Theater

GHS THEATER ARTS

“The GHS Theater Arts program is known for the quality and diversity of its theatrical offerings. In April 2005, the Educational Theater Association recognized it as being one of the top five programs in the nation, citing it not just for the superior quality of its productions but for the way its courses and instructors bring theater to students at all levels of ability and interest. In the most recent survey on GHS alumni assessment of the high school and its programs, Theater Arts was ranked highest (4.65) over all co-curricular activities, including athletics (4.27). In March 2006, the program received its fifth Award for Theatrical Excellence at the Connecticut Drama Association Festival.

In the last 12 years alone, GHS students have won 45 places in competitions. No other public high school in the state offers so many productions every year, including our annual Shakespeare Play and our annual musical. In addition to three mainstage productions, we offer four showcase presentations which are open to any student who makes the commitment to the rehearsal and preparation process. Productions such as these are each unique in Connecticut. In December of 1994, we added the very successful Comedy Tonight!, a showcase for the GHS Improv Troupe, which is renowned as a model for other such high school groups. Our regular technical crew is almost 40 hard-working students.

Our growing academic program has over 300 students enrolled in courses each semester. Virtually all of the courses are open to first time students as well as students with experience; students are challenged as their ability and experience allow. All courses have as their fundamental goals: teaching students to work creatively and cooperatively, and developing confidence and mutual respect.

Theater is a complex field which embraces or involves just about every area of study which may be found in the curriculum. Drama is particularly well adapted to the classroom envisioned in much of contemporary education theory: it encourages active learning and provides opportunities for meeting the needs of different learning styles. By necessity it involves collaboration, with each individual contributing uniquely to the group’s production. At its best, it integrates reading, writing, speaking, and listening in genuine communication acts, creating an authenticity of accomplishment unsurpassed by any other school activity. The work of theater challenges and integrates the intellectual, creative, and personal aspects of its participants.”

Visit the GHS Theater Arts website: http://www.greenwichschools.org/page.cfm?p=1703
for more information.

Performance videos coming...