Hello Families!
My name is Kaitlin Stone and I am the resident Drama Director and Stagecraft teacher at Waukesha North! Each year I like to keep my families updated with what we are doing in my classes through a monthly/bi-monthly blog post! I will make sure to send out the link in the school's newsletter as well as through Infinite Campus Messenger to help keep everyone in the loop! Please feel free to reach out to me with questions or concerns at any time, and I hope that you find these updates helpful throughout the year!
My name is Kaitlin Stone and I am the resident Drama Director and Stagecraft teacher at Waukesha North! Each year I like to keep my families updated with what we are doing in my classes through a monthly/bi-monthly blog post! I will make sure to send out the link in the school's newsletter as well as through Infinite Campus Messenger to help keep everyone in the loop! Please feel free to reach out to me with questions or concerns at any time, and I hope that you find these updates helpful throughout the year!
Drama I
Drama I students started the year learning about the concept of Ensemble in theatre and getting to know one another, setting class expectations. The students created entertaining skits in groups to show the importance of following these expectations as a class and performed them for one another at the end of September. This group has a great energy and I am extremely excited to see how they come together throughout the year!
We are currently finishing up our first acting skills unit of the year, focusing on movement and pantomime. The class has learned how actors utilize movement to create realistic characters, showing different emotions and relationships on stage, and have been working on pantomime scenes to show these skills. The students were asked to choose a character from TV, film, history, or popular media to emulate in a pantomimed scene. They and their partner were then assigned a random location, and were asked to create a scene showing how the characters react to one another and their assigned location through movement. So far, in class rehearsals have been going well and I am looking forward to the final products!
After the movement unit performances, students will move on to vocal techniques and will practice by performing old-school spooky radio broadcasts!
We are currently finishing up our first acting skills unit of the year, focusing on movement and pantomime. The class has learned how actors utilize movement to create realistic characters, showing different emotions and relationships on stage, and have been working on pantomime scenes to show these skills. The students were asked to choose a character from TV, film, history, or popular media to emulate in a pantomimed scene. They and their partner were then assigned a random location, and were asked to create a scene showing how the characters react to one another and their assigned location through movement. So far, in class rehearsals have been going well and I am looking forward to the final products!
After the movement unit performances, students will move on to vocal techniques and will practice by performing old-school spooky radio broadcasts!
Drama II/III/IV
Drama II/III/IV students have started the year reviewing basic movement, vocal, and characterization techniques as well as character and script analysis. Drama II students have been rehearsing small group scenes, Drama III students chose scenes from classic plays, and the Drama IV students have been honing their directorial skills, helping the others form their performances.
Students are just finishing up their first performances, and will move on to advanced acting and directing techniques in the next unit. Drama IV students will move on to writing, directing, and performing in their own scenes inspired by a social justice issue, Drama III students will write, cast, and direct their own scenes inspired by a famous work of literature, and Drama II students will review audition techniques and protocols in preparation for the Drama III written scenes.
This group has already seen some great progress since the beginning of the year and I am hopeful that they will show even more growth in the months to come!
Students are just finishing up their first performances, and will move on to advanced acting and directing techniques in the next unit. Drama IV students will move on to writing, directing, and performing in their own scenes inspired by a social justice issue, Drama III students will write, cast, and direct their own scenes inspired by a famous work of literature, and Drama II students will review audition techniques and protocols in preparation for the Drama III written scenes.
This group has already seen some great progress since the beginning of the year and I am hopeful that they will show even more growth in the months to come!
Stagecraft
Stagecraft students started the year learning about jobs within technical theatre, theatre hierarchy, and the hierarchy within our class. We then discussed conflict management resolution strategies and how they directly relate to our class and work designing and constructing elements for our productions. Students were asked to create short videos showing how we can use these strategies in class as their first Summative Assessment.
This last week, we completed our tools and safety unit and students were able to choose their first crews for the Clue: On Stage set build this Fall. Over the next 7 weeks, students will be working in these groups to complete the set, paint, lighting, wardrobe, prop, and publicity elements for the production. Throughout the build, students will be working on compiling a portfolio of what they create in class to present during conferences with me at the end of the build.
This last week, we completed our tools and safety unit and students were able to choose their first crews for the Clue: On Stage set build this Fall. Over the next 7 weeks, students will be working in these groups to complete the set, paint, lighting, wardrobe, prop, and publicity elements for the production. Throughout the build, students will be working on compiling a portfolio of what they create in class to present during conferences with me at the end of the build.
Drama Club
The Drama Club is currently in rehearsals for our first production of the year, Clue: On Stage based on the board game Clue and the 1985 movie.
After school technical crews have begun and students are welcome to join at any time! Interested students should email me at: [email protected]
The competition One-Act piece this year, The Rats by Agatha Christie is also in rehearsals, anxiously awaiting their first competition in October!
After school technical crews have begun and students are welcome to join at any time! Interested students should email me at: [email protected]
The competition One-Act piece this year, The Rats by Agatha Christie is also in rehearsals, anxiously awaiting their first competition in October!