DRAMA, PERFORMING ARTS AND THEATRE STUDIES – Information for candidates

The Drama Department at Oakwood has expanded considerably over recent years. From originally providing lessons only at KS3 the department now successfully delivers GCSE Performing Arts and A Level Drama and Theatre Studies.

Results at A Level are impressive with all students consistently attaining the highest bands in their practical work and 81% of students gaining A/B grades at A2 in 2013. At GCSE 69% of students gained A/B grades.

The department is renowned for its extensive enrichment programme. At A Level, students take part in theatre visits on a regular basis, attending productions, often in London, as often as twice every half term. Professional actors, directors and makeup artists are brought in to deliver bespoke workshops to both A Level and GCSE students. For KS3, staff and 6th formers run a lunchtime club which culminates in a mini-performance at the end of the year.

The department runs a yearly residential trip to Stratford-upon-Avon in conjunction with the English Department during which students attend two productions by the RSC, visit Shakespeare’s birthplace and are given a backstage tour of the brand new Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

In addition to the above, the department produces a yearly highly successful whole school production. The production is delivered in conjunction with the music department and draws on the talents of the Art department. Productions include Cabaret, Grease and Oh What a Lovely War.

Key Stage 3

Subject Content

Drama in KS3 is fun and very active. In Year 7 students will spent the first half term following an introduction to drama course in which they will focus on building up confidence for live performance. This is followed with learning how to convey a theatrical narrative in which they use the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice as a basis for performance. Skills are further developed through extensive voice work and experimentation with mime. Year 8 has students developing their understanding and experience of physical theatre and they are also introduced to the fundamentals of naturalism and political theatre. During these schemes there is a brief introduction to Stanislavki and Brecht. Each term students undertake a teacher or peer assessed mini performance.

Key Stage 4 GCSE

Exam Board and Subject Content

AQA Performing Arts

In GCSE Performing Arts students are given the opportunity to work on learning and developing both new and existing skills in a range of performing arts disciplines. The emphasis is on creativity and understanding how the professional performance world works. Students form their own mini ‘theatre companies’ and ‘pitch’ for commissions. Every student gets an opportunity to experiment with both performance and technical skills and in Year 11 they will choose to specialise in one area.

Skills developed include:

·  use of text/script and how to interpret narrative

·  developing character, style, gestures and voice for performance

·  developing playing techniques for performance ; rhythm, timing, accuracy

·  researching the work of professionals

·  setting up an appropriate sound system

·  accessing sounds and sound effects for performance

·  understanding how to set up a lighting rig – including rigging and focusing lanterns

·  use of colour and gobos to create specific effects

·  plotting and operating lighting cues and sound cues

·  preparing a prompt copy/stage manager’s book with lighting and sound cues

·  organising cue sheets, properties lists, call sheets

·  designing and realising a set

·  designing and creating costumes

At the end of the Key Stage students will have a thorough understanding of how a professional performance is staged, from the early ideas, through budgeting, venue choice and technical considerations to the final live performance.

A Level

Exam Board and Subject Content

AQA Drama and Theatre Studies

During the course students will develop their theatrical skills and techniques through extensive practical work. At AS students present an extract from a published play of their choice and their presentation must show influence of a well-known theatre practitioner. During A2 students further develop their understanding of the creative process in drama through the devising of their own piece of theatre based on a very specific style of performance.

In addition to the practical work, students take written papers in which they must write about set texts, (currently A Doll’s House, Our Country’s Good and Lady Windermere’s Fan) interpreting them from a performance perspective. They will also be required to write a personal response to a piece of live theatre seen.

Over the course of the two years students will study

·  theatrical styles and conventions

·  directorial interpretations

·  forms of staging and use of space

·  movement, language and gesture

·  creation of pace, mood, atmosphere

·  physical performance

·  the influence of design and lighting on performance

·  exploring a text from a performance perspective

·  the work of influential practitioners