“Man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Roanoke Catholic nurtures our students’ artistic expression during the school day by providing credit courses in band and the visual arts:
- ART I: EXPLORING VISUAL DESIGN: By blending art criticism, art history, aesthetics, and studio production together, this course provides the building blocks necessary to appreciate, understand, and create great works of art. Students will experiment with a variety of media such as drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and other crafts.
- ART II: EXPLORING CLAY: This course introduces students to a variety of hand building techniques and the vocabulary and art history associated with it. Students will create a variety of useful and sculptural pieces in clay and have the opportunity to work in mosaics. Students will investigate and test various glazing techniques while producing usable pieces of art.
- ART III: STUDIO ART AND DIGITAL PORTFOLIO PREPARATION: Building on skills learned in Art I, students expand on their knowledge of art criticism, art history, aesthetics, and studio production. Through the creation of projects in a variety of media, students will further develop their technical skills with a special emphasis on drawing. Students will create a digital portfolio to use for scholarship and contest opportunities.
- BAND: Students in grades 8th-12th at RCS have the unique opportunity to become “pannists” – by joining our steel band featuring the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago.
Outside of the academic body of the day, Roanoke Catholic offers flourishing Drama and Choral programs.
Drama
The lights go down and the show is about to begin. It is this single moment of anticipation that made me fall in love with the first production I ever saw. I have been involved in theater since I was 10 years old and in a production about Thomas Edison and the electric light bulb. Even today I still love that moment of quietly charged energy before a show.
My theater journey continued as I explored acting with Mill Mountain Theatre’s youth program. At Longwood I found my home in the dark of backstage as well as in the light on stage. I went on to work backstage for numerous regional theaters around the country including Omaha Playhouse, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, and St. Louis Repertory Theatre. Eventually the mountains of Virginia called me home.
Four years ago I revitalized the theater program at Roanoke Catholic School, focusing on building self-confidence, finding outlets for creative projects of interest to our community and being an advocate for theater arts in our school.
Statistics show that students successfully finishing a theater or speech class are 50% more likely to be successful in college and the work force. A school like ours affords your student the opportunity to participate in dramatic arts and sports within the same season. We are dedicated to helping to create a well-rounded individual that is well-versed in presentation, team work, and finding an outlet for their creative energies as well.
In the last few years the drama program at RCS has grown by leaps and bounds including productions of Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music, A Night of Monty Python, Military Monologues, The Reluctant Dragon, Live Stations of the Cross, and a Nativity Play.
We offer grade-level appropriate education in dramatic arts to PreK through Grade 12. We’ve offered workshops on improv, how to create a monologue from an interview, and traditional play practice experience. This year we are proud to present two productions: a play in the fall that features our Lower School students (PreK-7) and in the spring a full length musical for Grades 7-12.
For more information, contact April Corbett, Director of Theater Arts, acorbett@roanokecatholic.com.