The AVPA theatre arts concentration is a rigorous training program for students interested in pursuing a college major in theatre or film leading to a career in some aspect of the entertainment industry. Core courses include sequences in acting, dance, voice and speech, musical theatre, theatre history, theatrical design, dramatic writing, and directing. In addition to studying with faculty members (all of whom have professional training and experience) AVPA theatre students work with outside industry professionals in every aspect of classwork and production. Students are required to participate, as performers and technicians, in at least one out of three major theatrical productions each year.
Our goal is to nurture creativity and imagination, develop skills and discipline, and emphasize process. Rather than provide students with a single technique we introduce young artists to a variety of methods (Viewpoints, Stanislavsky technique, monologue, and classical work), encouraging them to learn to work in ways most productive for their individual growth. Theatre concentration students will be well prepared to audition for college and conservatory Theatre Arts programs and will be ready for almost any college major or career path encountered in the 21st Century. AVPA theatre alumni work in the entertainment field, on Broadway and in TV, film, and other media, as well as other fields such as medicine, science, law, business and politics.
Students acquire a deep understanding of multiple perspectives and worldviews, and a keen ear for the subtleties and nuances in language, music and movement. Moreover, they have enhanced and developed imaginative capacity, flexible ways of thinking, self-discipline, sophisticated presentation techniques, and superior collaboration skills.
