From the basic elements of pantomime and role playing to character development and scene study, students are introduced to the fun and work involved in theater. The drama department strives to build good artists while teaching students to work together and think creatively.

Act One

Children in grades 3-5 discover, create, and experience drama as an art and learning experience. Music, poetry, and stories are used to expand the creative imagination. Speech activities are designed to encourage each child to improvise words and dialogue for imagined characters in a variety of circumstances. Group activities reinforce the goals of cooperation and acceptance of ideas of others.

Creative Dramatics

Open to students in grades 6-8, this class gives students the opportunity to explore and expand their theatrical imaginations. Using theater games, improvisation, and simple scenes, the students learn to create characters, tell compelling stories, and use their voices, faces and bodies more effectively.

Building Characters

This acting class for students in grades 5-8 will allow the talents of serious young actors to find a voice. The ensemble will NOT play a lot of games, but rather work on character building, stage presence, and script work. This is meant as an opportunity for students who want to learn acting and be part of a company. Acceptance into this class is by evaluation only.

Principles of Acting

Principles of Acting is for students in grades 9-12 who wish to begin a more serious study of acting and theater. The students use improvisation and original scenes to continue exploring characterization. They also work on scripted monologues and get brief introductions to theater history and its traditions.

Scenes and Monologues

Scenes and Monologues is a high level acting class which concentrates on script work and character development. Students are held to a high standard and are expected to work on material outside of class. Recommended for students preparing for college auditions. 

Improv

Improv focuses on building students' abilities to create collaboratively on the spot. We will explore techniques that will allow performers to feel more confident creating in front of a live audience.

Acting Seminar

Acting Seminar is an opportunity for students who want a broader theater curriculum. During the year, the students themselves will help guide the topics that the want to study. In the past, this class has ranged from audition preparation to magic, costume design to directing. Recommended for students planning to participate in Winter Intensive and New York City trip.

Related Faculty

Nick Paone

FSPA Drama Director, Instructor of Acting and Improvisation

Nick Paone holds a BA in Theater from Occidental College. A former Equity performer, Nick traveled all over the US performing with TheaterWorks, USA. His regional performing credits include Cabaret, Macbeth, The Wedding Singer, Little Shop of Horrors, Pirates of Penzance and The Tempest. Nick has written, conceived and directed for the Franklin Performing Arts Company since 2001. In 2007 he created FPAC’s Whatever Theater Festival, a week-long festival of one-act plays, Shakespeare on the Common and musical entertainment. Nick joined the FSPA Drama Faculty in 2001.  

Aaron Andrade

Instructor of Acting

Aaron Andrade studied at Rhode Island College, receiving degrees in Political Science and Theater Performance, and an MFA in Performance in Society: Using performance to promote social change.  He has performed throughout New England at such theaters as Trinity Repertory Company, The Trinity Summer Shakespeare Project, Company One, Daydream Theatre Company, Beowulf Theatre and Elemental Theatre Company and as a company member at The Providence Black Repertory Company. Aaron has toured the country in dual language versions of Don Quixote and Cyrano de Bergerac.   He has also worked in television (Dexter, Defending Jacob) and film (Confess, Fletch, Being Dead), as well as in national and local commercials. He teaches and directs theatrical productions (Boston Casting, Rhode Island College, Franklin School for the Performing Arts, Dean College). He is also a voice over artist, having sent his voice all over the country for commercials, animation, and more. Aaron joined the FSPA Drama Faculty in 2013.