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Careers in Theater

Ninth graders explore careers in theater — from onstage performers like actors and ensemble members to backstage and tech roles like set designers, lighting technicians, and stage managers — seeing that it takes a whole team to make a show.

Grade 9Careers50 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name theater careers.
  • ✓Tell onstage from backstage.
  • ✓Sort the careers.
  • ✓See theater’s paths.
Essential Question

It takes a whole team to put on a show — onstage AND behind the scenes. What are the career paths in theater?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Onstage or Backstage?

Project this and sort each theater career into onstage or backstage/tech.

🎭 Sort each career — onstage or backstage?Try it
🎭 Onstage
🎚️ Backstage / Tech
Tap a career, then tap a bucket.
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Rehearse · Perform · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — A Whole Team

5 min

It takes a whole team — onstage and behind the scenes. What are the paths?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a Playbill’s credits.
  • Ask who does what.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Theater Careers

12 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Onstage or Backstage?
  • Sort each one.
  • Discuss them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Discuss.
  • Name.
3

Rehearse — Rehearse

14 min

Students rehearse.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick a career to explore.
  • List its skills.
  • Explain it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick it.
  • List them.
  • Explain.
4

Perform — Perform

12 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Share a career you like.
  • Say why.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Share it.
  • Say why.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a theater career.
  • Say onstage or backstage.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Theatre, HS Proficient).

NCAS
TH:Cn11.2.HSI

Connect theater to careers.

NCAS
TH:Cr2.1.HSI

Understand production roles.

NCAS
TH:Re7.1.HSI

Perceive theater’s teamwork.

NCAS
TH:Cn11.1.HSI

Connect theater to the world.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Career picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “A ___ works ___.”
  • Use career examples.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with actor vs. set designer.
  • Sort one at a time.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Research a career.
  • Explain needed skills.
  • Interview a theater pro.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🎚️Career cards
  • 💻Onstage or Backstage?
  • 📋A careers chart
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

careera job pathonstageperforming for the audiencebackstageworking behind the scenesactorwho plays a characterset designerwho designs the scenerystage managerwho runs the showtechnicianwho runs lights or soundproductiona whole staged play
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Is an actor an onstage or backstage career?
Onstage.
QUESTION 2
Is a lighting technician onstage or backstage?
Backstage/tech.
QUESTION 3
Name a theater career.
Actor, ensemble performer, set designer, lighting technician, or stage manager.

Reflect: a theater career.

Have students name one theater career they find interesting and one skill it needs. A printable careers sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Careers in TheaterFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Careers in TheaterQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Careers in TheaterPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: actor, backstage, career, onstage, production, set designer, stage manager, technician
  1. who plays a character
  2. who runs lights or sound
  3. performing for the audience
  4. a whole staged play
  5. who designs the scenery
  6. working behind the scenes
  7. who runs the show
  8. a job path

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Is an actor an onstage or backstage career?
  2. Is a lighting technician onstage or backstage?
  3. Name a theater career.
Answer key — Part A: 1) actor · 2) technician · 3) onstage · 4) production · 5) set designer · 6) backstage · 7) stage manager · 8) career
Part B: 1) Onstage. 2) Backstage/tech. 3) Actor, ensemble performer, set designer, lighting technician, or stage manager.