Second 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.

SECOND SEMESTER COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Acting II:  Acting Technique and Scene Study

In the second semester, the acting work will divide into two segments: Improvisation and Scene Study. In Improvisation, the actor continues working on storytelling, collaboration, affecting the other actor, and spontaneous behavior in given circumstances through workshops led by master teachers in Mask, Clown, Vocal and Physical Improvisation. In Scene Study, the actor continues to sharpen his/her craft and rehearsal technique by working on scenes from the works of Chekhov and Williams.   

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Vocal Performance I

This course synthesizes skills of Vocal
Technique, Acting and musicality in the actor's performance of a song as a monologue or scene. The actor will analyze text, create character and environment, use advanced acting techniques and learn how the musical construction of a song supports the journey of the actor and the journey of the song.  Actors will explore a variety of material both in context and out of context (songs from a book musical as well as songs without a back story).  In Vocal Performance I, actors will explore a variety of styles in their material while working on standards.

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Voice and Speech II

This class continues the exploration of the voice and body synthesis initiated in the first semester as students eliminate speech regionalisms while perfecting an ear for Neutral American Speech.  This perfection is achieved by the additional concentration on crisp consonant sounds.  The students take the resonance of the actor's instrument to the next level by delving into a large spectrum of text – including classical plays and verse.   Knowledge of Classical Speech sounds is added to the actor's repertoire, and the students work on Shakespearean text.

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Dance and Movement II

In the second semester of dance, the skills introduced in the first semester are refined.  There is a high technical expectation of the student. All exercises and dance combinations are progressively more advanced stylistically and technically.

2nd Semester Goals
(in addition to the 1st Semester Goals):

• musicality /phrasing
• style and expression of movement
• spatial awareness
• professional approach to the work

At the end of the first year, students will participate in a demonstration of their work in dance classes so faculty members can evaluate their progress and assess the class structure for the following year.

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Vocal Technique II

In the second semester, the lessons from the first semester are reinforced and refined.  New styles introduced are belt for traditional and contemporary material.  The technical skills addressed include:

• Coordinating register transitions
• Extending pitch range
• Musicality
• Vocal Variety:  legit, mix and belt

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Music Theory II

Music Theory is cumulative.  All the skills introduced in the first semester will be further developed in the second semester.  By the end of the first year, beginner students should have sufficient skills to sight sing melodies with no accompaniment and advanced level students will be confident readers within ensemble segments of Musical Theatre literature.  Sight reading skills are crucial for working actors.  The music theory courses at CAP21 focus on the skill that working actors need—sight-reading.  Academic knowledge informs the actor but sight-reading skills may be the deciding factor for an audition panel at a callback audition.

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Private Voice Lessons II (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.  Students meet with their private voice teacher weekly (12 hours total) during the semester.  

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SECOND SEMESTER PRODUCTION PROJECTS

Interpretation II

In this course, students will explore the fundamentals of creating an ensemble production from existing literary text, utilizing imaginative voice and body work to create atmosphere, "set," character, and story.  Students will undertake lessons and exercises in Storytelling, Character work using Voice, Body, and Imagination, and Ensemble Technique.  Lessons and exercises will be drawn from Neutral Mask Work, Mikhail Chekhov technique, Laban Movement Analysis, Anne Bogart's Gesture and Viewpoint work, and Viola Spolin and Joseph Chaikin.

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Composer Project

The purpose of this course is to
enable the actor to sustain and further develop the skills acquired in Vocal Performance and employ them in a rehearsal and public performance setting.  Material from the cannon of a successful musical theatre composer will be chosen and songs will be studied in the classroom,
rehearsed and performed. 

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