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Drama at Williamstown High School is an integrated program in performing arts.  The drama courses are designed to provide all students with the scope to achieve at their own level and the support and challenge to grow and extend their known perimeters.  Throughout all years students are encouraged to develop skills as independent learners, use the dramatic form to make their own statements, develop an appreciation of how the arts is an integral part of our society and to explore life experience and the consequences of actions within the safety of fiction. 

 

In our curriculum drama includes a wide range of experiences, such as dramatic play, improvisation, movement and theatrical performance and includes both the processes and presentation of drama. It can develop artistic and creative skills. Drama enables both individuals and groups to explore, shape and symbolically represent ideas and feelings and consequences.

 

Theatre Studies operates at VCE level

A school ‘Performing Arts/Drama’ production occurs every year

Small dance groups operate as an extra curricular activity.

Both campuses have specialised drama rooms with blackout, lighting and sound facilities.

 

Curriculum

 

Drama is a core subject within the Junior Arts program. Yrs 9/10 Drama operates within an elective scheme.  The most essential elements that are developed in the formative years are the skills associated with the use of the voice and the body and the embodiment of character as well as the specific elements of focus and concentration.  Fundamental movement, acting and play-building skills are developed through the exploration of projects and how these are central to our Australian Heritage, such as: 

  • Ritual – exploring the foundation of modern theatre and stylisation.
  • Myth, Play & Folk Song – exploring wide variety of ethnic myths and focussing on oral interpretation   of texts.
  • Journeys – the ‘journey’ as an important narrative device; play-building in fantastic spaces.
  • Real Happenings & Our Stories – personal/public stories; creating monologues/dialogues.

 

Developing movement, acting and play-building skills, which are then enhanced through the exploration of projects such as: 

 

  • Heroes & Villains – exploring archetypes, hero & anti-hero, antagonist & protagonist, working with shadows, mask, music and melodrama.
  • The Shape of Theatre – exploring space in theatre; creating site-specific drama.
  • Theatre of Truth – exploring the power of theatre; creating documentary drama.
  • Common Objects, Costume & Symbol – exploring atmospherics; creating found object puppetry.

     

     

 Extension of movement, acting & play-building are developed through the exploration of:

  • Restoration & Comedy – exploring major skills & understandings.  Developing & performing a dramatic text (for example: Comedy of Manners, Shaw, Melodrama)
  • Realism – ‘The well made play’:  Exploring through workshop the historical & social context, style and dramatic texts.  Workshop and perform a script.
  • Absurdism – exploring through workshop the historical and social context, style and dramatic texts.  Workshop and perform a script.
  • Theatre of Ideas (Meyerhold, Brecht & Grotowski) – exploring, work shopping and performing works in style.  Examinations practically and theoretically in preparation for upper school.