Drama & Dance

The Fall Play is a non-musical production that rehearses from the beginning of September to the end of October. Rehearsals generally run 3:30 – 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The Middle School and Upper School Drama teachers co-direct this production, and cast sizes range from 10 to 15 students annually.

Previous Fall Play productions include:

• The Untold Yippie Project by Becca Schlossberg (2019)
• She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen (2018)
• Akeelah and the Bee by Cheryl L. West (2017)
• Three Murders and it’s Only Monday by Pat Cook (2016)
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (2015)
• Dracula by Steven Dietz (2014)

As a culmination of their work in the Advanced Topics in Theatre/Dance class, Upper School Students write, create, produce, direct, and, oftentimes, star in their own one act plays as part of the RCDS Fringe, an entirely student-produced set of theatrical performances. The process, while specific to the arts, is an exercise in developing leadership and project management skills. 

Student directors work within a theme and submit three scripts of interest for faculty review. During rehearsals, student directors are guided by faculty mentors from the Drama and Dance Department. The fully mounted student-directed productions, with assigned designers, stage managers, etc., are given budgets, providing students with invaluable hands-on project management experience. Performances take place at the end of the school year in the Black Box Theatre with the entire Upper School student body in attendance. 

Roughly 12 student directors participate in the class, and 35 to 45 student actors audition and perform in the one-act plays that comprise the RCDS Fringe. This production is overseen by the Upper School Drama Teacher and the Upper School Dance Teacher.

The second trimester of the Integrated Performing Arts class focuses on bringing together the disciplines of music, dance, and theatre arts for the annual Middle School Musical production. By exploring these three unified crafts, students experience a well-rounded education in the performing arts.

Previous Integrated Performing Arts productions include:

• Beauty and the Beast Jr. (2020)
• Seussical Jr. (2019)
• Mary Poppins Jr. (2018)
• The Lion King Jr. (2017)
• Shrek (2016)
• Annie (2015)

The Winter Musical is one of the largest extracurricular endeavors in the RCDS Upper School. Students come to rehearsal prepared to act, sing, and dance each and every day. The Winter Musical commitment is from November 1 to February 15. Students generally rehearse from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Participation varies between 35 to 45 students each year. The Winter Musical is directed by the Upper School Drama Teacher, music directed by the Upper School Choir Teacher, and choreographed by either the Upper School Dance Teacher or the Seventh Grade Science Teacher.

In addition to the benefits of being an important member of the musical theatre community, students receive a .05 arts credit towards the graduation requirement within the umbrella of the arts. Students may only obtain this credit once as indicated on their transcript. While subsequent years of participation will be noted on the transcript, the credit is only given the first year of participation. Students in the Winter Musical also receive P.E. credit for the winter trimester, regardless of the role they play.

Previous Winter Musical Productions include:

• Side Show (2020)
• Urinetown (2019)
• Pippin (2018)
• All Shook Up (2017)
• Legally Blonde (2016)
• Footloose (2015)

This fall showcase features the work of all student choreographers/dancers in the Upper School, regardless of whether they take a dance class through our departmental curriculum or not. The Student Choreography Showcase provides students with the opportunity to implement the knowledge gained in choreography, whether in a private studio or through our Art Elective classes and Advanced Topics in Theatre/Dance class. Each student takes part in a dance project created by the student and produced by the Upper School Dance Teacher. The students are involved in all aspects of the production, ranging from choreography to design.

The Spring Dance Concert at the end of the school year brings together Middle and Upper School students. It includes all Spring Season Physical Education dance classes and all yearlong Art Elective classes, as well as several pieces from the Cedar Street Dance Company. The concert highlights the different styles of dance studied over the course of the year, and it affords both the advanced-level dancer and the beginner-level dancer the chance to let their skills shine harmoniously on stage. The Spring Dance Concert is choreographed and produced by the Dance Teacher.

Cedar Street is a student dance company comprised of the most serious and dedicated dancers at Rye Country Day School. The company values technique, passion, hard work, expression, innovation, and creativity. Members work together to enhance the community through dance and performance while bringing attention to the artistry and athleticism of dance.

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