Bethany Christian Schools provides students with many opportunities to participate in performing arts. In addition to courses listed in the instrumental and vocal music sections, students may participate in various extracurricular opportunities. Middle school students can participate in a handbell choir or a drama. High school students can participate in a drama or musical. Over half of high school students choose to participate in Spring Arts Day, a day-long celebration of the arts and competition between classes in various fine and performing art categories.
[view:all_news_stories=2=Performing Arts]| Year | Drama (HS) | Musical (HS) | Drama (MS) |
| 2007-2008 | Dead Man Walking | Godspell | Winnie the Pooh |
| 2006-2007 | Over the River, Through the Woods | The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Zink |
| 2005-2006 | The Crucible | Brigadoon | Romeo and Juliet: Together (and Alive) at Last |
| 2004-2005 | Charley's Aunt | Working | The Princess Plays |
| 2003-2004 | The Chosen | You're a Good Man Charlie Brown | Things My Mother Said |
| 2002-2003 | Play On! | Cotton Patch Gospel | The Somewhat True Tales of Robin Hood |
| 2001-2002 | Do Not Go Gentle | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Stuart Little |
| 2000-2001 | The Foreigner | Amahl and the Night Visitors | Snow White |
| 1999-2000 | Twelve Angry Men | Fiddler on the Roof | Alice in Wonderland |
| 1998-1999 | January Thaw | Godspell | The Wizard of Oz |
| 1997-1998 | Quiet in the Land | The Sound of Music | James and the Giant Peach |
| 1996-1997 | The Orphans | Anne of Green Gables | |
| 1995-1996 | You Can't Take It With You | ||
| 1994-1995 | Lost in Yonkers | ||
| 1993-1994 | The Diary of Anne Frank | ||
| 1992-1993 | Nicholas Nicholby | ||
| 1991-1992 | Curious Savage | ||
| 1990-1991 | Our Town | ||
| 1989-1990 | The Miracle Worker | ||
| 1988-1989 | The Ready-Made Family | ||
| 1987-1988 | Up the Down Staircase | ||
| 1986-1987 | The Carpenter | ||
| 1985-1986 | Belles on Their Toes | ||
| 1984-1985 | Cheaper by the Dozen |
| Scenes from recent performances | |
| Dead Man Walking | Godspell |
Zink | |
In addition to these performance options, juniors and seniors may take the following drama course:
This course explores dramatic forms such as theater, public speaking, debate, film, and the mass media.
The instrumental music program offers classes (course descriptions listed below) and private instruction for beginners and advanced students. The annual Mennonite regional orchestra festival provides an opportunity to perform with musicians from other schools.
This extracurricular handbell choir is open to any interested student in grades 7 and 8.
This course is for any middle school student who wants to learn to play a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. The course focuses on playing the instrument and basic music theory skills.
This class combines strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments into an ensemble that performs at fall, Christmas, and spring concerts. Students explore a variety of musical styles and skill levels.
The Chamber Ensemble includes string and wind players who want to perform in small group settings. These groups perform at concerts as well as other outside events.
The Jazz Ensemble plays music from many different styles, including jazz, swing, rock and funk. This group performs at the fall and spring concerts and home basketball games.
Orchestra is open to all students. This instrumental group consists of strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments, and performs a wide variety of literature. Students from the orchestra perform in fall, Christmas and spring concerts. Each spring Bethany joins with Mennonite schools from Ohio and Iowa for the Mennonite Regional Orchestra Festival. Hosted on a rotating basis, Bethany will host in spring 2010.
[view:eventlist=100=Music and Drama MS]
Spring Arts Day is an all-school competition in the fine arts. Art and writing categories include writing, drawing, painting, and program cover design. Performance categories include drama, readings, poetry, instrumental music, and vocal music.
Faculty leader J. D. Smucker says, "The emphasis is on trying and through the experience possibly become more involved in the arts at school, at church, or in the community. And at times when students are less than perfect in their performance, their peers (the audience) applaud, affirm, and encourage in a way that is life giving."
See results/photos from 2008.
Cake Decorating Points
Creative Writing
Poetry
Prose (Short Story)
Participation
Let America Be America Reading
Rich Woman Poor Woman
Ain't I a Woman
The Wonderful Tarbaby
Vocal 10: God of Justice
Vocal 11: When You Believe
Vocal 9: Songs of Justice
Vocal 12: America
Instrumental 9: Walz
Laramie Project
Jonah
In the Garden
Overall Results
1st place with 42 points, Grade 9, 10, and 11
2nd place with 31 points, Grade 12
All students in grades 6-9 take choral music and students in grades 10-12 can choose further training and performance (course descriptions listed below). The annual Mennonite high school choir festival provides an opportunity to perform with musicians from schools throughout the U.S. and Canada. Students also have opportunities to learn to lead worship in chapel, participate in school musicals, and take private lessons. Jubilate Singers, the select high school choir, has received first-place ratings at district contest each year since 1997.
An introductory music course in which students sing, play, and create music while learning music fundamentals.
All grade 7 and 8 students meet together both as a group and in by gender groups and perform in the Christmas and spring concerts each year.
A requirement for all frosh, sophomores may elect to participate in this group as well. There is no audition required.
Class Voice is designed for sophomores and is a prerequisite for the second semester of Jubilate Singers. Class Voice is a preparatory course offering vocal technique, reading rhythms, using handbells, music theory, and sight reading.
Second semester memership is by audition. The choir performs in local churches, district choral contest, and takes an annual tour. Each April the choir joins twelve Mennonite high schools across Canada and the U.S. for the Mennonite Schools Council choir festival. Participating schools host the event on a rotating basis. Bethany last hosted this festival in April 2003 and will next host April 11-13, 2014.
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Cornerstone Singers is a select group of 10-12 from Jubilate Singers. The group performs in local churches for youth groups.
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