Urbana High School Drama is a full self-sustaining Theater Department. There are opportunities for students on stage and behind the scenes. We offer several classes available for students (more are in development to be offered soon). Each year, The Theatre Department at UHS produces the following: A Full Length Fall Play and a large-scale Spring Musical. In addition, the Advanced Acting Class produces a full length Dinner Theater, the Intro class produces a one-act play. We also offer F-Wing Live! a One Night Fundraising Event for the Entire Theater Department comprised of songs and scenes.
We also have a Drama Club and Thespian Troupe #5705 a part of the International Thespian Society. They produce a One Act Play that performs in January/February - and then we take it to the Thespian Festival in February.
In addition, members of the UHS Drama Department - work on a traveling children's show - to take to our Feeder Pattern Schools.
We take an annual Spring Trip to New York Trip that typically includes a college tour, a workshop, and then an evening show.
The Theatre Department is committed to providing all theatre students with a professional, well-rounded four-year theatre experience that stresses high-quality theatre performance and working as an ensemble.
CLASSES Offered -
Introduction to Theater (typically taken as a 9th grader)
This course is for the introductory theatre student. If you have never taken a theatre class, have never been in a play, or just need a fine art credit , this is the class for you. Introduction to Theater covers all the basics of theatre. It deals with acting, playwriting, directing, and technical theatre. Anyone may take this course! *The Final Product is a One-Act Play.
Acting II
(Pre-requisite: Theatre 1 or permission of instructor) --This class focuses only on ACTING. We expand on the basics learned in Introduction to Theater and begin working in scenes of two people or more. Students complete a Theater Project, and begin to study acting techniques such as Stanislavsky, Meisner, Uta Hagen and more. The class culminates with a showcase of scenes.
Acting III, IV, V
Prerequisite: Introduction to Theater, Acting II or recommendation of the teacher - This course is designed for the serious actor. Students will continue to study acting techniques; however, the performance level is advanced. Heightened emotion and heightened language scenes are tackled both as an actor and as a director. Students learn how to create a concept for a play and a prompt book for staging. Other possible areas of study include Shakespeare, period style movement, stage combat, clowning and mask, dialect work, and auditioning. The content of the class is geared toward the skill level of the individual student; thus, the class can be repeated without overlapping content. *The class performs a Dinner Theater.
Technical Theater
This course is for the technically oriented student. Do you know how to build? Do you love to sew? Are you artistically inclined? Do you want to learn how to run a sound or light board? This is the class for you then. Technical Theater is a hands on class in which the students learn how to use theatrical technology and then apply that knowledge by doing the tech work for UHS theatre productions and more. Please be aware that the students in this class MUST participate in the afterschool productions as part of their grade.
Multi-media Production 1-6 (TV Studio)
(Must be a Soph, Jr, or Sr for this class- number limited due to equipment.) Ever want to be in a movie? Do you like to direct? Do you like computers? This class focuses on writing, acting, and production of television, film, broadcast news, talk shows, commercials, music videos, and more. Learn to edit video and create movies! This class also produces the Morning Announcements for UHS. - This class is good for those interested in writing, acting, and directing.
Skills Gained from All Theatre Arts Classes:
public presentation skills effective communication
effective communication in peer-to-peer/group settings dependability & commitment in a group setting
cooperation & collaboration creative problem solving
independence/self-reliance promptness & acceptance of rules & deadlines
ability to work under pressure acceptance of responsibility
honesty with self & others self-confidence with a positive attitude
time management initiative & determination
leadership & teamwork creative expression
flexibility & adaptability respect for authority & peers
flexibility self-motivation
understanding that "just getting it done" isn't enough and much, much more
acceptance of disappointment--AND the ability to bounce back
We also have a Drama Club and Thespian Troupe #5705 a part of the International Thespian Society. They produce a One Act Play that performs in January/February - and then we take it to the Thespian Festival in February.
In addition, members of the UHS Drama Department - work on a traveling children's show - to take to our Feeder Pattern Schools.
We take an annual Spring Trip to New York Trip that typically includes a college tour, a workshop, and then an evening show.
The Theatre Department is committed to providing all theatre students with a professional, well-rounded four-year theatre experience that stresses high-quality theatre performance and working as an ensemble.
CLASSES Offered -
Introduction to Theater (typically taken as a 9th grader)
This course is for the introductory theatre student. If you have never taken a theatre class, have never been in a play, or just need a fine art credit , this is the class for you. Introduction to Theater covers all the basics of theatre. It deals with acting, playwriting, directing, and technical theatre. Anyone may take this course! *The Final Product is a One-Act Play.
Acting II
(Pre-requisite: Theatre 1 or permission of instructor) --This class focuses only on ACTING. We expand on the basics learned in Introduction to Theater and begin working in scenes of two people or more. Students complete a Theater Project, and begin to study acting techniques such as Stanislavsky, Meisner, Uta Hagen and more. The class culminates with a showcase of scenes.
Acting III, IV, V
Prerequisite: Introduction to Theater, Acting II or recommendation of the teacher - This course is designed for the serious actor. Students will continue to study acting techniques; however, the performance level is advanced. Heightened emotion and heightened language scenes are tackled both as an actor and as a director. Students learn how to create a concept for a play and a prompt book for staging. Other possible areas of study include Shakespeare, period style movement, stage combat, clowning and mask, dialect work, and auditioning. The content of the class is geared toward the skill level of the individual student; thus, the class can be repeated without overlapping content. *The class performs a Dinner Theater.
Technical Theater
This course is for the technically oriented student. Do you know how to build? Do you love to sew? Are you artistically inclined? Do you want to learn how to run a sound or light board? This is the class for you then. Technical Theater is a hands on class in which the students learn how to use theatrical technology and then apply that knowledge by doing the tech work for UHS theatre productions and more. Please be aware that the students in this class MUST participate in the afterschool productions as part of their grade.
Multi-media Production 1-6 (TV Studio)
(Must be a Soph, Jr, or Sr for this class- number limited due to equipment.) Ever want to be in a movie? Do you like to direct? Do you like computers? This class focuses on writing, acting, and production of television, film, broadcast news, talk shows, commercials, music videos, and more. Learn to edit video and create movies! This class also produces the Morning Announcements for UHS. - This class is good for those interested in writing, acting, and directing.
Skills Gained from All Theatre Arts Classes:
public presentation skills effective communication
effective communication in peer-to-peer/group settings dependability & commitment in a group setting
cooperation & collaboration creative problem solving
independence/self-reliance promptness & acceptance of rules & deadlines
ability to work under pressure acceptance of responsibility
honesty with self & others self-confidence with a positive attitude
time management initiative & determination
leadership & teamwork creative expression
flexibility & adaptability respect for authority & peers
flexibility self-motivation
understanding that "just getting it done" isn't enough and much, much more
acceptance of disappointment--AND the ability to bounce back