Students light up the stage in the drama and music programs at Marymount. Through curricular speech presentations, musical concerts, and dramatic performances, expert teaching artists carefully cultivate each student’s talents, allowing them to express themselves creatively and let their voices soar. Robust extracurricular offerings in theater, set tech design, and vocal/instrumental instruction allow students to pursue their passions and hone their skills.

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Lower School

Students in Classes K-II learn and practice techniques of public speaking and dramatic presentation in conjunction with their language arts curriculum. They also start to develop their singing voices while beginning to study dynamics, tempo, and melodic contour in music class. Students dazzle audiences through word and song at the annual Christmas pageants and spring concerts. After-school offerings like Chorus, Merry Players (K-I), and Broadway Bound (II) allow students to develop their performing skills in a fun environment.

lower school students dressed in orange

upper mid students performing on stageLower & Upper Mid

Through poetry, fables, monologues, Shakespeare, and original compositions, students in the Lower Mid and Upper Mid practice the creative skill of the spoken word. Building upon the basic skills of projection, poise, articulation, dramatic phrasing, and eye contact, students learn to speak with confidence, authority, and ease in front of an audience. Each class performs in an interdisciplinary speech presentation in the spring as the culmination of their work.

Lower Mid students can continue honing their skills in after-school options like Show Stoppers (III) and Rising Stars (IV & V), where they perform their first full-book musical productions. Upper Mid students can participate after-school in Rising Stars (VI) and Uptown Broadway (VII & VIII), a comprehensive theater experience, culminating in a fully-staged musical. Students can also go behind the scenes in the Set Tech Design club where students learn the art of stage management and costume/prop/set design. Classes VII and VIII are also invited to be part of a dramatic arts class with Saint David’s, where they focus on improvisation, scene study, and character analysis.

Lower Mid students are introduced to ensemble singing and singing in harmony, as well as music theory topics such as rhythm reading, note reading, and sight singing. In addition to opportunities to hone their vocal development skills, Upper Mid students also have the chance to play in a handbell choir, an orchestra, or the extracurricular School of Rock. Students showcase their vocal and instrumental talents at annual Christmas liturgies and spring concerts.

Upper School

upper school student playIn Upper School, students can take Dramatic Arts electives that focus on using physicality, voice, and imagination to bring a character to life. Class X students are also coached in public speaking techniques and effective communication through the study of persuasive, extemporary, and improvisational speech. The Marymount Players, the Upper School acting ensemble, stage two after-school productions annually: a play in the fall and a musical in the spring. Students can also go behind the scenes in the Set Tech club where they learn the art of stage management, sound & stage lighting, and costume/prop/set design.

Upper School students can take a music elective that explores vocal production and technique and also join the Show Choir or the Marymount Singers, our Concert Choir, where they strengthen their sight-singing skills and expand their vocal range. Students in Classes XI and XII may be selected to perform in our Chamber Choir, an advanced course for a cappella, solo, or quartet singing. Students who play an instrument may join the Marymount Symphony, our Concert Orchestra, and students who are dedicated musicians in Classes X-XII may be invited to join the Camerata, our Chamber Orchestra. Students regularly perform at assemblies, chapel services, Masses, and special concerts.

Upper School students can also take dance electives that explore the art of storytelling and expression through movement. Students learn a variety of forms, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, musical theater, and hip hop.