Music Theater course now introduced in Hellgate High School
New Musical Theater Class Enriches Hellgate High School's Theater Program
Hellgate High School has expanded its theater offerings this school year with the addition of a new Musical Theater class. Led by Ms. Erin Toms, this innovative course aims to teach students the fundamental skills required to put a musical production together.
The theater program at Hellgate High School has a long-standing tradition of alternating a musical production every spring. This year, however, there is no spring musical production, making way for the Musical Theater class to take centre stage.
Senior Myla Spoon, who has been involved in previous productions, finds this class a great opportunity to combine her passion for choir and theater without scheduling conflicts. "It's a fantastic way to delve deeper into both subjects," she said.
One of the standout students in the Musical Theater class is Olive Kreta, who is not only a member of the Thespian Board at Hellgate but also played Hermes in last year's musical, Hadestown. Playing Hermes was Kreta's first lead role, and it was a vocally and emotionally demanding one.
Kreta is set to study musical theater in college next year and hopes that the Musical Theater class will inspire many students in the years to come to enjoy musical theater as much as she has. "I've grown so much as a performer and as a person through theater, and I want others to have that same experience," she said.
Ellen McKenzie, a choir teacher at Hellgate, believes the Musical Theater class will help facilitate what she calls "the merge" between choir and theater. She and theater teacher Laramie Dean are co-teaching the class this year.
The Musical Theater class has drawn more people into theater, according to Kreta. Over 40 students are currently enrolled, with students who have taken or are currently enrolled in Theater 2 being eligible for the class.
Hellgate High School has had strong theater and choir programs for years, and the addition of the Musical Theater class is a testament to the school's commitment to the arts. McKenzie and Dean have thought about the Musical Theater class idea for a while and decided to implement it this year after a rewarding experience with Hadestown last spring.
Kreta appreciates the Musical Theater class because it allows her to explore musical theater further, as she won't be able to do another musical at Hellgate as a senior. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue growing as a performer and to share my love for musical theater with others," she said.
The regular Advanced Theater class will take place next year, allowing students the opportunity to take two different theater classes. With the success of the Musical Theater class this year, it's clear that Hellgate High School's theater program is in good hands.
Read also:
- Mau Forest Women Preservers: Maintainers of Food Independence and Protectors of Sovereignty
- Sustainable Dietary Practices in India: Findings from WWF Research
- Rapid Expansion Expected in Gesture-Controlled Wearables Sector at a Rate of 14.4%
- Zinédine Zidane's affluence and professional journey in the year 2025
