Theater
As Quintilian taught, the aim of a historic liberal arts education is to form “the good man, speaking well."
Towards that end, students have opportunities throughout their Cambridge experience to develop these critical skills of speaking well toward noble ends. Here are a few of the highlights:
In the Classroom
Starting in kindergarten, students participate in a drama special that introduces them to expressive movement and storytelling. In first through fourth grade, each class produces a play as an integrated part of the curriculum, reinforcing lessons through performance and collaboration.
An essential component throughout this journey is the progymnasmata — a classical approach to writing and speaking that helps students build foundational storytelling and memorization skills through progressive exercises that increase in complexity over time.
By fifth and sixth grade, students take their understanding further by developing original narratives and presenting them in character to their classmates, an exercise that combines research, creativity, and public speaking.
Throughout the grammar School years, students also participate in a speech meet that emphasizes clarity, poise, and expression. As students progress into logic school, they continue to hone their communication skills through an annual oratory competition held within the house system. Rhetoric school students refine their use of logic and rhetoric daily in class, and in competitive speech and debate, culminating in the capstone senior thesis project.
Outside the Classroom
Students in second through sixth grade can participate in our after-school drama enrichment program, which provides a joyful and formative introduction to the performing arts. From a young age, students begin building essential skills in teamwork, active listening, and collaboration. The program aims to foster deep friendships as students from different grades, who might not otherwise interact often, come together to create something meaningful. As they rehearse and prepare a full production over the course of the school year, students grow not only as performers but also as individuals, often discovering new passions and talents along the way.
For upper school students (seventh grade and up), theater continues to be an important co-curricular offering. Each year, students have the opportunity to participate in both a fall play and a spring musical. These productions allow students to further develop the communication, storytelling, and performance skills they have been building throughout their Cambridge education. Just as importantly, they foster personal growth by helping students build friendships, learn to work as a team, and experience the satisfaction of working hard to present a polished production to the wider school community.