High school partners with Quantum Theatre

The Theater Arts/Acting course at Upper St. Clair High School is completing a semester-long partnership with Quantum Theatre that brings outside, real-world experiences to the school’s theater program. 

The acting course, open to students in grades 9-12, is co-taught by Laura Surguine and Dr. Steve Torquato. It covers various aspects of the performing arts, including monologues, scenes, voice and speech, improvisation, movement, character development, and audition preparation.

As part of Quantum Theatre’s high school residency project, a teaching artist provides weekly coaching and instruction to help students interpret a classic play, a piece of literature, or an historical event in their own, contemporary terms. Catherine Baird, Quantum Theatre’s teaching artist, has worked in the classroom with Upper St. Clair students since October.

“They worked on taking the script of ‘The Cabinet of Caligari’ and re-writing it to create their own drama piece,” Ms. Surguine said.

Other schools participating in Quantum’s high school residency project include Pittsburgh’s Westinghouse Academy and Brashear High School.

“The students not only worked with a professional actor to recreate the play, but they also got to perform their interpretation for the other participating schools at Alumni Theatre,” Ms. Surguine said. “They received feedback from their peers through a question-and-answer session immediately after the performance.”

As a culminating event, students had the opportunity to experience Quantum Theatre's production of “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.”

"This was above everyone's expectations,” Upper St. Clair freshman Abby Petras said. “It was very impressive and I'm so glad I saw it!"

The theater partnership will continue in the spring.

“This has been an ongoing partnership and we plan to continue to work with Quantum Theatre,” Ms. Surguine said. “They will be back in the spring to help our students with the technical aspects of theater including lighting, scenic design and sound.”

Quantum Theatre’s high school residency project provides opportunities for students to make meaningful connections beyond Upper St. Clair.

“This partnership is important because it brings schools together to support each other's work,” Ms. Surguine said. “It gives them the opportunity to watch a professional production of a script that they've worked with, and speak with the actors and tech crew about the company interpretation of the work.”

According to Quantum’s website, “the program teaches creative thinking skills, animates English and history curricula, and mixes students from many Pittsburgh neighborhoods.”