The Musical Theatre Program (MTP) at HSArts is a comprehensive and dynamic theatre arts education program that gives students the opportunity to develop their skills through intensive rehearsals and live performances. The MTP curriculum centers on pre-professional, individualized training in the fundamentals of acting, singing, music, and dance. Students apply these skills in individual and group scenes, as well as in performances.
Apart from individualized training, musical theatre students’ coursework includes Acting Tech, Acting Scene Studies, Improvisation, Group Vocal, Music Theory, Piano Lab, and MT Movement.
Throughout the school year, our musical theatre students participate in two showcases, two musicals, and a play. These theatrical performances give students the opportunity to be involved in a production from start to finish and grow as a collaborative group of young artists. Ultimately, our goal is to help shape well-rounded theatre artists who are prepared to pursue their passion beyond high school, and help cultivate a more creative world.
Acting
Within the MTP, Acting offers comprehensive training to students who aspire to pursue acting in a conservatory or on stage, film and television. Tailored for young actors interested in advancing their dramatic acting skills, the Acting curriculum includes improvisation, journaling, scene study, history of theatre, voice and diction, audition techniques, and production values.
Singing and Music
Singing and Music serves to develop the vocal skills of each student while providing them with foundational knowledge in music. With their voice as their main instrument, MTP students become more competent musicians, learning music theory, piano basics, and vocal techniques including breath control, posture, enunciation, and intonation with a private vocal instructor. Students practice putting their vocal skills to work while maneuvering about the stage and performing dance movements.
Dance
Dance or Movement prepares students to move gracefully and confidently while on stage. Starting with posture, and learning how to move their bodies, MTP students practice rhythm, balance, footwork, and expression through movement, unlocking all the tools needed to express their own artistry. Students learn basic dance techniques, routines, and repertoires from major productions and original choreography from their teachers.
Previous Productions
Winter 2022 Ebenezer’s Christmas Carol
Fall 2022 The Con
Spring 2022 You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Spring 2022 The Most Viewed, Least Watched Talk Show in History
Fall 2021 The Phantom Tollbooth Jr.
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Sample Theatre Curriculum
► Acting Technique
► Movement Technique
► Improvisation
► Shakespeare
► Play Analysis
► Theatre History
► Mask Work
► Voice & Diction
► Dialects
► Acting for the Camera
► Voice & Dance for Musical Theatre
- Meet Our Arts Faculty
Hannah Ogden
Musical Theatre Director & Acting Teacher
Ms. Ogden received her Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Education from Ball State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance, where she worked with students creating new works and staging well-known favorites. Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, she has experience working with middle and high school students in both Theatre and English classrooms around the state. She loves giving students the opportunity to tell their stories through writing, creating, and performing.
Julia Hathaway
Vocal Teacher
Ms. Hathaway, soprano, holds a BA in Music from Northwestern and a MM in vocal performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She is an active performer in opera, recital, and contemporary chamber music around the Bay Area. She maintains a private studio and has previously taught at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts as well as performing in educational opera outreach programs through the San Francisco Opera Guild.
Yao Wang
Dance & Movement Teacher
Yao Wang is originally from China, started dancing when she was 6 years old, and was selected to study with Liaoning Music and Dance Company. For 7 years, she was trained in ballet, acrobatics, and classical Chinese dance. Yao received her BA in dance studies from HuaQiao university, and received her MFA in dance from Mills College in 2019, majoring in performance/contemporary and choreography. She is a certified teacher for Vaganova methodology and Progressing Ballet Technique and a trained teacher for the Royal Academy of Dance program.
Yujing Bai
Music Theory & Composition Teacher
Ms. Bai received her M.A. from San Francisco Conservatory of Music in Composition and she also earned her B.A. from Shanghai Conservatory of Music in Music design and Production. She is an active contemporary composer based in the Bay Area. Her works contribute to a variety of instrumental, chamber, film, electronic, vocal and other collaborative directions. She has also worked with Hollywood film composers Roger Neill and Larry Groupe at the Palomar Film Music Workshop.