Theatre

"My child's confidence has improved significantly since joining this program. There is a strong sense of community and involvement within HSArts Musical Theatre!" -- Feedback from parent

Theatre
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The Musical Theatre Program (MTP) at HSArts is a comprehensive and dynamic theatre arts education program that gives students the opportunity to develop their skills through intensive rehearsals and live performances. The MTP curriculum centers on pre-professional, individualized training in the fundamentals of acting, singing, music, and dance. Students apply these skills in individual and group scenes, as well as in performances.

Apart from individualized training, musical theatre students’ coursework includes Acting Tech, Acting Scene Studies, Improvisation, Group Vocal, Music Theory, Piano Lab, and MT Movement.

Throughout the school year, our musical theatre students participate in two showcases, two musicals, and a play. These theatrical performances give students the opportunity to be involved in a production from start to finish and grow as a collaborative group of young artists. Ultimately, our goal is to help shape well-rounded theatre artists who are prepared to pursue their passion beyond high school, and help cultivate a more creative world.

Acting

Within the MTP, Acting offers comprehensive training to students who aspire to pursue acting in a conservatory or on stage, film and television. Tailored for young actors interested in advancing their dramatic acting skills, the Acting curriculum includes improvisation, journaling, scene study, history of theatre, voice and diction, audition techniques, and production values.

Singing and Music

Singing and Music serves to develop the vocal skills of each student while providing them with foundational knowledge in music. With their voice as their main instrument, MTP students become more competent  musicians, learning music theory, piano basics, and vocal techniques including breath control, posture, enunciation, and intonation with a private vocal instructor. Students practice putting  their vocal skills to work while maneuvering about the stage and performing dance movements.

Dance

Dance or Movement prepares students to move gracefully and confidently while on stage. Starting with posture, and learning how to move their bodies, MTP students practice rhythm, balance, footwork, and expression through movement, unlocking all the tools needed to express their own artistry. Students learn basic dance techniques, routines, and repertoires from major productions and original choreography from their teachers.

Previous Productions

Spring 2023  Charlotte’s Web

Spring 2023  All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

Winter 2022  Ebenezer’s Christmas Carol

Fall 2022  The Con

Spring 2022  You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Spring 2022  The Most Viewed, Least Watched Talk Show in History

Fall 2021  The Phantom Tollbooth Jr.

 

Sample Theatre Curriculum

►  Acting Technique

►  Movement Technique

►  Improvisation

►  Shakespeare

►  Play Analysis

►  Theatre History

►  Mask Work

►  Voice & Diction

►  Dialects

►  Acting for the Camera

►  Voice & Dance for Musical Theatre

Aimee Greenberg

Theatre Teacher

Aimee Greenberg, MA, RDT is an award-winning veteran theatre artist whose works have been performed world-wide. She is the Founding Artistic Director of fruitlessmoon theatreworks (SD) and Heijera productions (LA). She has had the good fortune to collaborate with theatre icons Grotowski, Boal and Gentile. As an educator, Aimee has developed theatre programs and taught acting, writing and directing for theatre and film for grades for high schools, theatres, universities and international conservatories including: UCSD, CSUSM, SDSU, CSULA, and JAMU.

Brandon Yu

Theatre Teacher

Mr. Brandon Yu worked in theater productions all throughout high school, his undergraduate career at UC Santa Cruz, and also did some productions outside of school. He has performed in plays such as The Servant of Two Masters (Pantalone), Largo Desolato (Leopold Nettles), and The Matchmaker (Horace Vandergelder). He has also worked as a sound designer. In addition to Theatre, he has studied traditional music abroad and around the Bay Area including various Indonesian gamelan, Irish folk music, Mexican son jarocho, and Hawaiian singing.

Daxi Song

Vocal Teacher

Mr. DaXi Song is a dedicated educator with a passion for music, holding a strong academic foundation as an honor student majoring in music theory, voice, and related subjects at SFSU. His commitment to excellence is reflected in his aspiration for 100% success in both his own musical journey and that of his students. With expertise in vocal techniques, pedagogy, music theory, and a talent for motivating students, Mr. Song creates a positive and creative learning environment.

Yao Wang

Dance & Movement Teacher

Yao Wang is originally from China, started dancing when she was 6 years old, and was selected to study with Liaoning Music and Dance Company. For 7 years, she was trained in ballet, acrobatics, and classical Chinese dance. Yao received her BA in dance studies from HuaQiao university, and received her MFA in dance from Mills College in 2019, majoring in performance/contemporary and choreography. She is a certified teacher for Vaganova methodology and Progressing Ballet Technique and a trained teacher for the Royal Academy of Dance program.

Yujing Bai

Music Theory & Composition Teacher

Ms. Bai received her M.A. from San Francisco Conservatory of Music in Composition and she also earned her B.A. from Shanghai Conservatory of Music in Music design and Production. She is an active contemporary composer based in the Bay Area. Her works contribute to a variety of instrumental, chamber, film, electronic, vocal and other collaborative directions. She has also worked with Hollywood film composers Roger Neill and Larry Groupe at the Palomar Film Music Workshop.

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