Theater - Bethel School District

programs

Theater

Elementary
At the elementary level, theatre is offered through storytelling, role playing, and classroom plays as a part of most classroom experiences. Theatre specialist Mary Ellen Gilmour works with students and other arts specialists at Elk Plain School of Choice to produce theatrical performances throughout the school year.

Through our partnership with the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts in Tacoma, our district has an after-school theatre program called Broadway Youth Expressive Alternative Response (YEAR). Broadway YEAR offers youth an arts-centered, extended after-school program that empowers students while developing self-esteem, a sense of community, and strong peer relationship skills. Broadway YEAR classes give students an opportunity to articulate their hopes and concerns and to develop their personal voice, fostering respect among participants, and using innovative content and delivery by professional teaching artists. The program is supported by a grant from Pierce County Community Connections.

Broadway YEAR School Liaisons:
Centennial - Katie Olson
Elk Plain - Georgina Park
Frederickson - Courtney Bertsch-Martin & Tara Repp
Kapowsin - Linda LaVergne & Sarah Stevens

Junior High
In junior high, theatre classes are designed to help students speak effectively and perform creatively through the study of basic acting skills including pantomime, improvisation and theater sports. Most of our junior highs offer theatre as an extracurricular activity, where students have the opportunity to present plays or musicals each year.

Junior High Theatre Teachers and/or Broadway YEAR School Liaisons:
Bethel Junior - Theresa Lee-Hodson
Cedarcrest Junior - Jeff Rockoff
Cougar Mountain Junior - Hannah Blackburn
Frontier Junior High - Carrie Huss
Liberty Junior High - Maggie Leger
Spanaway Junior - Charmée Beauclaire

High School
In high school theatre classes, students learn the fundamentals of acting, blocking, sound enhancement, set design, lighting and costuming. Plays and musicals provide students daily rehearsal and an opportunity to perform for a community audience.