Drama 10 - Comedy

Plato said that the most effective way to convey the truth is through the emotions, and this is especially true in drama where words, music, movement, lights, and the live presence of actors all come together to touch the depth of our hearts. At Chesterton Academy drama begins Sophomore year where students are introduced to the art of the theater and the techniques required to perform a work on stage. The course aims to familiarize the students with the vocabulary of the theater and introduce them to basic acting techniques. The class will meet four periods a week for one quarter. The class begins with some basic discussion on the importance of the arts and specifically the importance of the theatrical arts in conveying great ideas and great stories. It touches very briefly on the history of drama and its influence on society throughout the ages. It will include some basic dramatic exercises and then will culminate in the performance of a quality, comedic work (often a murder mystery or something along those lines). All students will be expected to take on at least one speaking role, memorize their part thoroughly, and portray this character to the best of their ability for a public audience.

Drama 11 - Religious Play

Drama is a microcosm of the Christian life. In it a story that was written by an author unfolds with each person given their necessary and irreplaceable role. Each person in a certain way is directed and guided, yet each is completely free and able to add their own unique flare and personality. Each person is a piece, a very important piece, that only they can play in the drama being presented. The second year of drama at Chesterton Academy centers on the performance of a dramatic and/or religious work. The students tackle richer literary pieces, explore more complicated roles, and learn to portray more realistic characters. By the end of this course students will have a fuller understanding not only of certain literary characters but also a deeper understanding of who they are and what part the Divine Author may be asking them to play in the drama of life. The course is one semester (19-20 weeks).

Drama 12 - Shakespeare

Seniors at Chesterton Academy have the privilege of performing a play by the greatest of the English dramatists and poets, William Shakespeare. Shakespeare brings to life stories and characters with such profound beauty and vision that his genius is undeniable. He represents the height of the dramatic arts and Seniors have been aptly prepared in the preceding years to appreciate some of the depth and breadth of both his mind and heart as they embark on their own journeys in the great drama of life. It takes a whole semester (four periods a week) to successfully perform one of his works and it is not only the culmination of three years of drama but it also involves the integration of four years of philosophy, theology, history, psychology, literature, art and music.