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Theatre

The Theatre Curriculum
With two full productions a year, rehearsals three to five days a week, classes in beginning and advanced levels of acting and theater, one-act productions, and trips to see plays in Nashville, The Webb School is the perfect place to study theatre. Under the guidance of a director and technical director, students run every part of the major productions.
 
Plus, Webb's Theatre Department belongs to the International Thespian Society, honoring student achievement in theatre for more than 80 years and has a membership of over two million, from pre-professional thespians to emeritus levels.
From Production to Performance

Webb offers involvement in Basic to Advanced Performing and Production opportunities. Visiting professionals are invited to supplement student experience and excellence.

Depending on the semester and the individual student experience, an independent study project is offered for additional Fine Art credit.


Ruth Cordell serves as Webb's Theatre Director. A recognized actress with 45+ years of experience in television, film and theater. Cordell works closely with Webb students as a Director of Theatre Production, Introduction to the Theatre, Speech teacher, and ITS Troupe Director. Under her direction Webb students have been invited and accepted to perform in the American High School Theatre Festival at the internationally acclaimed "Fringe Festival" in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2011 (The Rivals) and again in 2024.

A member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Cordell has a professional background in classical dance, corporeal mime, and ballroom and is an avid equestrian. Cordell has performed the leading ladies of Shakespeare’s canon for multiple seasons with Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival in SoCal, Webb’s own Tennessee Shakespeare Festival 2008-2011 and has performed locally with Franklin’s Studio Tenn and at TPAC with Nashville Repertory Theatre's productions of I Hate Hamlet, The Goat or Who is Sylvia (Nashville Scene’s 2008 Masterpiece Award), Steel Magnolias (also with Studio Tenn), Cabaret, All My Sons, Rapture Blister Burn, The Clean House and the regional premiere of Posterity.

 

Maryanna has loved being on stage from a young age; whether it was singing solos in church or writing, directing and acting in plays in high school and college, performing is in her blood. As an adult, she has dedicated the last  20 years to teaching English. She has continued her love of theatre throughout those years in various roles from director, actor, and now as an assistant to The Webb School Theatre Director, Ruth Cordell. In her capacity as an assistant, she records blocking notes, monitors student actors, researches, and acts as script supervisor. What she enjoys most is working one-on-one with the young actors as they develop their characters. Through years of personal growth on stage, she has discovered profound insights about herself and appreciates every opportunity to empower the next generation of performers to unlock their potential.