Anonymous
05/13/2025 13:26
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So funny re: Fairfield County. Welcome to the city!
Trinity and Dalton are the same size come high school (~120 kids). Trinity is only “smaller” k-8.
Thanks!
So roughly speaking, the Hill schools are at around 160 kids in a HS class, other co-ed schools around 120 and SS around 80?
Horace Mann is around 180.
Riverdale is about 130.
Fieldston is around 150.
Dalton and Trinity are around 120.
Brearley, Chapin and Spence are around 60.
Another layer to consider, how much does the class size expand in 9th grade. Horace Mann adds 50-60 kids in 9th. Trinity doubles in size (from 60 to 120) in 9th. Dalton adds 20-30 kids.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 12:19
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Anonymous wrote:So funny re: Fairfield County. Welcome to the city!
Trinity and Dalton are the same size come high school (~120 kids). Trinity is only “smaller” k-8.
Thanks!
So roughly speaking, the Hill schools are at around 160 kids in a HS class, other co-ed schools around 120 and SS around 80?
Anonymous
05/13/2025 11:48
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all the great responses!
Staples: we actually moved to NYC *from* Fairfield County recently so we're not super eager to move backAlso, while Staples does indeed have an excellent theater program, the larger ecosystem of outside dance / voice / acting lessons in Connecticut is much weaker than in NYC. (orchestra is a bit more competitive, thanks to the amazing Westport Suzuki school)
Larger schools: this is an excellent point. And ties to another poster's comment about Fieldston and CGPS, in comparison to schools with smaller grades like Trinity or the SS schools. We're definitely not TT or bust, even Fieldston seems to have 4 levels of HS math and at any rate a crazy over-the-top academic workload makes it hard to concentrate on theater
St. Ann's: thanks; we hadn't been looking in Brooklyn for 6th grade for commute reasons (spouse works in the Bronx) but with a high schooler I suppose that's less of an issue.
Dalton: thanks, that would be ideal both location and academics-wise.
So funny re: Fairfield County. Welcome to the city!
Trinity and Dalton are the same size come high school (~120 kids). Trinity is only “smaller” k-8.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 11:44
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Anonymous wrote:POOF
Anonymous
05/13/2025 11:15
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Thanks for all the great responses!
Staples: we actually moved to NYC *from* Fairfield County recently so we're not super eager to move back Also, while Staples does indeed have an excellent theater program, the larger ecosystem of outside dance / voice / acting lessons in Connecticut is much weaker than in NYC. (orchestra is a bit more competitive, thanks to the amazing Westport Suzuki school)
Larger schools: this is an excellent point. And ties to another poster's comment about Fieldston and CGPS, in comparison to schools with smaller grades like Trinity or the SS schools. We're definitely not TT or bust, even Fieldston seems to have 4 levels of HS math and at any rate a crazy over-the-top academic workload makes it hard to concentrate on theater
St. Ann's: thanks; we hadn't been looking in Brooklyn for 6th grade for commute reasons (spouse works in the Bronx) but with a high schooler I suppose that's less of an issue.
Dalton: thanks, that would be ideal both location and academics-wise.
Staples: we actually moved to NYC *from* Fairfield County recently so we're not super eager to move back
Also, while Staples does indeed have an excellent theater program, the larger ecosystem of outside dance / voice / acting lessons in Connecticut is much weaker than in NYC. (orchestra is a bit more competitive, thanks to the amazing Westport Suzuki school)
Larger schools: this is an excellent point. And ties to another poster's comment about Fieldston and CGPS, in comparison to schools with smaller grades like Trinity or the SS schools. We're definitely not TT or bust, even Fieldston seems to have 4 levels of HS math and at any rate a crazy over-the-top academic workload makes it hard to concentrate on theater
St. Ann's: thanks; we hadn't been looking in Brooklyn for 6th grade for commute reasons (spouse works in the Bronx) but with a high schooler I suppose that's less of an issue.
Dalton: thanks, that would be ideal both location and academics-wise.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 09:59
Subject: HS Theater Programs
I’ll delete this so please don’t quote, but I have a kid in the same grade at the co-ed UWS TT and there are quite a few theater kids.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 09:56
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:If you’re open to a move, Staples High School in Westport, CT. Historically amazing theater department, great academics.
If you’re TT or bust, they all have the programming, but they’re not auditioning applicants. Maybe the larger schools have more theater kids just based on sheer number of kids in the grade.
Westport is a real schlep, especially if your office isn't very close to GCT. It is the Scarsdale of CT but a much, much worse commute.
My kid is not into theater either but I'm curious for responses from those who know more. Doesn't have to just be TT.
It’s a real schlep but was worth mentioning because people move to be a part of Staples Players.
Non TT, I’ve seen shows at CGPS and Fieldston and both were what I’d consider good shows for high school theater.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 09:46
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Anonymous wrote:If you’re open to a move, Staples High School in Westport, CT. Historically amazing theater department, great academics.
If you’re TT or bust, they all have the programming, but they’re not auditioning applicants. Maybe the larger schools have more theater kids just based on sheer number of kids in the grade.
Westport is a real schlep, especially if your office isn't very close to GCT. It is the Scarsdale of CT but a much, much worse commute.
My kid is not into theater either but I'm curious for responses from those who know more. Doesn't have to just be TT.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 09:44
Subject: HS Theater Programs
From what I can tell (I have a younger child), Dalton seems to have a robust theatre arts program.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 09:04
Subject: HS Theater Programs
If you’re open to a move, Staples High School in Westport, CT. Historically amazing theater department, great academics.
If you’re TT or bust, they all have the programming, but they’re not auditioning applicants. Maybe the larger schools have more theater kids just based on sheer number of kids in the grade.
If you’re TT or bust, they all have the programming, but they’re not auditioning applicants. Maybe the larger schools have more theater kids just based on sheer number of kids in the grade.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 08:15
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Agree with the post above - this is an easy question to ask. I assume you are asking here to start narrowing your field which makes a ton of sense and I don't have much of an answer for you.
Ask to meet with the head of performing arts at schools, and try to get to some performances. I think a lot of high schools are actually doing them now, or they were just finished.
My kid has no interest in theater but we went to a show at one school just to demonstrate our interest (my child is more of an athlete but none of the game times worked for us) and also to look around and get a sense of the overall school culture. The school was happy to help and I found it helpful, while my child was not as happy.
Ask to meet with the head of performing arts at schools, and try to get to some performances. I think a lot of high schools are actually doing them now, or they were just finished.
My kid has no interest in theater but we went to a show at one school just to demonstrate our interest (my child is more of an athlete but none of the game times worked for us) and also to look around and get a sense of the overall school culture. The school was happy to help and I found it helpful, while my child was not as happy.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 08:06
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Anonymous wrote:You'll get a better feel for this when you start touring high schools. Consider taking the opportunity to attend some plays and musicals at different schools that may interest you. I think the spring season for that is pretty much over, but you can make a point to do so next fall and spring.
And just adding that St. Ann's should be on your list if it's not already. It's not a fit for everyone, but it potentially works well for a STEM-inclined theater kid.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 08:03
Subject: HS Theater Programs
You'll get a better feel for this when you start touring high schools. Consider taking the opportunity to attend some plays and musicals at different schools that may interest you. I think the spring season for that is pretty much over, but you can make a point to do so next fall and spring.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 07:35
Subject: HS Theater Programs
Cute.
Anonymous
05/13/2025 00:06
Subject: HS Theater Programs
So my theater-obsessed 6th grader is already starting to talk high school and I wanted to know if anybody had any recommendations for schools with particularly good theater programs for us to look at.
She’s smart enough - excellent grades and 8’s/9’s - for a TT school, and she interviews well, but I’m concerned that even a school with tons of resources isn’t necessarily selecting for theater kids; ideally we want somewhere that not only has a great theater program but also has a lot of talented kids participating in it.
We’re open to LaGuardia or other specialized high schools too - I’m pretty confident she could pass a talent audition for acting or singing - but I understand in the case of LaGuardia there’s been some angst recently about academic standards, and while theater is her great love, I’d also like to be confident she won’t be bored out of her mind in math class
She’s smart enough - excellent grades and 8’s/9’s - for a TT school, and she interviews well, but I’m concerned that even a school with tons of resources isn’t necessarily selecting for theater kids; ideally we want somewhere that not only has a great theater program but also has a lot of talented kids participating in it.
We’re open to LaGuardia or other specialized high schools too - I’m pretty confident she could pass a talent audition for acting or singing - but I understand in the case of LaGuardia there’s been some angst recently about academic standards, and while theater is her great love, I’d also like to be confident she won’t be bored out of her mind in math class