At SCT every child is encouraged simply to try their best.
Students participate in SCT productions for various reasons. Some students want to overcome shyness. Other students are very confident and need a place to release their energy. Some students are looking for a place to fit in outside of school, others are driven by the desire to be a professional actor. By participating in theatre arts, students acquire a sense of being an important part of a team. The more they contribute to the process, the more self-satisfaction and confidence they exude in their daily lives. Learning how to present one’s self in front of a group, learning that mistakes are normal, taking responsibility to learn lines, songs, and dances, and having fun, makes the process of theatre a valuable tool that they will use throughout life.
Following are summaries of how classes are typically structured and what students learn in the various areas of dance/movement, music, and acting.
Class Structure –
Syracuse Children’s Theatre maintains a 12:1 average student/teacher ratio in all of our classes. On the first day, the students are assigned to a classroom based on grade level. They stay in the same group for the three-hour class. The class rotates between three or four rooms. All students split time between the elements of dance/movement, acting, and music.
Acting Classes for Spring and Fall productions –
Each weekend will have a theme (trust, character development, working together etc). Acting games are used to get the whole class up and working. Acting games often cover the basics of acting in a fun relaxed atmosphere. Students learn about stage directions and plenty of theatre lingo!
Scene work –
Students work on a scene from the show for in-class learning. This is a structured class activity that allows all students to rehearse a script, memorize it and act it out.
Audition Preparation –
Students learn how to present themselves at an audition. We show them how to walk into the room and introduce themselves. We also go over what to say next (what show are they auditioning for, what they are going to sing, etc.). The students practice how to audition, before the audition. Auditions may be conducted on a one-to-one basis or as a group audition.
Dance/Movement –
The class typically starts with a ten minute warm-up. The type of dance taught will reflect the show for which we are preparing, as well as introduction to other contemporary dance styles. The dance teachers will teach a short dance “combination” to the class. Combinations are great for auditioning dance. Combinations are what make up a dance! Also, basic technique will be taught in an manner that all will enjoy. We encourage students to practice their dance routines at home during the week by accessing the Google Drive link that we provide each semester where they can follow along to practice videos.
Music–
Students receive basic voice training. Students in the weekend classes are given sheet music and learn how to read the basic notes. Breathing techniques, projection, pitch, and articulation are worked on all semester.