Colorado Academy Theater Program | Private Schools in Denver

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Theater study at CA offers focused and progressive programs in acting, directing, and technical theater, teaching students to work moment to moment and to live truthfully on stage and off.

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Theater rehearsal

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Theater in Middle School

Middle School students have a variety of options to explore the world of theater. In Sixth Grade, students are introduced to the basics of presentation. They are encouraged to explore their creativity through improvisation games as well as scripted and original work.

In Grades 7 and 8, students may choose to be involved in acting classes and productions, including an annual play and musical. Students also participate in technical theater, where they act as the support team for productions, building scenery and learning the basics of lighting design.

Theater in Upper School

Upper School classes in the Theater Department at Colorado Academy explore the processes artists use to produce live theater. Through improvisation, scene study, and production, acting students learn the techniques professionals employ to create realistic and compelling characters in a variety of genres (musical and non-musical theater) and media (theater and film).

The Theater Department also provides myriad opportunities to participate (both on and backstage) in a full season of plays and musicals.

Working under industry standard safety practices, technical theater students increase their knowledge of shop tools, construction techniques, and professional-quality lighting and sound equipment. They also design and build stage sets for major and minor Middle and Upper School productions.

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Recent CA Productions

"The 39 Steps
"Alice in Wonderland"
"Urinetown"
"Rabbit Hole"
"Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind"
"Proof"
'Pirates of Penzance'
"The Hollow"
"Our Town"
"Dirk Smirk, Secret Agent"
"Les Miserables"
"Xanadu"
"Black Comedy"
24-Hour Play Project

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CA Theater Faculty

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Maclain Looper

Middle School & Upper School Theater
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Maclain Looper is an award-winning educator with many years of experience in teaching theater on both the Middle and Upper School levels. He has a combination of teaching and professional performance experience, having been a professional actor in both New York City and Sarasota, Fla. He came to CA from Rocky Heights Middle School in Highlands Ranch, where he was nominated for the 2012 Douglas County Teacher of the Year. He also has directed and choreographed at Legend High School in Parker. Looper holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan and worked as an intern at Colorado Academy in the Upper School English Department.
James Meehan

Middle School & Upper School Theater and Theater Tech
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James Meehan joined Colorado Academy as a theater tech expert and teacher; he came to CA from the Viewpoint School in Calabasas, Cal. He has had an extensive career in the arts, technology and teaching. Meehan has written, produced, designed, directed, shot, lit, edited, acted, and sung in numerous productions, both on stage and in television and web productions, and both in the U.S. and the U.K. Meehan has worked for Apple Inc. and other tech and internet firms. He also has worked as a casting agent and is co-founder of an LA-based acting school, The Film Actors Academy. He received his BA in English from Middlesex University in London.
Stephen Scherer

Middle School & Upper School Theater and Theater Tech
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Stephen Scherer, a Preceptor in theater arts, is originally from Plano, Ill. He teaches Grade 6 drama, Grade 7/8 technical theater, and Upper School technical theater and musical theater, He can often be found directing plays and musicals in both US and MS, and also does scenic design. In 2002, Scherer received the Francis Newton award for teaching excellence, and he is a member of the Educational Theatre Association and the Colorado Thespians. He received a BA from Eastern Illinois University in 1986, and from there went on to graduate studies at the University of Iowa. Scherer then moved to Chicago to pursue his theater and teaching careers. Scherer was employed by the Chicago Park District to run latch-key theater programs as well as run his own theater. He has worked with many professional, semi-professional, and educational theater companies in the Chicagoland area, including The Chicago Actor’s ensemble, Profiles Performance ensemble (of which he is a founding member), and Theatre on the Lake. He is also employed by the Chicago-based American Eagle Productions, for which he is scenic designer and artist. Scherer loves anything Christmas, so be sure to stop by to see his Christmas light display!