The Drama program at St. Andrew's includes academic course offerings in addition to the school plays each term.  Students who are interested in developing their stage presence and technique and are excited to pursue the opportunities for fun and personal growth that can be found on stage are encouraged to take these courses.

Public Speaking

This course focuses on the fundamentals of speaking in public, including emphasis, pace, pitch, tone, volume and clarity and enhances students' ability to use effective and engaging vocal dynamics.  Assignments include experimenting with famous speeches, conducting interviews, preparing persuasive advertising, storytelling, theatrical monologues and impromptu speaking.  The Course also explore techniques for calming and masking the nervous habits often provoked by public performance. (Half-Credit; Open to IV and V Forms)

Acting 1

This course exposes students to the essential aspects of acting with an emphasis on acting as technique rather than emotion.  Students study plays and selected scenes by Ibsen, Chekhov, Shakespeare and Williams, among other more contemporary playwrights. They explore expanding vocal techniques, physical alignment, theatrical make-up, stage combat, script analysis and the First Folio technique of performing Shakespeare.  Time permitting, students attend at least one professional theatrical production during the course. (Half-Credit; Open to IV, V and VI Forms)

Acting 2

Essentially a continuation of the Acting 1 class, this course delves deeper into the techniques of acting, focusing on script and character analysis as well as directing and improvisation.  Student work is more individual and performance more frequent.  By the end of the 1st semester, students will have three audition-quality monologues ready for performance and possible video-taping for college applications. Prerequisite: Acting 1 or permission of the instructor.  (Half-Credit; Open to V and VI Forms)