In this area there are the Cappy Awards and the Brandon Victor Dixon Awards for teenagers. Looking into which schools send student as finalists to these events = making it to "states" in sports.

Anonymous wrote:Holton has a great program too.

Isn’t the Holton tech theater person moving to Bullis?

Anonymous wrote:Holton has a great program too.

Is the Holton theater person leaving? I hope not.

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Anonymous wrote:Agree public schools are best bet.

GDS for private.

I disagree that public is a better as a general rule. Ours does 1-2 shows a year, and while the quality is awesome, that's a handful of good roles a year for a school with 1000+ kids – and no guarantee that you get any role at all, especially if you're not a singer. GDS may do twice as many shows for a school that's half the size. (Don't have a kid there, so rough guess based on the website) Point being, if you love theater, you want to actually be able to do it. I wouldn't make a judgement call on which school has the absolute best musical.

Most kids are not into theater. Even in our large HS, they don't have that many kids trying out for parts. However, there are several people in ensemble roles.

If you have a tiny cast, that will limit what type of show you can put on. Our large public put on a show that had a good size ensemble cast and the dance numbers were fantastic. Having only 10 kids in a dance ensemble is not visually as entertaining as having 20 kids on the stage. It also makes it more fun to have a large ensemble cast for the kids. There is also a less likely chance of having really great performers in a smaller school. If you don't care about the quality of the production, then I guess the quality of the performers doesn't really matter.

My kid loves the theater and does both school and outside of school theater.

There may be a reason fewer kids try out in the bigger schools -- they know they won't get a chance. If you want to see or be in a show with pre-professional talent, there are programs for that around here. I think school programs should be about educating everyone, letting kids try and encouraging reluctant kids to step outside of their comfort zones.

As for size, where there is a will, there is a way. SAAS, one of the tiniest private boys' schools in the area (like 30 boys per grade), had a cast of 85 students for "Newsies" this year. They have an open summer stock program that helps build a community of actors to fill out the roles.

I am all for theater as an inclusive experience, not having only the best and most talented children on stage. In our public school, no way would my kids get roles -- some really talented friends got cut and stopped doing theater entirely. I think that is awful. But in a more inclusive program, my less talented kid did get roles and so had a chance to be trained, improved every year, and now is doing theater in college. That opportunity would have been lost in a bigger program or in one focused exclusively on putting the best talent forward.

That said, I do love to see a great high school show! So much talent around here. Let's keep supporting the arts!

Anonymous wrote:Starfish was meant to say straight. lol!!

I imagined a kid standing like a starfish onstage receiving applause. It worked, but I guess the opposite of what you intended.

As the parent of a serious theater kid, I agree that publics are a good option, but whether a kid is in private or public school, most kids do "outside" theater. OP mentions Bethesda, and there is a conservatory at Imagination Stage that is quite good and tends to put on classic works. The pre-professional program at Round House is also great, and more focused on contemporary theater. Traveling Players at Tyson's has a high quality Shakespeare program, as does Lumina in Silver Spring. For musical theater, Adventure Theater or the Imagination Stage musical theater programs are very strong.

Basically, I would not spend that much time worrying about the theater programs at individual MS and HS, because that's not where kids are getting their training. A small private will have more opportunities for every kid to get a role. A big public will be able to put on giant spectacles and typically have more opportunities for kids who want to explore the production/technical theater sides.

Holton has a great program too.

Bullis has a terrific theater program....and is not religious They are taking one of their plays to the Edinburgh Fringe festival this summer.

Starfish was meant to say straight. lol!!

Sssas has a robust theater and musical performance program. Perfect fit for our starfish boy. But rude to say that theater boys are generally gay. Not true and you aren’t helping because it makes the not gay boys feel like they will be pigeon holed if they do theater. But I’m sure you think you are in opened minded. The gay boys from our school are headed to St Albans and SWOW and gay girls are headed to Madiera.

Anonymous wrote:I would not recommend St. Johns College High School for theater. The school is more focused on athletics than the performing arts. Otherwise it is a great school.

That’s a weird take. Their choral program is excellent.

Thread is almost 2 years old.

I would suggest looking at Field in DC.

Anonymous wrote:Looking for strong musical theater or drama in MS and HS. Prefer coed in the DC or Bethesda area and not too religious but trying to keep open mind

Oneness Family School in Bethesda has an annual musical theater program. It is excellent and kids get to perform in a real theater.

GDS

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Anonymous wrote:Girl or boy? I was just at Norwood’s BTSN last night and the drama teacher was making the point that there are usually about 10 or more girls for every boy who keen to do theatre. I imagine that is magnified at public high school just by sheer numbers?

that's the case in every theater group, even in private ones. My DD does both public HS theater and private theater. Girls are just more into it than boys, and most of the boys in theater are gay. I keep saying, a straight guy looking for a girl should join the theater.

Um, don't say this to anyone.

i have and they agree.

Lady, when you say offensive things to people they will generally go along with it and then think less of you.

Do you really need it explained to you that not all male actors and theater males are gay? Jesus.

do you have reading comprehension issues?

" most of the boys in theater are gay. "

You understand what "MOST" means, right?

My DD has been involved in theater for a few years, both public school and private organization, and most of the boys involved in theater where she's at are gay, her own words.

NP. We’ll help you more. Most of them are not gay. Sure yes some of them are like in any environment and in a theater environment they’re more likely to be open about it. Your daughter’s experience should not be generalized.

Walking around making comments like straight boys should join theater so they can find a girl perpetuates stereotypes and isn’t cute or funny although clearly based on your multiple defensive remarks you’re not going to stop.

IMO, most are gay as you go up in age.

Just stop.

As someone who has been involved in community theatre in this area for decades, with casts and crews that include children, teens, and adults, not once has a show ever had “most” of its males be gay. A higher percentage than in the typical population? Yes. Far below 50% however. And quite a few lesbian and bi women as well. Your overgeneralizations are gross and perpetuate stereotypes that are harmful to all men in theatre, whether gay, straight, bi, or anything else. Stop commenting on your perceptions of people’s sexuality, especially school theatre participants.