Theatre

Beacon’s theatre curriculum provides opportunities for students to try on many different “hats” as they explore their interests through acting, devising, playwriting, designing, directing, marketing, theatre management, and more. Inclusive collaboration is the cornerstone for our work in projects ranging from ensemble improvisation to producing new plays conceived by our students. Our classes also cover a wide range of topics in play analysis, theatre history, and theatre theory.

We are proud to offer a season of three shows per year after school. Our extracurricular theatre program provides extended opportunities for collaboration, ensemble-building, performance skills, and technical theatre. We choose a variety of titles and genres, with a focus on contemporary texts by living authors. We make space for every student according to their interests, and offer hands-on leadership opportunities in playwriting, directing, dramaturgy, design, and stage management. We connect students with the theatre community in Chicago on a regular basis by inviting guest artists to speak and work with students, and by sponsoring field trips to shows around town. We also maintain partnerships with organizations such as Filament Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.