The big picture: Theatre and Creative Arts
Moving into theatre--including music, drama, and movement--and the arts involve group and individual processes. As a result, students will have the opportunity to build skills they can carry to other areas of the curriculum. These may include, but are not limited to, increased skill in public speaking, healthy posture and self confidence, group and individual problem solving, role playing, creative writing, and numerous leadership skills.
Students will be involved in group production, team building, and “out front” leadership experiences that will build confidence and abilities that will be of benefit for the rest of their school career and life.
“The learning in drama is something like a voice saying “This is what life is like; this is how people are; this is the way that human encounters work.”
Drama in class and in the theatre provides opportunities to explore situations of biblical interpretation, identification with characters in the Bible, expressing one’s faith through role play, and experiencing a Christ-centred worldview through the eyes of another as well as our own.
The visual arts further this experience by creating physical, enduring touchstones to what the participants will be experiencing in the dance and drama portions of the program.
Music performance will be largely vocal and will be incorporated into the production/performance part of the program through choral and individual work, as well as leadership opportunities throughout the year.
In class evaluation, at least one musical, leadership opportunities for performance within the school, visiting artists, and individual journaling and creative writing will be a part of each year’s activities. As the program grows, the scope of what can be accomplished each year will increase.
Why a performance oriented course?
Putting the focus on performance creates a need for greater investment by the student. Skill evaluation will take place on an almost daily basis during the program; in addition, the performance orientation allows students to practically use those skills, and provides the opportunity to reflect on and incorporate an intended audience for their work that goes beyond the walls of the classroom.
Skills learned may be applied to lifelong community involvement in such areas as auditions for community theatre, drama in worship, interdisciplinary studies, and a lifelong enjoyment of and excitement about the arts.
What will my child experience?
The TCAP program is being phased in as part of the Ed-venture program at BCA. This will allow your child to develop a specialty in drama performance and creative arts within the context of the program as a whole.
Year One (2009-2010)
Skill building will include mime, voice work (diction, enunciation, projection), some writing and interpretation, improvisation, storytelling, technique, movement, and dance drama, introduction to set and lighting design, translating written words to sound and visual art
Learning the language and general history of theatre (in-process component)
Weekly reflections (written or other artistic expression) which will form a folio by the end of the year
Leadership opportunities will include chapel services, classroom leadership, and a musical
Twice weekly classes (three times a week before the major production)
Year Two (2010-2011)
Skills development will continue and will now also include more writing, choreography, text exploration, presence, working with an audience, guided collective creation (includes visual, music, and dramatic arts)
Weekly reflections (written or other artistic expression) which will form a folio by the end of the year
Leadership opportunities will expand to include an additional dramatic production
Four weekly classes
Year Three and following (2011-onward)
Skills and knowledge will continue to be developed as above. In these following years, the students will be responsible for creating one of the productions presented during the year as a collective creation. This collective creation will incorporate visual arts skills as well as drama.
Weekly reflections (written or other artistic expression) which will form a folio by the end of the year
Leadership opportunities will include in-class peer direction and choreography, two larger productions (one written or collaborated on by students) and one smaller production which may be taken into the community.
Classes will be held four times a week
What are the evaluation criteria?
The evaluation criteria for this program will be based on the current grade level of the student and the number of years that the student has been in the program. The Ontario Ministry of Education Guidelines to the Grade 9 Dramatic Arts/Arts Dramatiques program are used to create appropriate benchmarks for the program.
Who can participate?
Interested students and their parents will be asked to come for an interview prior to registering for the program. The level of skill in theatre and creative arts is not necessary for entrance to TCAP; however, a commitment to both group and individual process, interest in the program, and a willingness to take risks are necessary.
What will it cost?
The cost of the program will be built into the Ed-venture grades 6-8 tuition.