Welcome to the Saxon Stage

Dear Langley HS Theatre Arts Students and Parents,

Greetings and welcome as we begin the 2009-2010 school year. I am very excited about this school year.  There are many changes and additions to the Theatre Arts Program that will provide more opportunities for participation and excellence for all of our students.

If there is a motto for the year if would be “Excellence and Opportunity”.  As interest increases, and more students explore the theatre, my focus will be to provide more performance opportunities to optimize each student’s theatre experience at Langley High School.

How will this be achieved?  The most important addition to the Theatre Program is the formation of a new theatre booster organization, The Saxon Stage On Cue. (SSOC). I have been working closely with Una Higgins, President, and the Board of Directors of the SSOC.  Here is a message from Una.

“I am pleased to introduce you to the Saxon Stage On Cue. (SSOC) parents dedicated to supporting and promoting the theatre arts at LHS.   This parent group will coordinate fundraising, organize volunteers, and lend administrative support to facilitate the goals of the Theatre Arts program. As President along with our Board of Directors of SSOC we look forward to this new partnership so Ms. Jaffe can focus on teaching, directing, and pursuing quality competitions for students. On the “wish-list” for fundraising – money for scripts, master classes, video set-up needs, plans to convert the theatre lab (room 101) into a “legitimate theatre,” prop room enhancements, and storage facilities for production materials. Another goal, in the future is helping students defray trip expenses. PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING for SSOC - your contribution (time or money) can make a difference!!!”
Una Higgins, President, Saxon Stage on Cue

In addition to SSOC, The Theatre Arts curriculum debuts a Broadcast Video Course. Foremost in this venture are the weekly school-wide broadcasts of their news/magazine programs.  Through the broadcasts the students will learn and master the art of video production, including cinematography, editing, writing and on-air performing.  I am incredibly excited about this creative new media outlet for LHS students.

In addition to our usual activities: a fall musical, spring play, student directed one-act festival and Cappies, there are a number of new performance opportunities:

Theatre Honor Society: directed one acts in the fall for Theatre 1 students.

Saxon Stage Scenes: Drama I – IV students will present scenes rehearsed in class for an eclectic evening of theatre (Dec. and May)

Retro Coffee House: an evening of student performances in the spirit of the 60’s
Coffee Houses.  Staged in the cafeteria, the audience can enjoy coffee type drinks and desserts while taking in the theatre students performing drama, poetry, stand-up comedy and/or music.

Student Video Festival: (Feb. 23). This will include works by the Broadcast Video students.

Tiny Tots Concert: (October 22) In conjunction with LHS Orchestra, a performance for early elementary students.  Featuring Theatre students as cartoon characters, funny scenes, sing-a-long, clap along, dance along, ending with a meet and greet with the tots!

Shakespearexperience:  a program with The Shakespeare Theatre Company including workshops with actors of The Company, a field trip to see a performance of the company followed by a seminar with the cast, crew and director of the production. 

Script Analysis Seminar: an after-school group that will meet once a week. Open to all students on a come and go basis. Students will read a play, analyze and then work on various scenes from the play over a period of time with Ms. Anna Aslin Cohen, a welcome addition to our Theatre Arts Program.

This year theatre students will compete in a number of competitions, some old, some new.  Among them are:
Virginia Theatre Association Competition
Virginia High School League Short Play Competition
English Speaking Union Shakespeare Monologue & Sonnet Competition
James Macdonald Fine Arts Scholarship Competition
 
Field Trips:  As in past years, we will go on our usual field trip to New York City in December.  A very exciting addition for the Theatre Arts students is a trip to London in the Spring. 

I am grateful for the SSOC assistance with this advance mailing.  This will enable you to get a head start and make plans to participate in as many activities as possible. 

Get ready for some incredible, outstanding, innovative, excellent and fun theatre!!!

Phyliss Jaffe
Theatre Arts Chair, Saxon Stage Director