Hewlett High School Theatre Courses

Theater Sequence Overview

Proud Recipient of the New York State English Council’s

Program of Excellence Award.

Introduction to Theater is a beginning-level course that provides a fundamental appreciation of the components of theater. To begin to fully understand and appreciate theater, it is essential that one experiences the theater and participates in as many aspects as possible. Students in this course will be required to participate in ensemble exercises, scene study, theatrical performance, in-class discussions, and attend and discuss live performances. In addition, the study of dramatic structure and theater history will also be components of this course.

Theater Workshop 1 & 2 is a course designed to enhance the fundamental appreciation of the components of theater learned in the introductory theater course. To begin to fully understand and appreciate theater it is essential that one experiences the theater and participates in as many aspects as possible. Students in this course will engage in the following units of study:

• Ensemble exercises and collaborative projects,
• Intermediate, modern scene study,
• Original monologue and dialogue writing for the stage,
• Monologue preparation and performance,
• Audition preparation,
• Acting techniques (Meisner, Stanislavsky),
• Commedia del arte (history and performance),
• Behind-the-scenes roles in theater and film
• Pantomime,
• Multi-Media Projects
• Screenplay writing
• Class discussions and critical review of live performances.
• the study of dramatic structure & theater history

College Theater Workshop 3 & 4 is an advanced theater course (which can earn students 2 college credits through Adelphi University) designed to enhance the fundamental appreciation of the components of theater learned in the prior theater courses. Students in this course will engage in the following units of study:

• Advanced ensemble exercises and collaborative projects,
• Classical Greek Theater (history & performance)
• Advanced scene study
• Monologue preparation
• Original dialogue/monologue writing for the stage,
• Advanced Acting techniques (Meisner, Stanislavsky),
• Shakespearean theater (history & performance) 
• Audition preparation,
• Reader's Theater,
• Musical Theater (history, development and performance),
• The Role of the Director
• Acting with a Director,
• Class discussions and critical review of live performances.

College Theater Workshop 5 & 6 is an advanced theater course (which can earn students 2 college credits through Adelphi University)designed to enhance the fundamental appreciation of the components of theater learned in the prior theater courses. Students will participate as directors, writers and actors, along with the Theater 3/4 class, in the following units of study:

• Advanced ensemble exercises
• Classical Greek Theater
• Advanced scene study
• Monologue preparation
• Original dialogue/monologue writing for the stage,
• Audition preparation
• Reader's Theater
• Musical Theater
• Introduction to Directing
• Class discussions and critical review of live performances.
• The Senior Theater Projects 

College Modern Drama is an advanced English course (which can earn students 3 college credits through Molloy College) for 11th and 12th grade students that focuses on modern literature that is written for performance. This class will investigate elements of dramatic literature and the various forms of drama that have evolved from modern realism to comedy of manners to theater of the absurd, to farce. Students will focus on the exploration of drama, humor, gender and identity through various forms of modern theater. Additionally, dramatic literature will be studied comparatively within the fields of literature, theater history, theater production, and cinema. Students may earn 3 college credits through Molloy College by taking this course as a 12th grade English class. Pre-Requisite: Intro to Theater