Assessment for Musical Theater

Introduction

Due to the highly subjective nature of art and art-making, it is a common perception
that effective,
Un-biased arts assessment is not feasible. Not only is linking assessment to
instruction educationally sound, there is an increasing demand for authentic
feedback and multiple assessment measures for student and programmatic
accountability at the state and local levels.

Performance-based assessments enable classroom teachers, to monitor individual

student outcomes. Written exams, in and of themselves, do not necessarily
measure the totality and relatedness of students’ grasp of declarative and
procedural knowledge necessary to understanding the arts. Authentic Performance
Assessments include direct, systematic observation of student performance and the
rating of skills embedded in the performance, according to pre-established criteria.
The key to success lies in the creation of un-ambivalent benchmarks that reflect
essential skills and components of learning.

Below you will see ways of viewing and authentically assessing musical theater.
The particular concern of the student exemplars you may down load is treating song
as an essential part of the creative dialog that moves the storyline forward; or an
essential component of the dialog effect.

How to use the assessment tool (the rubric)

It is the responsibility of the educator utilizing this visual assessment aid; to transfer skills across
disciplines and grade levels as appropriate, using the methodologies highlighted here as a springboard for
authentic assessment activities. Samples of authentic assessment in high school dance, theater, and visual
arts units of studies, are addressed in this project. The focus is in three of the four arts disciplines
delineated by the state and national standards in the arts. They are as follows:

 Dance/Aesthetics
 Theatre/Acting Technique
 Visual Arts/Critique & Utilizing Art Elements (This unit is also grounded in Art History but does
not delve specifically into the assessment of student’s grasp of historical, cultural traditions other
than through the creation of works of art within the context of cubism).

*****************
Scoring Guide
For Musical Theater

The New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standard that is the focal point of this benchmark
performance is:

1
Standard 1.2 (CREATION AND PERFORMANCE) ALL STUDENTS WILL UTILIZE THOSE SKILLS,
MEDIA, METHODS, AND TECHNOLOGIES APPROPRIATE TO EACH ART FORM IN THE
CREATION, PERFORMANCE, AND PRESENTATION OF DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, AND
VISUAL ART.

The following rubrics are designed to reflect an understanding of cumulative progress indicators
in Musical Theatre at the grade 8 benchmark

Creating / Performing: Musical Theatre

4 3 2 1 0

Advanced Proficient Basic In Progress Unscoreable

Proficient Competent Minimal Superficial Unacceptable
Exemplary Response Response Response or
Response No Attempt
Vocal Qualities
Pitch Consistently Occasional Inconsistent use Lack of No effort to
sings notes distortion of of correct vocal understanding perform task
with accuracy true musical frequencies of tonality or follow
tones/notes direction
Volume Student can be Generally Rarely able to Lack of ability
heard able to be project vocally to project voice
consistently heard
throughout the
audience
Rate Student Occasional Limited ability Speech pattern
consistently articulation to express vocal indecipherable
vocalizes errors variety via due to
articulately in impacted by tempo change inappropriate
an under- speed speed / diction
standable
tempo-rhythm
Breath Consistent, Fluctuation Incomplete Strident vocal
support controlled in control of understand-ing quality due to
diaphragmatic supporting of breathing in insufficient
breathing breath vocalizing breath control

Inflection The student Vocal range Vocal range is The student’s

expresses is apparent extremely vocal delivery
themselves but not used limited and is flat, void of
vocally using a consistently expresses little expressivity
range of emotion
tonality

2
 ranging in
high to low
pitch
Phonation Student There is There is The student
consistently occasional considerable lacks vocal
articulates audible vocal tension control and
sounds with a vocal sings with
relaxed, open tension in practically no
throated voice the throat resonance or
vocal power
Physicality
Coordination Highly developed Fairly agile. Limited Lack of
ability to perform Occasional bodily bodily
synchronized tasks dysfunction kinesthetic kinesthetic
awareness awareness
Direction of Consistently Generally Limited Totally
Focus controls point of able to steer ability to diffused focus
attention attention of orient
audience audiences
point of
attention
Use of Fluency in use of Mostly Little No
Weight weight distribution effective accuracy or understanding
as function of display of inconsistent of physical
character believable use of weight weight
development weight centering
distribution
Use of Space Complete Moderate Inaccurate Vague idea of
understanding of understanding perception of personal
ramifications of of spatial spatial kinesphere
near, middle & far awareness relationships and action
reach space zones
Movement Highly refined Fundament- Rudimentary Stilted in their
Quality capability to utilize ally sound knowledge of ability to
a wide array of ability to stylization of express
physical effort move with movement themselves
actions different physically
energies

3
 Movement Skills
Technical High degree of Frequently Mistaken No
Proficiency rhythmic acuity and demonstrates perception of understanding
ability to move accuracy in movement of movement
accurately within movement tasks fundamentals
the musical phrase
alone or in a group
Rhythmic Innate ability to Somewhat Inconsistent False
Acuity accurately and consistent execution of perception of
consistently fulfill physicalized movement in musicality
the musical phrase musical relation to and beat
phrase music
Musicality Extraordinary Fair ability to Absence of Haphazard
ability to sequence perform clear ability to physical
phrases with a movements respond response to
consistency of style correlating to accurately to music
corresponding to the music the music
music
Ensemble Sophisticated Occasional Mistaken Erratic
skill / spatial sensitivity to group deviation physical movement
awareness interactions in from choral awareness of behavior out
space movement members of of sync with
core group
Consistency Persistent Generally Dubious No apparent
of style appearance of coherent ability to grounding in
cohesiveness in presentation perform a technique
performance of codified
choreography sequence
Sequencing Absolute ability to Skillful Meager Indeterminate
ability process movement replication of ability to ability to
information movement retain and connect
motif’s perform movement
movements phrases
Dynamic Extraordinary Sufficient Insufficient Oblique
range ability to express understanding demonstration understanding
emotional context of connection of qualitative of movement
in movement between variety in possibility
movement & movement
emotion