Theater

• The Theater Program at Totino-Grace has been strong and active since the early years of the school.

• The Totino-Grace Theater Program is dedicated to stimulating and inspiring the artistic abilities of students by the development of artistic excellence and personal growth. We strive for excellence in theater performance, arts appreciation, and diverse theater programming that promotes artistic quality, ensemble, self-determination, and leadership. Totino-Grace Theater participants are given the freedom to grow by stressing responsible behavior, discipline, academic achievement, and a commitment to artistic risk.

• There are three productions per year, each one highlighting a different genre of theater - offering a complete education in theatrical forms. In addition to acting roles, students have the opportunity to work hands-on with the technical aspects of theater, including set construction, lighting, and sound.

• The fall production is a full length musical, incorporating extensive vocal, dance, instrumental and technical aspects. Past musicals include 'Les Miserables,' 'Mary Poppins,' 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' and many more. The fall musical has been part of the Hennepin Arts Spotlight Musical Theater Program since 2009. Our productions have received a variety of awards ranging from individual outstanding honors to overall performance and production honors.

• The winter production is a non-musical play. Past productions have showcased works from some of the biggest playwrights past and present. Productions have included 'The Glass Menagerie,' 'Twelfth Night,' 'The Crucible,' and 'Arsenic and Old Lace’. Recently, the winter production has been open to middle school students to work alongside our Totino-Grace students in a mentorship program. The current format is an evening of 10-Minute plays produced in an intimate Black Box style with the audience seated onstage.

• The spring production features a children's musical, tailored to a younger audience yet entertaining for all ages. Past children's productions include 'Peter Pan,' 'Winnie-the-Pooh,' 'Cinderella,' 'James and the Giant Peach', and 'Frozen Jr'. Local elementary schools bus in audiences for school day performances.

• The theater department occasionally offers workshops covering a variety of theatrical topics including set design, stage make-up, stage combat, playwriting, monologues, movement and dance, among others. There are also occasional opportunities to attend field trips to see local professional theater productions. 

• The Theater Department offers two curricular classes: Acting 1 and Acting 2. These are good for actors and non-actors alike. Most skills taught in these classes are transferable to other areas.

• Totino-Grace also produces musicals for area parochial schools that desire a theater program for their students. Past Fine Arts Academy productions have included 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Seussical.'

• Totino-Grace Theater staff work frequently in the professional artistic and theatrical community as directors, designers, and performers.

The Totino-Grace Theatrical Mentorship Program will cast middle school students in grades 7 and 8 alongside TG students in midwinter performance in the TG theater. Middle school and high school students will rehearse separately and together, working on acting techniques, character development, and technical theater skills. Each middle school student will have a TG theater mentor to help them through the rehearsal and performance process.

Totino-Grace High School’s fall musical is part of Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Spotlight Education Program. The annual Spotlight Showcase, a component of the Trust's Spotlight Education program, runs in June at the historic State Theatre. Professionally produced, Spotlight Showcase highlights the hard work and talents of the state's finest musical theater students and programs with live performances. Schools and students are honored in categories including individual performances, overall productions and technical achievement. For more information about this program which recognizes, encourages and celebrates student participation and achievement in musical theater, go to the website HERE.