43
A flair for the dramatic
Photo
Under the direction of Kandace Cleland, Canfield Village Middle School seventh- and eighth-grade drama teacher and Drama Club adviser, fifth-grade students are introduced to musical theater as member of the Take 5 Drama Club.
Photo
Kandace Cleland (far left) Canfield Village Middle School Drama Club adviser, taught members of the Take 5 Drama Club how to act properly for a scene from "The Music Man."
Photo
Fifth-grade members of Canfield Village Middle School’s Take 5 Drama Club practiced acting games, quick thinking and correct annunciation with eighth-grade volunteer drama leaders during the workshop Jan. 20.
Photo
Kandace Cleland, far right, Canfield Village Middle School seventh- and eighth-grade drama teacher and Drama Club adviser, taught members of the Take 5 Drama Club about musical theater during the club’s workshop Jan. 20.
By ABBY SLANKER
Life as a middle school student can include more than its share of drama. But for members of the Canfield Village Middle School Take 5 Drama Club, that’s exactly what they’re looking for.
A group off 55 fifth-grade students meet after school two days a week to learn acting skills and experience an introduction to musical theater.
Kandace Cleland, Canfield Village Middle School seventh- and eighth-grade drama teacher and Drama Club adviser, conducts the workshops for the club.
For this extra curricular activity, students meet after school two days a week for three weeks and start out all together in the choir room. The students then separate into groups to participate in three different activities.
The members practice acting games, quick thinking and correct annunciation with eighth-grade volunteer drama leaders. Each group rotates throughout the workshop to be able to experience each breakout session.
“No one has to audition to be a member of this group. All fifth-grade students are welcome and everyone is included and everyone has talent. The students are introduced to musical theater and this group is considered a stepping stone to the seventh- and eighth-grade drama classes,” Cleland said.
The students are also shown scenes from musicals and discuss subjects such as the setting of a musical and are taught to act as the characters in the musicals act, such as “The Music Man.” They also get to show off their new acting skills to each other during the breakout sessions.
Kleland also offers Take 6 Drama Club for sixth-graders at the middle school.