Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts

Coordinates: 39°56′22″N 75°09′57″W / 39.9395°N 75.1658°W / 39.9395; -75.1658

Philadelphia High School for
Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA)
Location
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
USA
Information
Type Public secondary
School district School District of Philadelphia
Principal Joanne Beaver
Grades 9–12
Mascot Pegasus
Website http://www.capaavenueofthearts.org

The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, commonly known as CAPA, is a magnet school in South Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] It is a part of the School District of Philadelphia. Students major in one of seven areas: Creative Writing, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, Theater, Dance, Vocal Music, Film, and MDTV. The school is located on South Broad Street, in the former Ridgway Library.

History

The center section of the Ridgeway Library building

CAPA was started on February 6, 1978. It was originally located in the Atlantic building at Broad and Spruce Streets. Here CAPA shared space with the Philadelphia College of the Arts (now the University of the Arts (UA)). CAPA was located in rented space at 260 S. Broad St. Beginning in September 1984, it moved into Palumbo Elementary School in South Philadelphia,[2] a school that was directly adjacent to a now demolished high rise housing project. Originally the school board was planning to close Palumbo, but it canceled the closure so CAPA could have space.[2] The staff and administration worked for years to find a new space for the school.

In 1997 CAPA moved the restored Ridgway Library building at Broad and Christian Streets. The school received a large budget ($80,000) to help create the tools needed to succeed in the arts: film studios, dance studios, lights for professional theatre and a backup generator for them.

In its new location, CAPA has become a permanent part of the Avenue of the Arts.

Administrators

Notable alumni

Basic academic courses

  • 9th Grade
    • English I
    • Physical Science
    • Algebra I
    • World History/Foreign Language
    • Health & Physical Education
  • 10th Grade
    • English 2
    • Biology
    • Algebra II
    • Foreign Language
    • Health & Physical Education

  • 11th Grade
    • English 3/AP Language and Composition
    • American History/World History
    • Geometry/Pre-Calculus
    • Chemistry
    • Foreign Language
    • Health & Physical Education
  • 12th Grade
    • English 4/AP Literature and Composition
    • Social Science
    • Elementary Functions/Calculus
    • Living Environment/Physics/AP Biology

  • Elective
    • African American History (all years)[3]

Creative writing

Creative Writing (CW) is responsible for various school publications and events such as the United Writers and Artists literary magazine, the Painted Word newspaper, and the written scripts of some school productions. Many writers are also a part of the yearbook staff.

Every year, under faculty supervision, the creative writing majors get together to put on their own show, traditionally known as the Writers' Cafe, an expose where many creative writing students perform original pieces they have authored, ranging from simple poetry reading to dramatic performance art.

Course syllabus

Dance

The CAPA Dance Department instructs their students in different levels of Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop under the direction of LaDeva Davis. Dance majors perform annually in the Thanksgiving Day Parade as well as the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C..[5]

Instrumental music

The CAPA Instrumental Department encompasses a wide variety of performances and ensembles, including Concert Band, Orchestra, String ensembles, Jazz ensemble and a number of smaller groups. Students participate in these ensembles on a daily basis and are also instructed in such topics as music theory, composition and improvisation. CAPA students are integral members of the All-Philadelphia High School music ensembles and have participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association ensemble program at the District, Regional and All-State levels.

Graduates of the CAPA instrumental program have attended some of America's finest Colleges, Universities and Conservatories, including the Juilliard School, Curtis Institute, the Peabody Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music.

The instrumentalists have taken trips to play all over the Tri-State area from Harrisburg to Atlantic City. The CAPA Concert band has also recorded their own CD entitled Superlative.

Ensembles

Theatre

The Theater Department puts on an average of seven performances a year, plus three more by the MyVision Theater Ensemble, a selective theater group. Elsa Johnson Bass retired from teaching in 2014, and Jennifer Kramny took her place for the 2014-15 school year. Dr. Marlene Goebig and Jennifer Kramny produce and direct the performances. The students actors also work in partnership with the Philadelphia Theatre Company to see plays and write their own pieces with teaching artists from the company.

Course syllabus

Visual arts

CAPA's Visual Arts department covers a variety of disciplines, including: drawing and painting taught by Mark McQuilling, graphic design taught by Jacquelyne Gilmore Stallworth, commercial arts taught by Steven Nau and ceramics and 3-dimensional sculpture taught by Maria Lengauer.

Freshmen and sophomores focus on drawing and quick sketching. Students also study the human body and perspective. The Freshman students are introduced to hand-built pottery and 3-D clay design, and learn basic graphic design.

The juniors and seniors learn advanced graphic design, commercial art, continue painting, advanced 3-D sculpture and work on college portfolios.

Throughout all four years at CAPA, art major students are required to enter a variety of contests, and complete various projects.[7]

Vocal music

CAPA's Vocal Music Department, originally conducted by David King until his retirement in 1997, is currently conducted by Dorina C. Morrow. Vocal Music includes choral singing in large and small ensembles, individual voice training and development, solfeggio, harmony, music theory, and composition.

There are two choirs: Concert Choir and Mixed Choir. The Concert Choir is made up of juniors, seniors, and some very exceptional Sophomores. The Mixed Choir is made up of Freshman, Sophomore, & some junior students. All vocal majors have to take at least one year of Solfeggio, a sight reading and ear training course. In addition, an Advanced Placement theory class is available for seniors to teach them how to master the art of harmony.

The CAPA choirs have achieved a position of excellence among choral groups in the Delaware Valley.

A few of the choir's notable singing engagements:

Activities

Besides academic and art courses, CAPA offers many extracurricular activities, organizations, and sports teams to students.

Extracurricular activities

Councils and committees

Clubs and organizations

Sports teams

See also

References

Notes

External links

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