Classes
Theatre 1
This class is a perfect class for someone looking to earn their Fine Arts credit or for a student with little to no experience who wants to get involved!
Teamwork, improvisation, basic acting skills, and theatrical history are highlighted in the first semester, and the second semester covers all aspects of the technical side of theatre in a project based environment. Although enrollment in a Theatre class makes you eligible to participate in extracurricular plays after school- you are not required to. There are no after school time commitments or requirements other than attending a play of your choice each semester.
If you like Theatre 1 and decide to stay for next year, you would need to choose- Acting or Tech. You would get the options of: Beginning Acting or Beginning Technical Theatre. Can't choose just one? Take both! : )
Beginning Acting
If you are an emerging actor or actress who is new to our program, this is the best class for you! This acting-concentrated class teaches helps you transition into our program and will help you with your self awareness/control, refresh and refine your basic actor skills, polish up on audition basics, help you in creating audition support materials, refine basic actor skills, and help you with monologues by allowing you the freedom to experiment with different genres ranging from children’s theatre to serious historical dramas.
Enrollment in this class will make you eligible to audition for shows after school, however you are not required to be in any shows, other than the Fine Arts Festival Show in the Black Box, which has only 1 after school rehearsal and 1 weekend performance time. You can be as involved as you would like or as little as you would like- it all depends on you!
The subsequent course offerings for acting students are: Advanced Acting, Acting Studio, Production Class 1-4, Beginning Directing, and Advanced Directing. Interested in Technical Theatre also? That's awesome.. take a Tech Class too!
Advanced Acting
The students will be exposed to many areas of acting in this class. The information is extremely focused in each of the areas below. All enrolled in Advanced Acting are required to see every show to support their fellow actors. The following are some of the areas that the students will be working on during the year:
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Vocal/Focus Exercises
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Movement
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Script Analysis
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Methodologies
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Audition Prep
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Duet/Group Work
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Fundamentals of Directing
Advanced Acting Studio
This class provides an opportunity for Students who have taken Advanced Acting, but are not interested in or were unable to make Production. The students will have the opportunity to individually expand upon and deepen their understanding of concepts introduced in Advanced Acting. Students will individually develop their acting abilities by doing activities that are correlated with the Advanced Acting Curriculum. Some activities will involve other Advanced Acting Students and other Advanced Acting Studio students.
Beginning Technical Theatre
Do you prefer to be behind the scenes making things happen? If so- this is the class for you! There is something for everyone in Technical Theatre! It takes all abilities and all levels to pull a show together. In this class, we introduce you to our space that includes our Theatre, Black Box, 2 Booths, Expanded Scene Shop, Scenic and Prop Lofts, Costume Storage, Exterior Storage, Theatre Library, Offices, and the Tech Theatre Classroom. The first few weeks are spent getting to know you and what your personal interests are. We review fundamentals in safety, scenic construction, scenic painting, stage lighting, sound/audio, properties, costume construction, make-up, and theatrical design so that your next year you can begin to specialize in your area of expertise.
In addition to your coursework, during class, you will have the opportunity to contribute to Lovejoy Theatre productions. Being enrolled in this class makes you eligible to serve in a crew in Lovejoy Theatre shows, but participation in extracurricular productions are optional. The only out of school time commitment is to work a shift for Fine Arts Festival and to "Apprentice Crew" two events each semester.
Once you have completed Beginning Tech in high school you are able to enroll in Advanced Technical Theatre Where you can specialize in Hard Goods (Set, painting, Lighting, and Sound) or Soft Goods (Costumes, Props, and Stage Management). As you progress through the tech program, you will begin as crew, progress to crew head, and finish as a trainer.
Advanced Technical Theatre
The students will be exposed to many areas of Technical Theatre in this class. There is an emphasis placed on developing previously learned skills and schemas, broadening the understanding of each element of technical theatre further developing in a specific discipline and building upon prior knowledge in the capacity of a designer. Students should be prepared for working on LHS Theatre Productions and other organizational events. This class requires an extra-curricular time commitment.
Beginning Directing
This class provides another route for students interested in furthering their acting experience who are not interested in or were unable to make Production. Throughout the year the students will learn the fundamentals of directing. They will have opportunities to direct student productions during the Fine Arts Festival and the Annual Senior Directs. These students will participate in class at the same time as beginning acting students. This will allow them to work one on one with those students.
Advanced Directing
This class provides a step further from beginning directing. With the student’s fundamentals of directing being established through the beginning directing course, the student will be able to direct at a higher level. They will have opportunities to direct the touring student production and the Annual Senior Directs. These students will participate in class at the same time as advanced acting students. This will allow them to work one on one with those students. A student must have already taken beginning directing and advanced acting in order to enroll.
Production
This Varsity Theatre class teaches the students all the different aspects of production and how they unify to create a moving, memorable experience. Students will experience all aspects of production, yet will have the freedom to “specialize.” Through collaboration, performance students will refine their own personal style for character development. Technical students will be given the opportunity to design and lead crews, including scenic, lighting, props, publicity, costume, makeup and sound.
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All students should be prepared to spend a significant amount of time as needed outside of class in preparation for all upcoming productions. Everyone in this class is required to be a part of all LHS productions. * requires audition/application/interview and/or teacher approval
Private Lessons
Students have the opportunity to sign up for private acting lessons during school hours (at an additional cost) as enrichment of classroom instruction, or you can take classes on your own after school. These lessons are designed to build confidence, enhance their acting skills and broaden their range. Please consider this incredible, important, and fun opportunity to develop your individual talent! Let a director know if you are interested in signing up. Learn more about our private lesson instructor below.
My name is Jason Robert Villarreal, and I am thrilled to introduce myself as the newest addition to the creative team at Lovejoy High School, serving as your Private Instructor. With over 30 years of experience in the performing arts, I am proud to be a member of the Actors Equity Association and currently direct at North Texas Performing Arts. The world of theater has been my passion, and I am absolutely delighted to share my knowledge and expertise with the talented young artists at Lovejoy High School. It is my sincere goal to not only enhance their artistic abilities but also impart valuable life skills that will serve them well beyond the stage.
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I am truly excited about the opportunity to work with your students and help them achieve their full potential. Let's embark on this exciting journey together, nurturing their talents and crafting memorable performances. Looking forward to meeting you and your young artists, and please feel free to contact me with any questions or to schedule a session.
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Bio:
Jason began his journey with the performing arts studying the dance Ballet Folklorico in his hometown and Texas border city, Edinburg. In 2006 he moved to Dallas to attend The University of Texas at Arlington where he graduated with a BFA in Theatre Performance. Before joining the NTPA team, Jason performed in multiple national tours including Dora The Explorer (Tico The Squirrel), Rapunzel, A Very Hairy Fairy Tale (Socretese), and A Christmas Story.