Drama

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for the study of this course.

Scope of the unit

Drama in Year 10 builds on work covered in the Middle School years, and provides a platform of knowledge to assist students who may pursue Theatre as part of their studies in Year 11 and 12. 

This unit focuses on the creation and presentation of devised performances. Students draw on a range of content and use role and expressive skills to create, embody and present dramatic works. They analyse the development of their performances and explore the actor-audience relationship. Students develop an understanding of dramatic elements, stagecraft and theatrical conventions appropriate to performance styles from a range of cultural contexts.

In this unit students will explore the following essential questions:

• How can they engage, challenge and stimulate an audience through a self devised performance?
• What skills do they need to critically analyse others’ and their own performance work?

Students examine storytelling through the creation of an ensemble devised performance and develop an awareness of how a performance is shaped and given meaning through the use of non-naturalistic dramatic elements. Exploration of physical comedy through the study of Commedia dell' arte and the realisation of a scenario from this unique theatrical tradition develops an awareness of conventions and styles and their application and influence through theatrical history.

Students who have a strong interest and skill in Drama are offered two days of intensive Drama workshops as an extension to work studied in this subject.

Areas of study

• Creating and presenting a devised performance 
• Analysing self devised performance
• Analysis of performance by professional practitioners
• Participation in practical workshops and activities 
• Experiment of theatrical styles and conventions 

Assessment

Task	Outcome
Students will have satisfactorily completed this unit when they have demonstrated the specific set of outcomes listed below.
Development and collaboration: group devised performance	Demonstrate the use of play-making techniques to devise and rehearse a solo and/or ensemble drama work/s based on stories and/or characters.  Document use of process to create and develop stories and characters in drama.
Presentation of a group devised performance	A performance of a solo and/or ensemble devised drama work/s that features stories and characters.
Analysis of processes involved in group devised performance	An analysis of drama work created and performed in Outcomes 1 and 2 in one of the following formats a written report an essay an oral presentation a multimedia presentation structured questions.
Identify and evaluate use of performance styles, and describe use of theatrical conventions, stagecraft and dramatic elements, as well as analyse the portrayal of stories and characters in a drama performance.	Practical workshop and written analysis.
Analysis of a professional production	Critically analyse one professional theatre production focusing on all areas of stagecraft.
Display use of dramatic elements, skills, techniques and processes to structure drama appropriate to chosen styles and forms.	class activities involvement in group and solo presentations role playing tasks both scripted and unscripted improvisations in class.