The theater program at The Putney School celebrates life. Theater is an art that combines literature, movement, visual art, and sound to better understand humanity. We do this through compassion and commitment. Through all the aspects of the theater art we create moments on the stage that we hope will transform our audiences and ourselves.
The theater program at The Putney School welcomes theater practitioners with various backgrounds and experience to contribute as actors, directors, stage managers, technicians, and writers. There are three levels of academic classes. The Elements of Theater class focuses on developing theatrical expression through acting, writing, and directing. The History of Theatrical Styles class concentrates on the diverse styles of acting from the Greeks to the present, which is supported through the research and understanding of the human condition that surrounds any theatrical style. Students will also further develop their writing through a variety of creative and research writing assignments. The Theater Intensive class gives the advanced theater student an opportunity to create a full production that will be shared with the school. Students have participated in this class as actors, directors, writers, technicians or costume designers. The Theater Intensive class presents 2-8 plays a year, depending upon the students involved.
Outside of the academic day there are opportunities for students interested in building sets or designing lights for The Jeffrey Campbell Theater productions. Designers may also help to design for the Theater Intensive class, which may perform in a variety of locations. There is an afternoon class devoted to building sets and one that is for lighting.
The theater program presents two plays in the fall and one musical in the spring through the evening arts program. These plays are open to all members of the community who come to auditions. The evening plays bring together the designers and actors and stage managers to create a large piece of work to be presented in Jeffrey Campbell at the end of project week.
