Theater Courses
- Acting I: Basic Skills
- Beginning Accents and Dialects
- Improvisational Techniques
- Acting I: Musical Theater
- Unarmed Stage Combat
- Acting, Voice, and Movement
- Design for Theater
- Stage Makeup
Acting I: Basic Skills
31-0200-41 Monday & Wednesday, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM; 2 credits
An introduction to the basic discipline of an actor, through physical, vocal, and improvisational exercises. Some text work, using poetry, short scenes, and monologues from plays, is used to teach beginning actors an awareness of their own needs on stage as well as the needs of the others in the scene. All students will perform in the final Student Showcase in a piece created specifically for the Showcase or a collection of scenes and monologues.
Beginning Accents and Dialects
31-0325-41 Tuesday & Thursday, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM; 2 credits
Students will begin to examine and practice up to six of the most commonly used dialects in English-speaking theater: Standard or General American, Northeastern/Atlantic and American Southern, Standard British, Cockney and Irish. Content emphasizes technical aspects of dialect such as vowel and consonant pronunciation, rhythm, musicality and how they can be applied to theatrical language.
Improvisational Techniques
31-0205-41 Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM; 2 credits
This course will teach the basic skills required for improvising the kind of material performed at Second City and on Saturday Night Live, exploring both the writing and the acting of this kind of sketch material. The class will present its own comedy revue at the Student Showcase.
Acting I: Musical Theater
31-0400-41 Tuesday & Thursday, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM; 2 credits
In this course, students will work on contemporary American Musical Theater materials – scenes, song, and dance. Choral numbers as well as duets and solos will be explored. Students will do a revue of material during the Student Showcase.
Unarmed Stage Combat
31-0435-41 Monday & Wednesday, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM; 2 credits
A course in basic skills of unarmed stage combat for high school students. Students will learn skills to allow them to deal with the presentation of violence on stage. Fists, feet, and found objects will be used, with a final scene presented during performance week.
Acting, Voice, and Movement*
31-0230-41 Monday & Wednesday, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM; 2 credits
An advanced exploration of the basic discipline of being an actor, through physical, vocal, and improvisational exercises. This course uses some text work, consisting of short scenes and monologues from plays, to reinforce in beginning actors an awareness of their own and others’ needs onstage. For the student with some previous acting experience. Work is presented in final Showcase.
*Prerequisite: Students must have taken one acting course (high school or HSSI or community courses accepted) and have performed in one stage performance. If you have questions about your readiness for this course, please contact Amy Stewart at astewart@colum.edu
Design for Theater
31-0600-41 Monday & Wednesday, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM; 2 credits
A class for designers, would-be designers, and those who may be interested in stage design. This course will teach the basics of design from a practical and aesthetic point of view. Students will do hands-on collaborative projects and learn about creativity in service of a script. Students will create materials for display in the High School Summer Institute Student Showcase. Course fee: $30.
This introductory course focuses on communicating character to audience through makeup. Students learn basics of stage makeup, including aging techniques, character analysis, corrective makeup, use of color, shadow and light. Students may have the opportunity to work on animal and cartoon character makeup designs as well. Course fee: $75