JUNIOR DRAMA ELECTIVES

To develop the skills of students in a sequential manner the following course of study is recommended. There will always be, however, students who meet performance and production requirements earlier than others due to their involvement in appropriate courses and production in extra curricular activities. These students should see a Drama teacher to determine their most appropriate sequence of study.

Introduction to Drama
(a Stage 4 Essential Course)

Students are introduced in a non-threatening and fun way to the exciting world of the drama room. An emphasis of this course is the eradication of 'stage-fright' and, in turn, the development of confidence when playing in front of a live audience. This will be done by studying the forms of Movement, Mime and Mask and in order to develop a new understanding of Mood and Meaning. . . it's a Mouthful! This course also serves as an introduction to the concept of Playbuilding. Students will begin to refine their improvisational skills and utilise them in the Playbuilding process. The more sophisticated elements of Drama will be examined. Symbolic and improvisation-based theatre will be discussed and studied. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their work in front of a school community audience.

Text to Performance
(a Stage 4 Additional/ Stage 5 Essential Course)

Just how do you get a script from the page to the stage? In Text to Performance students find ways to create dramatic meaning through experimenting with and working with a variety of scripted texts. Students will examine and practise the conventions of scriptwriting, eventually converting their scripts into performance products. The secrets behind creating interesting characters, plots, settings and themes will be unveiled through the performance of monologues, duologues and ensemble pieces from Ancient Greek Theatre to Shakespeare to Contemporary Australian Drama. All students will then have the opportunity to showcase their performance pieces (whether original or from another source) in public performances in Showcase Nights at school and also at the Wollongong Eisteddfod at the Illawarra Performance Arts Centre.

Theatre Styles
(a Stage 5 Essential Course)

Take up the challenge to step into different performance worlds as we explore the historical and contemporary practice of Drama through an exploration of a variety of dramatic forms including Commedia dell'Arte and Musical Theatre in this performance-based course. Through their own creations, students will experience the changes that theatre has undergone throughout time. As a result, students taking this course will extend their repertoire of performance skills and become more striking and engaging actors. Hop on board - for Theatre Styles shows you where it all began! All students will then have the opportunity to showcase their performance pieces in Showcase Nights at school and also at the South Coast Regional Drama Festival at the Illawarra Performance Arts Centre.

Acting for Stage and Screen
(a Stage 5 Additional Course)

Students are taken on an exciting journey through the world of Realism where they look at the concepts of Stanislavski, Growtowski and Strasburg - the Method Man. The relationship between representational and presentational theatre will be explored. Performance tasks will involve working closely with a realistic duologue and a one act play. These skills will then be applied to the creation of a short film based on an original concept conceived, developed, performed and produced by students. The basic terms and concepts associated with screen acting, writing and production will be explored. The fundamentals of scene composition, lighting and sound will also be examined. Specialist project positions will include: writers, actors, directors, camera operators, mixers and designers. The film will be shown to a wide range of audience upon completion.

Youth Theatre
(a Stage 5 Additional Course)

Youth Theatre is a highly successful course that has been running for over ten years, producing some of the best children's theatre in the Illawarra. This course sees students involved in all areas of producing a full length play for primary aged students. The script is workshopped through a collaborative process with a focus on Theatre-in-Education techniques. Students also examine the Elements of Production in detail, focusing on lighting, costume, make-up, set and poster/program design. After many weeks of rehearsal, students then take the whole shebang on tour, performing the work to happy primary school students as well as an evening performance for the whole school community. This is a course not to be missed!

DRAMA SENIOR STUDY

There are no prerequisites for undertaking a study of Drama in the Senior School, however a demonstrated interest in the subject is highly desirable as the course has a strong performance and theory base.

The Preliminary Course
focuses on:

• Improvisation, Playbuilding and Acting
• Elements of Production and Performance
• Theatrical traditions and Performance Style

Students undertaking Preliminary HSC Drama will have the opportunity to participate in The Illawarra Schools' Shakespeare Festival.

The Higher School Certificate Course
focuses on:

• One Content Area from each of the following topics:
• Australian Drama and Theatre
• Studies in Drama and Theatre

• Participate in a Group performance
• Select an Individual Project from the following areas:
• Critical Analysis
• Design
• Performance
• Scriptwriting
• Video Drama

Drama students at Smith's Hill School are known for their exceptional HSC results with many students achieving a place on the HSC Merit List and we also have a long history of student performances and projects being selected for OnStage - the Board of Studies showcase of outstanding student work at the Seymour Centre each year.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

While there are many performance experiences in the classroom students will find themselves also participating in a range of extra curricula activities in a variety of venues.

These may include:

• South Coast Regional Drama Festival and The Wollongong Eisteddfod
• The Illawarra Schools' Shakespeare Festival
• The Greek Drama festival
• Fast and Furious Script Writing Competition
• Theatresports Schools Competition
• Class Clowns Comedy Competition
• School Expo performances
• Showcase nights
• Excursions to live theatre (IPAC, STC, Belvoir, Sydney Opera House etc.) and Excursions to NIDA, STC and Bell Shakespeare Workshops
• Workshops at school from visiting theatrical companies (Bell Shakespeare, Zen Zen Zo etc.)
• The Junior School Play (Tadpole Productions)
• The School Play (Ribbit Up Productions)
• Tournament of Minds

STUDENT COMMENTS

• "Stepping into H Block is like coming home."
• "Drama has given me a range of creative opportunities for self expression."
• "Drama is fun and has helped me to overcome my fear of performing in front of people!"
• "You can redefine the world using your own rules in Drama."
• "You can work with and learn from students with whom you had never talked to before."
• "I am learning so much about myself because I can be truly myself in Drama."

• Please Contact Drama Staff for Further Information
• Mr Bryan Cutler
• Mrs Sharne Sjostedt
• Mrs Lisa Wellings