Theater Arts
Drama is an important component of Waldorf education. From early childhood on, students are asked to use their creativity to become what they can imagine themselves to be. Creative play makes use of drama from the earliest years, children becoming kings, queens, animals, and more to complete their play. In our Lower School, class plays continue to deepen the social community of the class while expounding upon key themes in the main lesson blocks.
Many of the classes in the Lower School work on a play during the course of the year. The plays are presented to their parents and other classes. The length and complexity of the class play grows with each year, culminating in the large production of the 8th grade play.
In our High School, students study character development through the Comedy and Tragedy, Greek Drama, and Shakespeare courses. All grade 10 students are required to take a theater arts course — introduction to acting. Grades 9 through 12 also have the option of a theater arts elective where they prepare a showcase performance for WWS students and/or selections from Shakespeare which are performed at the Secondary School Shakespeare Festival at the Folger Shakespeare Library. The 12th grade play is seen as a culmination of the student’s years at the Washington Waldorf School. This production involves the full class in all aspects of theatrical production — acting, design, and technical theater. The full-length play is performed in late May, before the senior class trip.