Brownell Talbot theatre is an exciting place for students. Our all inclusive experiences led by Jennifer Morgan, offers a rigorous program of excellence through college preparatory academics and award winning extracurricular activities.

ACADEMIC OFFERINGS

Formal theatre classes begin in Middle School, with elective advanced classes offered in Upper School. The curriculum is designed to ignite interest and a lifelong appreciation for theatre, while preparing the serious theatre student for college and professional opportunities. Our curriculum is based on the National Core Arts Standards in Theatre using Model Cornerstone Assessments to measure learning progress. The curriculum includes individualized learning that guides students to create, reflect, revise, perform, connect, collaborate, corporate, and design while offering a safe place where students are known, inspired, and challenged.

Offering multiple performance and technical theatre opportunities for students is just the beginning of what BT can do for students. With a fall musical, competition one act, spring production, sponsoring an after school production for lower and middle level, and overseeing all aspects of summer theatre camp production. Students continue through the year with additional activities like the Nebraska Thespian Festival; Theatre in Our Schools Advocacy Day at the Capitol; The Omaha Film Festival; The International Thespian Festival; Theatre for a Change - a collaborative theatre experience with the Rose Theatre; and programs through the Omaha Performing Arts. Additional technical theatre boot camps are taught by area professional theatre technicians.

Brownell Talbot is a proud member of The International Thespian Society offering both high school and middle level troupes. BT is a Nebraska Thespians Gold Honor Troupe, the highest level of achievement a Thespian Troupe can achieve. This distinction is based on excellence in productions, community service and outreach, educational opportunities for students, and developing student leaders. Students who compete in The International Thespian Society Thespy Awards continue to receive Excellent and Superior ratings, qualifying them for international competition. BT Theatre maintains troupe officers and student Nebraska Thespian Board members who assist with planning the Nebraska Thespians Festival each year.

2022 Nebraska Thespian Conference, BT theatre students stand on the Holland stage

Brownell Talbot Theatre Director Jennifer Morgan uses her professional theatre experience in performance and design to inspire students to reach their full potential at BT. Morgan currently serves on Nebraska Thespians Board of Directors as advocacy chair and is the Thespian Troupe sponsor for Troupe 8093 and Troupe 89374. She serves on the Educational Theatre Association’s Advocacy Leadership Network, presents workshops at the state and national level on the power of theatre to change lives. Former teacher of the year, Morgan is an inductee of the Kansas Thespian Teacher Hall of Fame and the Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame. She is also a recipient of the Educational Theatre Association Advocacy Leadership Network Volunteer of the Year, Kansas Thespians Innovative Teacher Award, and the Educational Theatre Association’s Hawkins Award.

Additional staff include professional technicians, alumni, and Brownell Talbot’s Fine Arts Chair J.R. Gould. Guest artists from area theatre venues like the Rose, the Holland Center, and the Orpheum Theatre also offer workshops for BT theatre students.