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Theater & Film
Learn about our school theatre programs.
On this page
High School
High school theatre students can specialize in acting, technical or musical theatre.
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Acting program
High School students begin by exploring methods of artistic expression, the personnel and organization of the theatre, and the structure of the written play script. Students build on their speaking, writing, and reading skills through performance and production. From here, the young thespians can go on to study acting, directing, and play analysis.
Technical Theatre program
Students discover the backstage world of the theatre. These students develop skills in both the design and implementation of the technical components of theatre. They focus on stage terminology, lighting, sound, costumes, make-up, set building, and publicity. From this foundation of knowledge, students can go further to study set design and construction, costuming and makeup, and lighting and sound.
Musical Theatre program
Students have the opportunity to audition for the Musical Theatre 1 & 2 programs as incoming freshmen. Musical Theatre 1 & 2 focuses on musicality, sight-reading, and song preparation. At the end of their sophomore year, these students are eligible to audition for the Advanced Musical Theatre 3 & 4 classes, which focus on audition prep, character development, song interpretation and provide more performance opportunities and experiences.
Middle School
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Students in middle school can take a full-year theatre course. In this course, students learn the basics of stage productions as they study acting and technical theatre, such as:
- Acting
- Writing
- Set and costume design
- Stage makeup design and application
- Theatre tech
- Musical theatre
Students will also have the opportunity to compete in competitions such as U.I.L., MS One-Act Play and more. See winning MS performances on the UIL Theatre page.
Elementary
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Students at the Classical Center at Vial receive 45 minutes of weekly theatrical training. Students learn about:
- set design
- character development
- voice
- performance
- costuming
- puppetry
Students from grades 3-5 can audition each year to be a part of the winter show or spring musical.
Note: Vial is the only elementary school that offers theatre.
Patty Granville Scholarship Program
Students in our theatre program have a chance to be awarded money for their efforts as a Thespian. Through a partnership with Veritex Bank and James Miller, we are able to offer this special theatre scholarship to our students. Students from each GISD high school will be granted these scholarships based on merit, leadership in our theatre programs, and participation on stage and behind the scenes.
International Thespian Society
The International Thespian Society is an honorary organization for high-school and middle-school theatre students who gain membership through participation in theatrical productions.
Students earn points by working on stage, backstage, and attending productions. Any student who wishes to participate may earn points toward membership.
Film
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Reel Owl Cinema is a unique four-year high school International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) narrative film program offered at Garland High School.
UIL Theatre
Our theatre students compete with Texas schools through UIL for both One-Act Plays and Theatrical Design.
See our winning entries on the UIL Theatre page.
National Premier Communities for Theatre Education
Garland ISD is one of 12 districts across the county recognized this year by the Educational Theatre Association (EDTA) as a "Premier Community for Theatre Education".
This three-year designation recognizes school systems that show excellence in theatre education. Rooted in EDTA’s "Opportunity to Learn Standards for Theatre Education", the distinction is awarded to schools and districts that provide teachers and students with the resources to achieve at or above standard as suggested by the National Core Arts Standards in Theatre. The Premier Communities for Theatre Education distinction supports EdTA’s vision that every student will have access to theatre taught by qualified educators as a vital part of a well-rounded education.
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