Theatre

Theatre

Developing Creative Gifts to Glorify God

The Abundant Life Christian School Theatre Department provides middle and high school students with opportunities to grow as artists, storytellers, and servant leaders. Through classes, productions, workshops, and technical theatre experiences, students develop their creative gifts while learning to pursue excellence for the glory of God.

We believe theatre is far more than entertainment. Every performance is an opportunity to bring characters to life, tell meaningful stories, inspire audiences, and reflect the creativity of our Creator. Students are encouraged to see that their faith and their artistry are not separate pursuits. Instead, they learn to approach every aspect of theatre through the Christian pursuit of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, using their gifts to serve others and glorify God.

Throughout the year, students also have opportunities to participate in workshops, staged readings, technical theatre training, and trips to professional productions. These experiences not only strengthen theatrical skills but also cultivate confidence, communication, collaboration, creativity, and leadership.

Theatre Classes

Middle and high school students can enroll in weekly theatre classes that build both practical skills and a lifelong appreciation for the dramatic arts.

MIDDLE SCHOOL THEATRE
Introduces students to the fundamentals of theatre through storytelling, character development, acting, improvisation, movement, and theatre appreciation. Students gain confidence while learning the joy of creative collaboration.

HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE
Offers a four-year, eight-semester rotating curriculum covering Theatre History, Theatre & Faith, Acting Techniques, Classical Theatre, and Technical Theatre. Juniors and seniors may also enroll in advanced semester courses in Directing, Text Analysis, Production Design, Advanced Acting Techniques, and Theatre Leadership.

Productions & Technical Theatre

Each year, ALCS presents two to three theatrical productions, providing students with meaningful opportunities to apply what they have learned in the classroom while serving audiences through live performance. Productions are open to students enrolled in theatre classes as well as those who simply have a desire to participate and grow.

Students can become involved both on stage and behind the scenes, gaining experience in acting, singing, dancing, set construction, scenic painting, props, costumes, lighting, sound, stage management, and many other aspects of theatrical production.

FALL PLAY
Each fall, middle and high school students have the opportunity to participate in a dramatic production. Over a four-year cycle, students experience a variety of theatrical styles, including comedy, drama, classical theatre, and “Theatre for Change”, our student-led production focused on meaningful social issues. These fall productions place a strong emphasis on character development, ensemble storytelling, and artistic excellence. Every other year, the Fall Play is directed by students in the Advanced Directing class, providing unique leadership opportunities for upperclassmen while allowing younger students to experience working under student directors.

SPRING MUSICAL
The Spring Musical is a full-scale musical theatre production that challenges students to grow as actors, singers, and dancers. With larger casts and expanded production teams, these performances often include opportunities for middle school—and, when appropriate, elementary students—to perform alongside high school students.

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTIONS 
Throughout the year, the Theatre Department may also present additional performances such as junior musicals for students in grades 3–7, improv nights, student showcases, staged readings, and other special events. These experiences provide even more opportunities for students to perform, develop new skills, and share their talents with the school community.

TECHNICAL THEATRE
Students interested in the technical side of theatre can receive hands-on training throughout the year by participating in production crews, workshops, and theatre workdays. Areas of instruction include: Lighting, Sound, Stage Management, Scenic Design and Construction, Scenic Painting, Costume Construction, Props Design and Fabrication, and Backstage Operations.

The above experiences help students develop practical skills while learning the importance of teamwork, craftsmanship, problem-solving, and servant leadership.

Jerry Awards Program

ALCS is proud to participate in the Overture Center's Jerry Awards Program, which celebrates excellence in high school musical theatre throughout Wisconsin.

Over the years, our students have been selected to participate in the Jerry Awards Ensemble, as well as the Student Critic and Student Social Influencer programs. These opportunities allow students to work alongside theatre professionals, receive valuable mentorship, develop their artistic talents, and represent ALCS within the broader theatre community.

Theatre for Change

Every four years, the high school theatre program at ALCS presents “Theatre for Change” as its fall production.

“Theatre for Change” allows students to use the performing arts to explore important issues affecting our communities and world. Through storytelling, we seek to inspire thoughtful conversations, foster compassion, and encourage audiences to consider how they can respond with wisdom, hope, and action. Whenever possible, we partner with local nonprofit organizations that provide education about these issues and offer meaningful ways for our community to get involved.

Theatre for Change consists of two parts. The first is an independent study course for 11th and 12th grade students, where they gain hands-on experience in all aspects of theatrical production while serving in leadership roles. Students collaborate in writing, directing, designing, marketing, and producing the fall production under the guidance of experienced production staff members.

The second component is the production itself, which serves as our fall play. High school students—and, in some years, middle school students—are invited to audition and participate in bringing the story to life on stage.

Because each Theatre for Change production is created around a different topic, every show is unique. Together, these productions reflect our desire to use the arts not only to entertain, but also to encourage empathy, deepen understanding, and inspire positive change in our community.