LONG TRAIL SCHOOL Founded 1975

THE ARTS - DRAMA

Long Trail's strong visual and performing arts offer it all. From silk-screen printing to building a set or singing in a musical, there is an artistic opportunity for everyone. The arts are central to our curriculum, teaching students to think outside the box, to empathize with others and to express themselves in new ways. Most of all, students have fun being creative. We offer 27 courses in art, drama, and music as well as other art-based activities in which students can participate. Options range from studio art, ceramics, and photography to classes in acting, music, and technical theatre. Students exhibit in local art galleries and perform in local, regional, and state music and drama festivals as well as in the community. The flexibility of electives allows them to explore new interests, gain new skills, and experiment.

Everyone at Long Trail takes pride in the outstanding quality of the drama production, performed by Long Trailers learning their craft as actors and technicians. The 200-seat Riley Levin Theatre, opened in 2003, is a state-of-the-art facility which one new parent said was more sophisticated that the experimental theatre at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

In grades six through eight, students can elect to take the Middle School Improvs during activity period on Thursdays or audition for school productions as an extracurricular activity. Courses in grades nine through 12 include acting and advanced acting, directing, audition techniques, and technical theatre. Students also join Upper School Improvs and audition for the fall or spring productions.

Long Trail has participated in the Vermont Drama Council Regional One-Act Festival since 1990, advancing to the State Festival six times. The 2006 production received an Excellence in Acting Award. In addition, Long Trailers received individual Excellence in Acting Awards for their performances.

Long Trail was also one of 37 American high schools selected to participate in the Summer 2005 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, the largest performing arts festival in the world. In addition to its skilled performing arts faculty, Long Trail enjoys a close relationship with the famed Dorset Playhouse.

THE ARTS FACULTY

THE ARTS - DRAMA OFFERINGS

Full year 1/2 credit, 9th-12th grade
ACTING 1 introduces theater to the novice actor. Students explore stage movement, vocal skills and the rudiments of blocking through improvisation and theatre games. Beginning scene work is explored.

Full year 1/2 credit, 10th-12th grade, prerequisite Acting 1 or instructor approval
ACTING 2 is for the more advanced acting student and introduces them to theatre terminology while developing their stage presence and acting skills. Students learn about character development and analysis while performing monologues and scenes. Class work culminates in a brief performance for the school.

Full year 1/2 credit, 11th-12th grade, prerequisite Acting 1 and 2 or instructor approval
ADVANCED ACTING 1, for the serious acting student, focuses more on in-depth character study and development. Actors are pushed to stretch their skills in both comedy and drama, enabling them to become more versatile performers. The level of difficulty in both scene and monologue work increases significantly in this course. Class work culminates in a performance for the school.

Full year 1/2 credit, 12th grade, prerequisite Advanced Acting 1 or instructor approval
ADVANCED ACTING 2 is for the student planning on furthering his or her study of theater at the college or professional level. Students are expected to investigate intensive character and scene analysis and take part in mature improvisational work as well as learn and perfect numerous scenes and monologues. Class work culminates in a performance for the school.

Full year 1/2 credit, 11th-12th grade with instructor approval
AUDITION TECHNIQUES, for the serious acting student, prepares him or her for college, professional, and nonprofessional auditions. Students learn and develop monologues, create resumés, and have headshots prepared.

Full year 1/2 credit, 11th-12th grade with instructor approval
ADVANCED AUDITION TECHNIQUES

Full year 1/2 credit, 10th-12th grade, prerequisite Advanced Acting and Technical Theater or instructor approval
DIRECTING introduces students to the basics of directing. They learn the significance of blocking as well as set, costume, and lighting design to support the director's point of view. They work together or with other acting students on scenes or one-acts for presentation to the school.

Full year 1/2 credit, 9th-12th grade
TECHNICAL THEATER 1 introduces students to technical terminology, set design and construction, and theater lighting, with emphasis on how all of the technical aspects complement and support the actors and the director's vision. Student projects include designing sets and building models with which to demonstrate their lighting designs for selected scenes and school productions.

Full year 1/2 credit: 9th-12th grade
TECHNICAL THEATER 2 takes students further in areas of theater responsibility, requiring heavy involvement in productions throughout the year, including weekend and evening work.  A gifted and diligent student has the opportunity to be Technical Director for a student-directed show.

DRAMA ACTIVITIES
IMPROVS enables students to work on improvisation skills and participate in theater games. Although the primary focus is fun, students are encouraged to work on character development and performance skills. Meets once a week during an activity period.

EXTRACURRICULAR DRAMA
MOUNTING A PRODUCTION Actors work yearlong after school hours on productions. November 2006 will see a musical and Spring 2007 will see a comedy on our stage. LTS drama group, Actors Anonymous, will be a regional host for the Vermont Drama Council One-Act Festival in March 2007.

Long Trail's Distinguished Drama History