The Besant Hill School Theatre Program is dedicated to educating students of all levels in the art of theatre through classes in acting, voice, dance, directing, musical theatre, production and technical theatre. Education occurs not only in the classroom, but also in production opportunities where students work side by side with entertainment industry professionals, presenting plays for the school and the community. Each year, Besant Hill invites professional artists for lectures and workshops, and to join the creative teams for the school's main stage productions, sharing their knowledge of the art and business of theatre and film.
Guest artists from the 2007-2008 school year included Rick Cleveland, writer for "Six Feet Under" and "Mad Men," actors Betsy Randle, Richard Kuhlman, Claudette Sutherland, and John Diehl.
Guest Artists for the 2008 - 2009 school year will include Caroline Thompson, writer of "Edward Scissorhands," Matthew C. Jacobs, Art Director for "Heroes," Steve Nicolaides, producer of "Boyz in the Hood," and Hannah Jacobs, assistant costume designer for "Mad Men."
In 2008, Besant Hill School will host the inaugural Actors Festival for the Ventura County region. High school students from the region will have the opportunity to present theatrical material before a group of judges and their peers...
In addition to classroom and production learning, theatre students participate in a number of excursions to professional theaters, including the Actors Gang, South Coast Repertory Theatre, A Noise Within, Pasadena Playhouse, Fountain Theatre, and many other theaters in the region. Through relationships built with several companies, students have the opportunity to talk with the actors and directors following the shows, gaining first-hand insight into the business and craft of acting.
Students of the BHS theatre program are also eligible as interns for the prestigious Ojai Playwrights Conference (www.ojaiplays.org), held each year here on campus in the school's modern facility, the Zalk Theatre. The Ojai Playwrights Conference is in its 11th year here at Besant Hill and has hosted such illustrious playwrights as Terrence McNally, Jon Robin Baitz, Lee Blessing, Charlayne Woodard, Joe Loya, Danny Hoch, Peter Morris, Luis Alfaro, Stephen Belber, Keith Bunin, Julia Cho and Chris Durang.
Among the actors who have performed for the OPC are Dana Delany, Neil Patrick Harris, Minnie Driver, Victor Garber, Jane Kaczmarek, Ron Rifkin, William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, David Hyde Pierce, Lily Tomlin, Linda Hunt, Peter Strauss, Peter Sarsgaard, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Meshach Taylor, Juanita Jennings, and Scott Allan Campbell, the Director of Theatre at Besant Hill School.
Here at Besant Hill School of Happy Valley, from the earliest days of Aldous Huxley to Beatrice Wood, imagination has always been a celebrated characteristic of those learning & teaching at the school. Come explore theatre as the art form of storytelling, human relations, and emotional expression. And discover its value in life.
For more information on our productions please click on the links below (Links available soon!)
BHS Theatre Productions
The Actors Festival - December 13th, 2008
California Youth in Theatre - March 23rd
Chantecler - Opens April 23rd, 2009
Besant Hill School is continuously seeking local, regional and national theatre artists with a desire to educate and illuminate students in the convergent worlds of theatre, film, musical theatre, and spoken word.
