About Us
TheatreCHS has consistently remained an important and vital fine arts force at Charlottesville High School. The Program invites students to work collaboratively, develop critical thinking and public speaking skills, and engage in creative dialogues. An array of courses are taught with the intention of providing enrichment for students interested in these skills all of which encompass dramatic arts. Numerous students have gone on to pursue advanced studies in theater/cinema, technical theater, stage management, and lighting design.
The Department is a student-centered community that emphasizes the process of artistic collaboration and instills a disciplined work ethic. By practicing professionalism, collaboration and emphasizing individual development, we will continue to bring to the stage high quality theater productions.
The Department is a student-centered community that emphasizes the process of artistic collaboration and instills a disciplined work ethic. By practicing professionalism, collaboration and emphasizing individual development, we will continue to bring to the stage high quality theater productions.
Meet the Staff
OUR DIRECTOR David Becker is the drama teacher at Charlottesville High School where he has taught since 2008. Seen in multiple musical theatre productions throughout the country, his most recent roles include both Music Directing and Amiens as part of Shakespeare at the Ruins production of As You Like it, Buddy Plummer in Follies at Live Arts. Recent main-stage directing includes Shakespeare’s R&J, Bring it on, Mary Zimmerman's Argonautika, James and the Giant Peach, and Pippin. He holds an MFA in Theater Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BFA in Musical Theater from Shenandoah University and also serves on the board of the Virginia Theatre Association and Virginia SETC (Southeastern Theatre Conferences) state representative.
OUR CHOREOGRAPHER Cory Willis comes to us for his 7th year as our staff Choreographer! We are incredibly lucky to have him with us! Cory takes pride in teaching students proper and safe dance techniques, and helping them feel confident in their abilities and themselves. He believes that teaching technique through progression based skills alongside creative movement and improvisation allows for exciting exploration while maintaining structure, proper alignment, and form.
