First Semester Courses

Note:  Dance and Movement:  Students dance 9 hours per week.  Hours per course vary per rotation.

For information on transferring courses as college credit, please visit the College Credit page on our website.

FIRST SEMESTER COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Acting I:  Acting Technique and Scene Study

In the first semester, actors work on being present. They learn the value of a warm-up: how to recognize and release unnecessary tension, how to connect to their breath, and how to correct bad habits so they can be relaxed, energized and focused at any time. That awareness is applied to solo, partner and group exercises -- physical and verbal story-telling -- in a way that allows the actor to see, hear and respond simply and clearly to given circumstances. Other exercises will help actors create a living Physical Score with real behavior and environment. Actors will then work on scenes utilizing the natural tools of the actor (Presence, Memory, Sensory Awareness, Imagination, Research and Text Analysis) in order to create the world, the relationships and the story of the play.

Back to Top

Dance Program Goal:  Speaking with the body

From the beginner to the advanced, as students progress in the dance curriculum, they develop and increase awareness of speaking with the body and how dance and movement informs and supports the actor.

Dance and Movement I

In the first year of dance classes, students
are placed into an appropriate level based on their skill and prior dance training. Students set goals with their faculty members to ensure their advancement. All levels from beginner to advanced are given individual care, attention, corrections, and support from the faculty to ensure progress. The focus in the first year is on working the basics of technique, developing awareness of speaking with the body, and building skill within each of the dance disciplines. The courses in the first year are Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Tap and Yoga.

1st Semester Goals:

• Identifying care of the body
• Developing posture, alignment, breath
• Incorporating basics of technique and placement
• Building strength/stamina/flexibility

Back to Top

Voice and Speech I

The objective of this class is twofold: to train the physical actor in the skills and techniques of efficient vocal production for the speaking voice, and to reduce speech regionalisms while developing an ear for Neutral American Speech. 

A primary element of the work is the utilization of highly physical exercises involving the entire body, to establish the actor's connection between movement and sound.   Kristen Linklater's curriculum for the development of the voice is the foundation of the work.  The program also includes concepts and exercises from other master teachers' programs such as M. Feldenkrais and F. M. Alexander.  The course emphasizes: body alignment; efficient muscular effort to produce discrete phonemes; extending the actor's pitch range and use of melody to communicate ideas; the actor's use of center pitch (optimum pitch) to find a presence of tone-- and the application of all of these skills in lifting literature off the page to performance. 

This semester establishes a strong foundation for use of breath low in the body, as well as introduces the space for resonance throughout the actor's instrument.  Through the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), students train to make correct shapes for vowels, to relax and strengthen articulation, and to change their own speech to reduce regionalisms.

Back to Top

Vocal Technique I

The objective of the Vocal Technique class is to improve singing skills through specific exercises and song.  In the first semester, the technique of legit and mix are learned and applied to musical theatre material.  In-class performances offer actors the opportunity to manage adrenaline and apply their musical theatre singing skills.  The technical skills addressed include:

• Posture/Alignment
• Breathing
• Articulation
• Developing practice and preparation skills
• Utilizing basic terminology of singing

Back to Top

Music Theory I

Upon entrance into the program, students take a two-part placement exam (written exam and sight singing of melodies) to determine their placement in an appropriate level of study. Levels range from beginner to advanced. The objective is to build the actor's skill in reading music, and specifically, sight reading, as callback auditions often require the actor to sight-read material. Music Theory will include sight singing, ear training and written theory with the emphasis on sight singing. Confidently singing harmony in an ensemble is crucial for working actors. Specific drills include:

• Learning basic pitch and musical notation (key signature, time signatures, note values, intervals, major and minor scales, triads, chords—simple chords to seventh chords)
• Sight singing patterns using the number and solfege system
• Mastery of basic conducting patterns
• Pitch notation exercises include aural and rhythmic dictation
• Sight reading ensemble sections from music theatre repertoire

Back to Top

Private Voice Lessons I (Singing Lessons)

This one-on-one experience allows students the opportunity to polish the skills introduced in Vocal Technique.  In each lesson, students work on vocal exercises to further develop technique and then apply that technique to material.  CAP21's voice faculty is experienced in teaching the sounds required for legit material, mix, belt and even pop-rock material for contemporary idioms.  Students meet with their private voice teacher weekly (12 hours total) during the semester.

Back to Top

Musical Theatre History and Literature

In this course, students learn the history of the art form, exploring landmark shows within each historical era.  Discussion topics:

• Identify the most influential works, creators, and performers of the American Musical
• Articulate the social, historical, and commercial forces that lead to the creation of the most important musicals
• Articulate the effect the most ground-breaking musicals have had on arts, entertainment, and culture
• Identify quality in a work of musical theatre, and exercise intelligent and responsible critical thought

Back to Top

FIRST SEMESTER PRODUCTION PROJECTS

Interpretation I

This PROJECT is designed to enable the actor to dissect and deconstruct a play. The primary elements of text analysis and research will be implemented to identify and develop the skills necessary to enhance their comprehension of a role, and the overall journey of the play.  The course will focus its study on breaking scenes into beats, finding actions, and applying research physically to the work.  Two key texts from the Modern American Realism cannon will be examined. The first text will be worked on solely in the classroom, and the second will be studied in classroom, rehearsed and performed.

Back to Top