Topeka High School Theater Courses
Theater students at Topeka High School have the opportunity to take a number of different theater courses. Please, find them, with their descriptions and prerequisites listed below.
(3751) Acting 1
Semester class. Open to all grades. Speech or fine arts credit.
This course develops students' basic acting skills and techniques through acting exercises, scripted and improvisational scenes, and character/script analysis. Students are required to memorize scripted text for classroom performance. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class is required.
(3752) Acting 2
Semester class. Speech or fine arts requirement. Prerequisite: Acting 1 or teacher recommendation.
This course further develops acting skills and techniques from Acting 1 through advancing acting exercises, scenes, and character/script analysis. Students will also study audition techniques, explore Shakespeare, and may also perform for invited audiences. Students are required to memorize scripted text for classroom performance. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class is required.
(1391) Stagecraft 1
Semester class. Open to all grades. Fine arts credit.
This course trains students in basic stagecraft techniques of scenery design, construction, lighting, with mini units on stage management, makeup, and costume design. Students will have opportunities to earn class credit by serving as a crew member for one or more Trojan Theater productions. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class may be required.
(1392/1393) Stagecraft 2/3
Semester class. Open to all grades. Fine arts credit. Prerequisite: Stagecraft 1
These courses extend students’ learning of basic stagecraft techniques of scenery design, construction, and lighting by providing them laboratory experiences. Students will have opportunities to earn class credit by serving as a crew member for one or more Trojan Theater productions. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class may be required.
(3754) Advanced Theater Ensemble
Year long class. Fine arts or speech credit. Prerequisite: Teacher permission
Project based class that produces various theater projects for public performance and recruitment. Projects include: Children's Theater, Middle School workshops, Directing project, Showcase, One Acts. Other theatrical topics explored include: dramatic literature, technical design, and collegiate, community, and professional theater opportunities. ATE also supports the Performing Arts department in any way deemed appropriate or necessary. Some extracurricular time is likely to be required including, but not limited to : rehearsals, performances, and attendance or support of Trojan Theater performances.
(3756) Theater Appreciation - Improvisation
Semester class. Open to all grades. Fine arts credit.
In the first part of the course, students will learn fundamental concepts in improvisational acting as developed by Spolin, Close, Halpern, and others. Students will demonstrate mastery of the subject through improvised performances for the class. In the next part of the course, students will learn long-form improvisation based on the work of Improv Olympic. Students will develop skills allowing them to instantly create a 20 to 30 minute long performance based on one audience suggestion. Multiple public performances will be required. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class may be required.
(3763) Diversity Theater
Semester class. Open to all grades.
This course is an acting class focused on plays by and about people of color, and other minority groups. It will include a survey of plays by African-American, Mexican-American, Native-American, Asian, women, LGBTQ, and other minority authors; acting exercises; confidence-building exercises; off-stage responsibilities; script analysis and notation; rehearsal expectations and techniques; and performances of scenes from studied plays.
Semester class. Open to all grades. Speech or fine arts credit.
This course develops students' basic acting skills and techniques through acting exercises, scripted and improvisational scenes, and character/script analysis. Students are required to memorize scripted text for classroom performance. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class is required.
(3752) Acting 2
Semester class. Speech or fine arts requirement. Prerequisite: Acting 1 or teacher recommendation.
This course further develops acting skills and techniques from Acting 1 through advancing acting exercises, scenes, and character/script analysis. Students will also study audition techniques, explore Shakespeare, and may also perform for invited audiences. Students are required to memorize scripted text for classroom performance. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class is required.
(1391) Stagecraft 1
Semester class. Open to all grades. Fine arts credit.
This course trains students in basic stagecraft techniques of scenery design, construction, lighting, with mini units on stage management, makeup, and costume design. Students will have opportunities to earn class credit by serving as a crew member for one or more Trojan Theater productions. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class may be required.
(1392/1393) Stagecraft 2/3
Semester class. Open to all grades. Fine arts credit. Prerequisite: Stagecraft 1
These courses extend students’ learning of basic stagecraft techniques of scenery design, construction, and lighting by providing them laboratory experiences. Students will have opportunities to earn class credit by serving as a crew member for one or more Trojan Theater productions. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class may be required.
(3754) Advanced Theater Ensemble
Year long class. Fine arts or speech credit. Prerequisite: Teacher permission
Project based class that produces various theater projects for public performance and recruitment. Projects include: Children's Theater, Middle School workshops, Directing project, Showcase, One Acts. Other theatrical topics explored include: dramatic literature, technical design, and collegiate, community, and professional theater opportunities. ATE also supports the Performing Arts department in any way deemed appropriate or necessary. Some extracurricular time is likely to be required including, but not limited to : rehearsals, performances, and attendance or support of Trojan Theater performances.
(3756) Theater Appreciation - Improvisation
Semester class. Open to all grades. Fine arts credit.
In the first part of the course, students will learn fundamental concepts in improvisational acting as developed by Spolin, Close, Halpern, and others. Students will demonstrate mastery of the subject through improvised performances for the class. In the next part of the course, students will learn long-form improvisation based on the work of Improv Olympic. Students will develop skills allowing them to instantly create a 20 to 30 minute long performance based on one audience suggestion. Multiple public performances will be required. Attendance at a theatrical performance outside of class may be required.
(3763) Diversity Theater
Semester class. Open to all grades.
This course is an acting class focused on plays by and about people of color, and other minority groups. It will include a survey of plays by African-American, Mexican-American, Native-American, Asian, women, LGBTQ, and other minority authors; acting exercises; confidence-building exercises; off-stage responsibilities; script analysis and notation; rehearsal expectations and techniques; and performances of scenes from studied plays.