(a) General requirements. Students may fulfill fine arts and elective requirements for graduation by successfully completing Musical Theatre, Level I (one credit). Prerequisite suggested in two of the following disciplines: theatre, dance, or music or by audition.
(b) Introduction.
  (1) The fine arts incorporate the study of dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts to offer unique experiences and empower students to explore realities, relationships, and ideas. These disciplines engage and motivate all students through active learning, critical thinking, and innovative problem solving. The fine arts develop cognitive functioning and increase student academic achievement, higher-order thinking, communication, and collaboration skills, making the fine arts applicable to college readiness, career opportunities, workplace environments, social skills, and everyday life. Students develop aesthetic and cultural awareness through exploration, leading to creative expression. Creativity, encouraged through the study of the fine arts, is essential to nurture and develop the whole child.
  (2) Four basic strands--foundations: inquiry and understanding; creative expression; historical and cultural relevance; and critical evaluation and response--provide broad, unifying structures for organizing knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire. Through the foundations: inquiry and understanding strand, students develop a perception of self, human relationships, and the world using elements of drama and conventions of theatre. Through the creative expression strand, students communicate in a dramatic form, engage in artistic thinking, build positive self-concepts, relate interpersonally, and integrate knowledge with other content areas in a relevant manner. Through the historical and cultural relevance strand, students increase their understanding of heritage and traditions in theatre and the diversity of world cultures as expressed in theatre. Through the critical evaluation and response strand, students engage in inquiry and dialogue, accept constructive criticism, revise personal views to promote creative and critical thinking, and develop the ability to appreciate and evaluate live theatre.
  (3) Musical Theatre will expose students to a wide range of on-stage performance disciplines, including acting performance, vocal performance, and dance performance. The course will also provide an atmosphere in which students benefit from a teaching and learning experience in these performance disciplines of musical theatre. Students will receive comprehensive and rigorous instruction so that they may make informed choices about the craft, college, and the profession. The course will enhance and cultivate the creative gifts of each student while encouraging a sense of self-confidence. The course will enable students to study and perform the varied styles of musical theatre with special attention to the principles of stage movement, stage vocal technique, stage choreography, acting, characterization, and other aspects of a musical production.
  (4) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
  (1) Foundations: inquiry and understanding. The student develops concepts about self, human relationships, and the environment using elements of drama, dance, music, and the conventions of musical theatre. The student is expected to:
    (A) develop and practice theatrical, dance, and vocal music preparation and warm-up techniques;
    (B) recognize stage movement, pantomime, and dance skills in various genres such as ballet, tap, jazz, ballroom, and Broadway;
    (C) identify acting techniques in song, dance, and spoken dialogue;
    (D) recognize the professional audition process;
    (E) compare the dramatic structure of musical theatre to musical film and musical television productions;
    (F) define and give examples of the language of musical theatre such as stage terminology, elements of musical theatre, or theatrical conventions; and
    (G) describe the interdependence of all theatrical elements.
  (2) Creative expression: performance. The student interprets characters through acting, singing, and dance using voice and body expressively and creates dramatizations called for in a musical script. The student is expected to:
    (A) identify appropriate safety measures in vocalization, dance movement, and theatrical movement;
    (B) define creativity as it relates to personal expression in musical theatre;
    (C) recognize characterization in musical theatre and scripts of various genres and styles;
    (D) identify proper voice usage and correct vocal production skills such as vocal placement, vocal phrasing, vocal tone production, and vocal consistency in a performance situation; and
    (E) interpret lyrics for characterization, vocalization, and dance.
  (3) Creative expression: production. The student applies design, directing, choreography, and musical theatre production concepts and skills. The student is expected to:
    (A) recognize safe and effective use of technical elements of musical theatre;
    (B) identify the responsibilities of the director, musical director, and choreographer to the composer and librettist's intent;
    (C) recognize musical production plans such as rehearsal plans, technical designs, blocking, choreography, and solo and ensemble musical numbers; and
    (D) perform a role and collaborate with others to tell a story through live musical theatre or media performance.
  (4) Historical and cultural relevance. The student relates musical theatre to history, society, and culture. The student is expected to:
    (A) study historical and cultural influences on musical theatre;
    (B) identify the historical development of musical theatre as a uniquely American art form;
    (C) identify historical and cultural developments in musical theatre;
    (D) identify the contemporary development of musical theatre as an international art form such as new composers and their composition styles, multicultural influences, practices and principles of contemporary musical theatre, advances in the creation of contemporary or popular musical theatre, and impact of musical theatre on the world's economic and performing arts scene;
    (E) appreciate musical theatre as a reflection of life in particular times, places, and cultures; and
    (F) recognize the influences of musical theatre forms such as theatre, television, and film on past and present society.
  (5) Critical evaluation and response. The student responds to and evaluates musical theatre performances. The student is expected to:
    (A) analyze and apply appropriate audience behavior at various types of performances;
    (B) recognize musical theatre as an art form and evaluate self as a creative being;
    (C) offer and receive constructive criticism of peer performances;
    (D) evaluate musical theatre in written and oral form with precise and specific observations on intent, structure, effectiveness, and value using appropriate evaluative theatre vocabulary;
    (E) explore career and avocational opportunities in musical theatre, musical film, and musical television, justifying choice(s) and analyze the training, skills, self-discipline, and artistic discipline needed for success;
    (F) connect musical theatre skills and experiences to higher education and careers outside of the theatre; and
    (G) recognize the value of presenting information in a clear and coherent manner using technology in a resume or portfolio format.

Source Note: The provisions of this §117.319 adopted to be effective July 28, 2013, 38 TexReg 4575