<p>I’m applying to most of the HADES GCM this year, and I want a school that has rigorous academic along with a great theatre program.
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Hotchkiss has a superb film and theater program. Choate also gets kudos.</p>
<p>Choate, Choate, Choate.</p>
<p>St. Paul’s (<a href=“https://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=6534[/url]”>https://www.sps.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=6534</a>). As of last year you can take theater in place of a sport, so in addition to theaters normal class session, you also meet for a large block every afternoon. It is a big commitment, but great because you can’t really do much in a one hour class session.</p>
<p>How about Cate’s and Thacher’s?</p>
<p>South Kent.</p>
<p>NMH is excellent and has turned out several well-known people in the field. Great new facilites as well.</p>
<p>I’ll try to tell you what I know about the Cate theatre program, although my knowledge is limited. First, the arts are an important part of life at Cate and all students are required to take three years of arts. Freshman students take a foundational course in performing and fine arts, and afterward they can choose from courses in music, drama and fine arts. Often they become inspired as a result of the required freshman class and are involved in performing and creative arts throughout their high school years and beyond. The school organizes trips to Los Angeles and nearby Santa Barbara where students and faculty can enjoy and learn from professional show productions and museums. Cate also invites recognized artists, musicians and writers to visit the school, perform, and meet with students.</p>
<p>At the center of Cate’s performing arts program is the 450 seat Hitchcock Theatre (I think it may have been endowed and named in honor of legendary writer / film director Sir Alfred Hitchcock). It’s housed in the Cate Arts Building which is also home to the Bruno Art Gallery and the Hooker Art Gallery, various arts studios, music practice rooms, recording studios, digital lab, etc. The Cate Artist Theatre Ensemble offers two major theatre productions each school year, Fall and Spring. The productions are well supported by the whole school and typically coincide with “Parents’ Weekends”. There are other smaller student theatre productions that happen throughout the school year. My son participates in the theatre and music programs at Cate. He loves it.</p>
<p>Wow, the performing arts programs at these schools all sound interesting! Since I live abroad and therefore will not be able to pay school visits, I am curious whether boarding schools theatrical productions are Broadway-quality or Disney channel-quality. Any ideas?</p>