Course Descriptions

PAR510 - Theater and Drama

In this course students will have a practical, hands-on experience of many of the elements the theater offers: acting, directing, technical theater design, and production. Students will discover new playwrights and find freshness in the classics by learning about universal behavior through acting monologues and scenes in class. This course can be taken multiple times, as genres and featured theater practitioners will change each semester. Genres include, Classical Greek and Roman, Melodrama, Modern, Epic Theatre, Theatre of the Absurd, Contemporary, etc. Semester course. Grade: 9-12. Prerequisite: None

PAR 515 - Theater Tech and Design

In this course, students will gain experience designing and constructing theatrical sets and other technical elements, such as sound, lighting, scenic paint, etc. Students will study current technical practices and develop their own conceptual designs based on theme and play analysis. They will gain practical knowledge of power and design tools, as well as light and sound design and operation. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in set construction, sound, and lighting design for the fall upper school theater production. Semester course. Grade: 9-12. Prerequisite: None

PAR 770 - Introduction to Theater

In Introduction to Theater, students investigate the balance between personal needs and social responsibility through individual, small and large-group theatre games and characterization exercises. Classroom projects include the basic elements of improvisation, storytelling and playwriting. Students create and develop characters, maintain points of view, learn how to justify physical action, sustain focus onstage, explore genuine human reactions, and investigate the status and the influence it holds in the control of a scene. They also generate an understanding of communication and problem-solving skills. In the 24/7 One-Act Play Festival, sixth graders take on the roles of playwright, actor, director, designer, researcher, critic, and audience member as they bring original scripts to life in performance.