Theatre Artists explore the role of the actor as a creator and a collaborator deepening their knowledge in the theatrical craft by exploring the ways theatre and storytelling intersect to examine the role of the artist in an ever-changing society.
18 credits required for Endorsement:
- Theatre Fundamentals A & B
- Acting I A & B
- Acting II A & B
- Acting III A & B
- Improvisation
- Intermediate Improv or Sketch Writing
(3 quarters) - Theatre Movement
- Directing
- Voice for the Actor
- Script Analysis or Theatre History
- Theatre Elective (3 quarters)
Theatre Electives Include:
- Children’s Theatre
- Acting for the Camera
- Film Studies
- Theatre Tech
- Careers
- Arts Internship
- Arts Collaborative
- Senior Capstone
The theater is one of the few places left in the bright and noisy world where we sit in the quiet dark together, to be awake.
~ Sarah Ruhl
Instructors
William Leaf has spent 22 years as a licensed MN K-12 theatre educator and is a charter teacher at Main Street School of Performing Arts—now PiM Arts High School. He is the founder and organizer of the Annual Twin Cities High School Improv Festival and recently presented two improvisation sessions at the Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota (CTAM) Conference.
Throughout his career, William has developed numerous collaborative projects with organizations such as the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis, HUGE Improv Theater, Minneapolis and St. Paul Children’s Hospitals, Live Action Set, Bab’s Casting, and the University of Minnesota. In addition to his work in education and the arts, he also serves as a Lieutenant with the West Metro Fire Rescue District, where he has been a dedicated member of the fire service for 13 years.
Rob Thompson has been a teacher and member of the PiM Arts High School since 2006 and joined the administrative team in 2017 as the Director of Communications. Before his time at PiM, Rob was the director of Robbinsdale Cooper High School’s Theatre program from 2002 to 2008. Thompson has a B.A. in Theatre and Communications from St. Cloud State University and an MFA in Performance from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Thompson received his M.A.T. from Hamline in 2006, as he started his tenure at PiM.
Rob is a co-founder of The Emerging Professionals Ensemble (EPE), a pre-professional summer theatre program for ages 16 to 24 to bridge the gap between high school, college, and the professional theatre world. Thompson has served on the Advisory Board for Spotlight Education and on the Board of Directors for Minnesota Thespians. In 2025 Thompson was awarded the Communications and Theatre Individual of 2025 by the Communications and Theatre Association of Minnesota. Rob’s favorite directing experiences include Alice by Heart, The Play That Goes Wrong, Singin’ in the Rain, as well as productions of Matilda, Bright Star, and Cabaret.
Rachel Brady teaches theatre, musical theatre, and Senior Capstone classes at PiM. She is the 2018 Recipient of the Minnesota Theatre Teacher of the Year award, and is especially passionate about teaching and creating ensemble-based, culturally relevant theatre with students. As a PiM theatre director, favorite credits include: Romeo & Juliet, Lost Girl (2024 MSHSL One Act Play Section 6AA Champion production), and Amelie.
Brady holds a B.A. in Theatre and Sociology from Concordia College – Moorhead, and a Master’s of Arts in Teaching – Theatre from Hamline University. She is the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of the Emerging Professionals Ensemble, an early-career theatre ensemble that champions 16-24-year-old triple-threat performers.
