Courses

Drama

Year 11 and 12 ATAR Pathway|Performing Arts

Drama

Sarah Combes
Curriculum Leader - The Arts

Drama

Conrad Hogg

Drama ATAR information video

Drama is a vibrant, active and evolving art form that develops a range of highly desirable and transferable skills in creativity, collaboration and communication. Through a curriculum of acting technique, performance style, production design; including set, costume, sound and lighting, script interpretation, direction and devising original work, students will develop their creative imagination, flexibility of thought, and the confidence which comes from the empowerment of self-expression and sense of identity. Drama encourages students to think more rigorously through their engagement with issues, through embodied cognition, achieved by building empathy through an exploration of perspectives. The versatility and opportunities presented through the Year 11 and 12 Drama programme will challenge, stimulate and inspire.

Harry Gilchrist, School Captain 2019, ATAR Drama student.

“Acting is much more than simply playing a role or character; it is appealing and connecting to the emotions, thoughts and ideas of an audience, challenging how we think and exploring what it means to be human. Since then, I have sought out characters that would present a challenge and allow me to take creative risks.”

Patrick Eastough, Residential Captain and Drama Captain 2020, ATAR Drama Student

“Drama for me has opened up new ways of thinking I previously thought were not possible, the ability to improvise and adapt to certain situations is one I treasure deeply.”

Josh Keatch, Keys House Captain 2020, ATAR Drama Student.

“Drama is a unique subject that allows me to develop skills that aren’t offered in other subjects such as confidence building and exploring your voice and physicality. Drama has been an influential aspect of my Scotch journey and the class I look the most forward to each day.”

Arad Rad, Vice Captain of Drama 2020, ATAR Drama Student

“Drama is the perfect balance of learning content efficiently whilst enjoying every single class. Having like-minded peers and remarkable teachers allows me to make unforgettable memories. Drama has always been the pinnacle of my school hours.”

Courses

Year 11 ATAR Course

Unit 1 - Representational, Realist Drama

At the core of studying drama, students are learning an invaluable skill of using their imagination In this unit, students will dive deep into characters from the Australian play Cosi by Louis Nowra.  Students will work collaboratively in practical workshops towards creating and sustaining emotionally connected characters as an ensemble in group and solo performances using Stanislavski’s System.

Unit 2 - Presentational, Non-Realistic Drama

Students move into new territory with their creative practice as directors and designers as they interpret and perform scenes from the play ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’. Through Non-Realistic Drama students will explore and present ideas conceptually through collaborative workshops, interpreting and performing drama texts. Students will undertake the production and design roles of sound, lighting, set and costume designer in the Year 11 Drama showcase production.

Assessments
  • Performance/Production
    40%
  • Response
    40%
  • Examination
    20%

    There will be examinations at the end of each semester and/or unit.

Year 12 ATAR Course

Unit 3

The realisation of drama texts opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities and innovative ways of telling stories through performance. Students will apply practitioner approaches to shape their performance of a key scene from the contemporary Australian text Two Brothers by Hannie Rayson. Through exploration of psychological and physical approaches, students will encounter alternative methods in process and performance towards the realization of a dramatic text. They will apply these processes the preparation and performance of the Set Monologue.

Unit 4

Students will explore the ground-breaking theatre of Steven Berkoff and Antonin Artaud in a site-specific performance of ‘Metamorphosis’, taking on the role of actor, director and designer. These processes will inform the method, preparation and inspiration for their final solo performance task which can be entirely original or a reinterpretation of an existing text.

Assessments
  • Performance/Production
    30%
  • Response
    30%
  • Examination
    40%

    There will be examinations at the end of each semester and/or unit.

    All students enrolled in the Drama ATAR Year 12 course are required to sit the WACE examination. The examination is based on a representative sampling of the content for Unit 3 and Unit 4. Students will sit a written examination of 2.5 hours and complete a practical examination.