In the State of Georgia, the creative industries represents a combined $37 billion in revenue, including 200,000 employed with $12.1 billion in earnings, and $62.5 billion in total economic impact

“Act Up”.

Theater & Performing Arts students are enrolled in AWOL’s Act Up! ensemble style pre-professional theatre training and youth development program. Students enrolled through an intense workshop experience taught by teams of local theater arts professionals. Classes balance skill development with the joy and artistry of play making. Students learn the historical and cultural context of classical and contemporary plays. The programs focuses on the following Georgia Arts Education Performance Standards in Acting, Drama and Technical Theater as provided by the Georgia Department of Education for grades 9-12. In the area of drama students learn how to investigate and reports on styles of acting from different historical periods, to identify and apply appropriate movement for different forms and styles of theater, demonstrate effective use of voice in dramatic process (pitch, volume, articulation, breath support, control, and tempo). They also develop skill, by demonstrating effective use of stage by exploring through the movement process, how to identify and explore skills required for a career preparation as an actor. Finally, students are exposed to hands-on internships in technical theater by working with local experts and learning how to apply personal responsibility in all aspects of technical theater, production, and design and defining and using vocabulary as applied to technical theater (sets, light, props, costumes, sound and makeup).The program culminates in an annual performance at the historic Lucas Theatre.

“My Block”

The film and video production class, titled “My Block”, is a summer-long program that provides students with an introduction to the various aspects of film production and photography, including camera operation, editing, script-writing, direction and basic engineering for lighting and sound. Working as a team, students are engaged in pre-production planning, scripting and storyboarding, as well as production and direction of music videos and short films, with possible advancement to producing and editing segments for AWOL’s weekly television show, The Chop Shop.

“P.r.o.j.e.c.t.s”

Taught through a combination of classroom style workshops and hands-on training in AWOL’s production lab and recording studio, The P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S(The Positive Re-Education Of Juveniles Everywhere Concerning the Streets) gives students an opportunity to develop their talents while gaining first hand experience in multiple aspects of the music industry, as an artists (songwriting, producing, recording) and a business person (public relations, licensing, marketing).