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Theatre Department » About Our Department
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About Our Department
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Drama Denver Academy’s Drama Program recognizes that students flounder without a sense of passion, purpose, and their own self worth. Through drama, students learn that they are talented, capable human beings. They have something valuable to offer to society, and they find pride and a sense of direction through their accomplishments. Many of these students, who have struggled in their academic life, blossom in the performing arts, and develop the self discipline that is necessary to be successful in life. At Denver Academy drama is offered to all students, elementary through high school. In the younger grades, students are introduced to theater through creative play, team building, and story telling. In the upper grades, emphasis is on performance. Classes include advanced improvisation and story development, using theater games, short form and long form. Emphasis is also placed on script analysis, character study, motivation, memorization, movement, projection, diction, and focus, with the final goal being production and performance. Students learn all aspects of theater including set design and construction, lighting and sound, publicity, directing, costume and prop acquisition. All shows are built and operated by the students. Different cultures, social class, history, and characters are not only studied, but experienced, through improvisation and the performance of the written word. Denver Academy’s Drama department frequently partners with the language arts, and other core curriculum areas to enhance the learning experience. The senior literature class and the drama department co-produce a Shakespeare play each year as a culmination of their unit on Shakespeare. “Oedipus”, “A Streetcar Named Desire”, and other plays have also been vehicles for the deeper study of literature. Students discover that literature comes to life through performance. Denver Academy teachers also perform in plays with their students, allowing teacher and student to see each other in a whole new light. They become equals in their struggle to achieve a great performance. This unique opportunity to perform as a team extends into the classroom and creates bonds that last a lifetime.
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