Drama & Theatre Studies

Key Stage 5

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
Albert Einstein

Why do we offer Drama and Theatre Studies at LGS?

Not only does Theatre Studies develop a balanced intellect, it is part of an excellent platform for training in life. Taken in collaboration with a range of other subjects, Theatre Studies actively inspires boys to grow into outgoing and confident adults. The course develops their ability to work within a group and, above all, it hones those techniques that allow a chosen few to present themselves confidently to an audience.

What is AS Drama and Theatre Studies?

It is a practical course, which aims to introduce students to all aspects of drama and the theatre, as performers, directors, designers and critics. This is a skills based course so much of the teaching seeks to develop your understanding of drama and performance, seeking ultimately to create a piece of live theatre through practical work. The course aims to develop your interest in drama and theatre as participants and informed members of an audience. You will also develop knowledge and understanding of major influences in theatre. Ultimately the AS Drama and Theatre Studies course offers a range of opportunities to develop drama and theatre skills creatively and imaginatively, integrating both theory and practice.

What will I do on the course?

In Unit 1 you explore two play texts practically; these texts will be from contrasting styles or periods. Practical drama and theatre activities are at the heart of this unit and we explore texts with energy and enthusiasm. Both play texts are explored in depth through a range of practical workshops that are tailored to give all students the opportunities to achieve. You will complete Exploration Notes alongside your practical exploration work. These Exploration Notes (written coursework) should reflect the depth of your knowledge and understanding.

As well as your exploration of two play texts, the final component of Unit 1 is an evaluation of a live theatre performance and for this we take the students to see a number of theatre performances throughout the year. The focus of the evaluation is on the performance, not the play.

In Unit 2 the focus is on students understanding how play texts are realised and communicated in live performance to an audience. In Section A students work either as individuals or in pairs by offering either a monologue, a duologue or a design skill. In Section B, you will work as part of a performance group on a play text directed by the teacher. Most students do choose to act though it is possible to be assessed in the areas of Design, Sound and Lighting. Both elements of Unit 2 are performed to an audience that includes an external examiner.

What if I decide to go on to A2?

The A2 course builds on all the strengths you will have developed at AS although the students now have a good deal of the responsibility for shaping the performance work that they do.

Unit 3 is an exploration of dramatic performance. At the heart of this unit is the response to and exploration of a stimulus, theme, issue or play, and how that may be shaped and developed into an original piece of live theatre. The assessment focus for this unit is based on process and product (the final performance). We pride ourselves with promoting the appreciation of experimental theatre. Our process often takes in the work of Forced Entertainment, the Worcester group, Goat Island, Frantic Assembly and DV8.

Unit 4 is the final written exam. In Sections A and B, students are required to have an understanding of the way a director works with a company in preparing a text for performance. The focus of Section C is the requirement to see a live production written and performed in one of the following time periods: 525BC-AD65; 1564-1720; 1828-1914.

Is this the right subject for me?

You need to be curious about issues and ideas and have a creative instinct for communicating your views through drama. You may be keen on acting, writing or on the visual and technical side of theatre and wish to develop your skills in all of these areas. Equally you will be interested in going to the theatre to see plays performed by different theatre companies.

Key Stage 4 Edexcel GCSE Drama

Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. Albert Einstein

GCSE Drama encourages students to be inspired, moved and changed through a broad, coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study. Students work imaginatively in collaborative contexts, generating, developing and communicating ideas as well as gaining and demonstrating competence in a range of practical, creative and performance skills.

In the process, they will develop as effective and independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds. Assessment is wholly based on centre-devised practical activity emanating from topics and play texts chosen by the teacher. External assessment is in the form of student performance assessed by a visiting examiner.

What is GCSE Drama?

It is a practical course, which aims to introduce students to all aspects of drama and the theatre, as performers, directors, designers and critics. This is a skills based course so much of the teaching seeks to develop your understanding of drama and performance. The course aims to develop your interest in drama and theatre as participants and informed members of an audience. You will also develop knowledge and understanding of major influences in theatre. Ultimately the GCSE Drama course offers a range of opportunities to develop drama and theatre skills creatively and imaginatively, integrating both theory and practice.

Key subject aims

The Edexcel GCSE in Drama encourages students to:

• develop a personal interest in why drama matters and be inspired, moved and changed by studying a broad, coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study
• work imaginatively and creatively in collaborative contexts, generating, developing and communicating ideas
• consider and explore the impact of social, historical and cultural influences on drama texts and activities
• reflect on and evaluate their own work and the work of others
• develop and demonstrate competence in a range of practical, creative and performance skills
• develop a basis for their future role as active citizens in employment and society in general, as well as for the possible further study of drama
• actively engage in the process of dramatic study in order to develop as effective and independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds

GCSE Drama - Course Structure

Unit 1: Drama Exploration Teacher assessed coursework - Externally moderated

The coursework unit runs throughout Year 10 with the final assessment at the end of Year 10.

Unit 2: Exploring Play Texts Teacher assessed coursework - Externally moderated

The coursework unit runs from the end of Year 10 and will completed with the final assessment in
October of Year 11.

Unit 3: Drama Performance Externally assessed

The students will be directed in a shorter "mock" performance at the end of Year 10. Once Unit 2 has been completed in the Autumn Term of Year 11 then the students will be working solely on their assessed Drama performance . The date of this is likely to be around Easter but will be confirmed with the exam board at the beginning of Year 11.

Key Stage 3

Drama has an important role to play in the personal and academic development of our students. The skills and qualities developed in drama, such as teamwork, creativity, leadership and risk-taking are assets in all subjects and all areas of life. Drama stimulates the imagination and allows students to explore issues and experiences in a supportive environment.

Aims and Philosophy

The aim of Drama teaching in the School is to improve students' confidence and ability to communicate and help students, through developing a range of skills, to understand themselves and the world they live in. Drama aims to teach students to work creatively - individually, in pairs and as a team - plan effectively and evaluate perceptively.

What will the Year 9 Drama course offer?

Aims:

• Creative and imaginative powers, and the practical skills for communicating and expressing feelings and meanings in drama
• Investigative, analytical, experimental and interpretive capabilities
• Knowledge and understanding of variety of drama forms and their contexts

Knowledge and Understanding:

• The ways in which ideas, feeling and meanings are conveyed through the language of drama
• See one play examining the ways in which practitioners use the language of drama to realise a text in performance
• The ways in which ideas in drama can be recorded and evaluated
• How, in drama, plays relate to their contexts

Skills:

• Acting
• Inter-personal and group working skills
• Creative skills
• Improvisation skills
• Communication skills
• Evaluative skills

Cross-Curricular Links

Since Drama is a skills-based course, subject matter can be taken from all areas of the curriculum such as English, History, Science and Modern Foreign Languages. A particular benefit for boys opting for Drama in Year 9 is the benefit they will get in their Speaking and Listening assessments that form such a significant aspect of GCSE English Language.