(a) General requirements. Students may fulfill fine arts and elective requirements for graduation by successfully completing Musical Theatre, Level II (one credit). A suggested prerequisite is Musical Theatre, Level I 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) develop stage movement, pantomime, and dance skills in various genres such as ballet, tap, jazz, ballroom, and Broadway;
    (C) develop acting techniques in song, dance, and spoken dialogue;
    (D) develop professional audition techniques such as musical selections, monologue performance, dance and movement, and the relationship between accompanist and performer;
    (E) analyze the dramatic structure of musical theatre;
    (F) employ the language of musical theatre such as stage terminology, elements of musical theatre, or theatrical conventions;
    (G) analyze a character from a libretto, describing physical, intellectual, emotional, and social dimensions; and
    (H) collaborate with all artistic partners such as playwrights, composers, directors, musical directors, choreographers, actors, designers, technicians, and audience.
  (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) apply appropriate safety measures in vocalization, dance movement, and theatrical movement;
    (B) explore creativity as it relates to self and ensemble in musical theatre;
    (C) analyze characterization in musical theatre styles;
    (D) apply proper voice usage and correct vocal production skills such as vocal placement, vocal phrasing, vocal tone production, and vocal consistency in a performance situation;
    (E) analyze lyrics for characterization, vocalization, and dance;
    (F) create and sustain believable characters through characterization, vocalization, and dance; and
    (G) compose material related to musical theatre such as monologues, scenes, lyrics, or choreography to convey meaning to the audience through live performance or other media forms.
  (3) Creative expression: production. The student applies design, directing, choreography, and musical theatre production concepts and skills. The student is expected to:
    (A) apply safe and effective use of technical elements of musical theatre;
    (B) analyze the responsibilities of the director, musical director, and choreographer to the composer and librettist's intent;
    (C) analyze musical production plans such as research, rehearsal plans, technical designs, blocking, choreography, and solo and ensemble musical numbers;
    (D) demonstrate responsibility and creative problem solving in one or more areas of musical theatre production such as acting, technical theatre, and theatre management; and
    (E) collaborate with others to perform a role such as actor, director, designer, technician, and editor in a musical theatre or musical media production.
  (4) Historical and cultural relevance. The student relates musical theatre to history, society, and culture. The student is expected to:
    (A) analyze historical and cultural influences on musical theatre;
    (B) investigate the historical development of musical theatre as a uniquely American art form;
    (C) investigate historical and cultural developments in musical theatre;
    (D) investigate the contemporary development of musical theatre 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 as an international art form;
    (E) depict musical theatre as a reflection of life in particular times, places, and cultures; and
    (F) relate 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) evaluate and practice appropriate audience behavior at various types of performances;
    (B) describe musical theatre as an art form and evaluate self as a creative being;
    (C) appraise self and peer performance with constructive criticism;
    (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) evaluate the interdependence of all musical theatre elements such as dramatic spoken text, vocalized text, dance, costuming, set design, lighting, and sound;
    (F) evaluate 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;
    (G) relate musical theatre skills and experiences to higher education and careers outside of the theatre; and
    (H) document and present information in a clear and coherent manner using technology in a resume or portfolio format.

Source Note: The provisions of this §117.320 adopted to be effective July 28, 2013, 38 TexReg 4575