Theatre

A Showcase for Developing Talent

Barstow’s performing arts program sets the stage for creativity, collaboration, cultural understanding and personal growth. Everyone has a role in the Barstow theatre program.

Our outstanding annual productions include division-level musicals and student-produced plays. In the classroom, middle and upper school students explore classic and contemporary plays, hone acting and script writing skills and learn set construction, costume and lighting design in a variety of electives.
On stage and backstage, students find their voice in musicals, comedy and dramas. And the lower school musical for grades 3-5 is an annual favorite for audiences! On campus, in a regional show or on a global stage, Barstow theatre students joyfully produce and perform as they discover the freedom of self-expression.

2026-2027 Productions

Neil Simon's RUMORS

Upper School Musical

October 22, 23 & 24
THE PRETENDERS PLAY

Barstow's Oldest Student Club
January 21 & 22
THE WIZARD OF OZ

Middle & Upper School Musical
February 24, 25, 26 & 27
Disney's 101 DALMATIONS Kids

Lower School Musical
Grades 4-5

APRIL 15 & 16

1/4

Upper School Electives

List of 7 frequently asked questions.

Acting I & II

These courses train and develop the student actor, while focusing on performance as an activity that leads to enhanced social awareness. Students learn to deliver performances that are truthful, individual and memorable. They develop awareness of all the senses and draw on intuition and intelligence.
Advanced Acting Honors

This class builds on Acting I and Acting II. Students study acting techniques, concentrating on performance skills.
Production I: Advanced Theatre Honors

This class produces the upper school spring play. Students work rigorously in acting, singing and dancing. This class is for the serious theatre student interested in performing in a main stage production.
Production II: Musical Theatre Honors

This class produces the upper school fall musical. Students work rigorously in acting, singing and dancing. This class is for the serious theatre student who is interested in performing in a main stage production.
Production II: Technical Theatre Honors

This class is responsible for producing Barstow’s main stage productions: The upper school musical in the fall and the upper school play in the spring. This class is for the serious theatre student interested in all the technical aspects of production: scenery, sound, lighting and costuming.
Scriptwriting

Designed to train and develop the student playwright. Writing scripts may take many forms—scenes, one-act and full-length plays, commercials, short films and feature film screenplays. This course teaches students the fundamental elements of storytelling, as well as to understand basic elements of genres, to sustain an interesting story, to create strong characters, to develop theme and symbols and to structure it all into a finished script. Students participate in the Coterie Theatre’s "Reaching the Write Minds" program.
Theatre Arts: Production & Design

For the student who enjoys all areas of theatre and would love to learn how they work together. All technical aspects will be covered. Students will learn about script analysis, set design lights, sound, costume and other production elements necessary to produce a play or musical. This class culminates in a full design of a play and the direction of a scene from the chosen and approved production.