About the Class

Through improvisation, basic script analysis, and the study and performance of monologues and scenes, students are introduced to the fundamentals of theatrical and social performance.

Understanding the difficulties people with autism face at school, home, and in social settings, our program aims to  create an environment that allows for the appropriate structure, opportunity, and guidance for students with  unique perspectives of the world. Through our program, students will learn practical social skills, conflict resolution, and interpersonal connection through the training of verbal and physical communication. Our pedagogical approach is based upon established actor training techniques. We believe that actor training opens up opportunities for our students to safely participate in “real-life simulations” under the guise of a theatrical context. Our students will rehearse the imaginary circumstances of plays and  the “real-life” circumstances of the world they encounter outside of the classroom/theater.

Objectives

At the completion of this program, the student will be able to:

1. Enhance their ability to verbally and nonverbally communicate in common, socially interactive settings.
2. Use traditional acting methodologies which will help students to discover social goals, recognize social obstacles, use communicative tactics, and arrive at realistic expectations in order to cognitively lead the student outside of themselves and into the dramatic world of the script and the dramatic world of society.
3. Approach and competently handle various interpersonal scenarios which will be encountered throughout their lives.

Curriculum Copyright: © 2019 Michael Schraeder, Director of KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts, Dallas, TX, with the support of Trinity Rivers Arts Center (TRAC)