Theatre Education & Outreach Programs (TOPs)

Blowing Rock Stage Company's Theatre Education & Outreach Programs (TOPs) represent the educational wing of the company. Programs are offered to all students of atauga County and surrounding communities. Since its inception in 2001, TOPs has enjoyed the participation of over 1,250 High Country students.

Mission Statement

TOPs will enrich and educate its participants by offering classes for children and adults in all areas of the performing, visual and media arts in a safe, risk-free environment. TOPs will offer a haven for aspiring artists to explore the areas of self-expression, unique creativity, self confidence, and teamwork. These programs will allow each individual to discover the artistic forces that can positively influence the quality of their lives.

While each student comes to all of our TOPs classes eager to learn the various disciplines of the theatre craft, our instructors incorporate Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence. ... the theory validates educators' everyday experience: students think and learn in many different ways.

For example, through scene study and play readings, students enhance Linguistic intelligence, the sensitivity to spoken and written language. As students learn to design sets, costumes and props, they are strengthening Logical-mathematical intelligence. Musical intelligence involves skill in the performance, and appreciation of musical patterns. Students utilize these skills in musical theatre studies. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements. Choreography, mime and stage combat techniques allow students to learn through physicalization. Spatial intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of wide space and more confined areas. Student directors must use this intelligence to master coordinating space, actors and props together for a unified whole. Interpersonal intelligence is concerned with the capacity to understand the intentions, motivations and desires of other people. Scene analysis, characterization studies and discussion of character relationships enhance this intelligence. Intrapersonal intelligence entails the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations. Bringing one’s own unique blend of gifts to the theatre process, being brave in front of others in an audition or performance helps students to become more capable of interpreting this intelligence. Finally, Naturalist intelligence enables human beings to recognize, categorize and draw upon certain features of the environment. Students analyzing scenes to determine how the environment affects character behavior (blistering heat, blizzard conditions) use this intelligence

How Can Theatre Classes Help My Child?

Our theatre classes teach so much more than acting. You will never hear the term, "be a star" in our classes. Theatre…. acting is all about the story, so how do we tell the story to the best of our ability? In my opinion, being an actor is one of the most unselfish professions there is, because we constantly seek ways in which to successfully communicate with and to other people, whether it be our colleagues on stage or our audience in the seats in front of us.

The reality is most students who take our classes will not be professional actors in the movies or on the stage. But they will be giving presentations; preparing documents and making persuasive speeches in law, marketing and finance where communication skills are vital.

Our classes emphasize team work - ensemble. We also aid in fluency in reading, creative writing and movement, problem solving, sequencing, listening skills, self-expression, self-confidence and creative thinking. Our students can use these skills while reading or giving a presentation in their classroom, church or civic setting. Theatre can be used to enhance most any discipline.

Kim Cozort Kay

Educational Program Overview

These objectives support and enhance theatre arts guidelines mandated by the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

Ages 5-7

• Instill sense of fun through music, movement and creative play.
• Utilize poetry, skits and songs to enhance memorization, character development and cooperation.
• Introduce basic theatre skills such as stage geography, respect for theatre space, and physical control.
• Introduce concept of following stage directions individually and collectively.

Ages 8-10

• Encourage and introduce students to concepts of creating sense of space.
• Instruct students to the rehearsal process, examining terms such as script, scene, blocking, punctuality.
• Memorization skills: Students will explore techniques necessary in memorizing skits, songs, or scenes.
• Character development.
• Introduce students to fundamental aspects of technical theatre, including set, light, sound, and costume design and its support of the performing artists.
• Focus on cooperative play and teamwork.
• Discuss performance skills: breath control, diction, volume, physical control, body position on stage.

Ages 11 - 13

• Explore character development through the utilization of research, dialect, physicality, and emotional choices.
• Discovering multi-cultural stories & plays.
• Study of monologues.
• Introduce improvisation to enhance freedom of movement and emotional thought.
• Explore scene study.
• Introduction of the audition process using the terms of monologues, cold readings, and sides.
• Introduction to Playwriting.

Ages 14-18

• Enhance script analysis studies through role scoring, character objectives, and theme.
• Explore creative writing and script development.
• Introduce directing concepts and objectives.
• Continue study of teamwork by allowing students to cast and direct scenes.
• Explore use of dramatic thought in musical theatre (song, dance, music).