Welcome to the Theater Arts page! My goal is to build a strong and sustainable theater program that scaffolds students' theater skills from the first year they have theater until they graduate! Check below for a short synopsis of theater through the grades.
For students - check further below for any documents that you might need for class. For insider info on classes and student work, click on the Behind the Scenes page!
Theater Through the Grades
3rd Grade Theater - Puppetry and Masks Students in 3rd grade go through the process of design, revision and creation to create puppets and masks in order to retell stories. This is the first year these students have theater so there are many new skills they are learning. Some of the skills include: collaboration, spatial awareness, use of the actor's tools (voice and body), design, building from their designs, character work, etc. They're also learning what a script looks like, what it means to have lines, entrances, exits, and distinguishing between the actor and the self.
4th Grade Theater - Theater History & Shakespeare Students in 4th grade have theater for half a year. They learn theater history from ancient Greece until the Renaissance when Shakespeare's works thrived! Students learn about Shakespeare's stories and why they're still popular today. Some of the skills the 4th graders will learn this year are: character work (character voice and movement), blocking, responsibilities of having a role, character work, sharing space, entrances and exits, etc.
5th Grade Theater - Mime & Improvisation Students in 5th grade will have theater for only half a year. As part of the actor's toolbox, students should be comfortable with improvisation as quick thinking will help save them in a performance! Students will learn different improvisation techniques and practice a variety of improvisation forms. Some skills they will work on this year include: quick thinking, collaboration, listening and responding, physicality, building onto ideas, etc.
7th Grade Theater - Play Analysis / Character Study Students in 7th Grade have theater for half a year as well. The focus of their half a year in theater is analyzing a play. Students all voted on the play they would like to work on and explored The World of the Play in terms of relationships, setting, time, etc. Some skills they will work on this year are: analyzing text, character work (voice, physicality, gesture), the flexible role of the chorus, collaboration, negotiation, design, blocking, etc.
8th Grade Theater - Production / Devising Theater Students in 8th Grade have theater as an elective for the entire year. They start the year writing their own play and then go through the entire production process of design, create and perform. They will be working on many skills such as: playwriting, directing, design, building set, prop and costumes, collaboration, negotiation, responsibility (of having a theater job), etc.
Ms. Luong is the theater arts teacher at PS/IS30. She teaches theater to grades 3-5 and theater elective to grades 7-8. She has her masters from New York University in Educational Theater. In college, Ms. Luong majored in theater arts with a minor in media arts. She loves teaching theater and believes that the theatrical experience is magical.