Theatre courses in grades 9-12 provide students with opportunities to develop and apply knowledge of theatrical elements, principles, conventions, and skills, such as acting, directing, and design. The four strands of the Theatre TEKS are the basis of high school theatre curricula and instruction. Theatre classes include:

• Refinement and use of sensory awareness in dramatic presentations
• Small and large group performances
• Understanding cultural heritages and traditions and the influences of theatre, film, television, and technology on media and society
• Reflection and evaluation of personal, peer, and professional work.

Beginning in Theatre I, classes build on the foundations established at preceding grade levels. Theatre I is a survey course and the prerequisite for all subsequent theatre studies. Theatre I curricula form a solid base for future theatre education by encompassing:

• Theatrical vocabulary, elements, conventions, and basic concepts
• Experiences that develop a broad-based body of knowledge and technical skills to enable the informed selection of other theatre courses
• Historical and cultural backgrounds of works and genres studied
• Strategies for evaluating theatre experiences.

Theatre II, Technical Theatre I, Theatre Production I, and subsequent courses expand on the knowledge base established in this introduction, and refine specific techniques and skills. Due to the rigor of each course, the scope of the four strands, and increased expectations for student achievement, all theatre courses, excluding  production courses, should be awarded one credit upon demonstration of achieving the TEKS for two full semesters. Theatre Production may be awarded .5 or 1 credit.

Scheduling

Upper level theatre classes (Levels III and IV) enable students to work independently within a group on individual projects and goals. If enrollment is limited, mixed-level classes may be offered with approval of the theatre teacher. For example, a teacher, conscious of individualizing activities, strategies, and techniques to accommodate the different skill levels of students, may teach Technical Theatre III and IV at the same time.

The overall class size of performance courses is an important consideration in scheduling high school theatre classes. The rigor of the Theatre TEKS and the need for intense individual and small group instruction may necessitate a lower pupil-teacher ratio. Schedulers should bear in mind that theatre classes, such as production, will likely require a great deal of out-of-class time. Consequently, this course may be scheduled to meet during a lengthened class period or outside of regular school hours. Block scheduling with longer class periods is highly conducive to theatre production classes.

Other considerations for scheduling and class size include:

• Space limitations
• Safety of participants
• Age and maturity of students
• Range of instructional activities included in the curriculum
• Amount of student-to-student interactions through discussion, peer evaluations, and group projects.

Facilities

A variety of facilities, equipment, and materials for classroom instruction, technical construction, storage, rehearsals, and performance support a quality high school theatre program, including:

• Standard classroom--a classroom with moveable desks or tables and chairs that can provide space for instruction and rehearsals
• Flexible theatre space (i.e., a theatre room or a black box theatre)--a large room with a high ceiling to be used for rehearsals, laboratory scenes, and small-scale productions. This setting provides intimacy between performers and the audience, limited scenery needs, and flexibility in arranging platforms and lighting instruments to create various stage configurations. Alternative flexible theatre spaces help teachers provide problem-solving experiences that enable students to build different theatres by restructuring the room into various configurations. A small performance space can also challenge and enrich theatre education by enabling the staging of little known plays that attract smaller audiences. Students can generally use the same support facilities, such as a scene shop, costume shop, storage, makeup and dressing rooms, for both the traditional theatre and the flexible space.
• Complete theatre facility-- theatre seating for 500, which is preferable to a multipurpose auditorium that seats 1,000 or more. The most common configuration is the proscenium stage, though other configurations include the thrust, arena, and open stages. The traditional proscenium theatre can be used for most productions since it provides space for large cast shows and correspondingly large audiences. Complex scenic and lighting equipment allow for instruction in the TEKS of technical theatre. Careful attention and maintenance can provide a safe learning environment. Flexible theatrical lighting and sound equipment, a box office and lobby, scenery and properties shop, costume shop, makeup and dressing rooms, and secure storage areas are essential parts of the theatre facility. Numerous large storage areas are critical for protecting the theatre department’s stock of scenery, properties, costumes, makeup, lighting and sound equipment, tools, and raw materials. Secure storage space reduces the possibility that supplies will be lost or damaged.

These three types of facilities and an instructor’s office with a telephone are able to accommodate classroom instruction, experimental laboratory work, and full-scale theatrical productions related to the Theatre TEKS.