Newstead Wood School

Sixth Form

September 2016

A.S AND A LEVEL DRAMA. H

Welcome to subject at AS “We are such stuff as dreams are made of” The Tempest Act 4, scene 1 Meet the Team Mike Stokes; “I have always had a passion for drama and acting from when I was very young. I have a B.A in Drama and English from Reading University and did my teacher training at Goldsmiths College. I have worked in drama therapy with young adults with special needs and I have been the Head of Drama at Newstead Wood School for over 25 years, making me the longest serving member of staff! I Have produced and directed many, many school productions over the years including; “Oliver”, “Grease”, “Joseph”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “The Crucible”, “Peter Pan”, “Zigger Zagger”, “The House of Bernada Alba “and an original devised science fiction play; “The Convent”. (Next year we will be staging a whole school production of “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”).” Linda Frost;” I have always been interested in Drama, in particular scripting and exploring different drama forms. I have a B.ED. In Drama and English and initially worked as an English teacher in Surrey, becoming Head of

Department. After having my family, I worked teaching adults at Orpington College and then teaching Drama and Performing Arts at Darrick Wood. I have been teaching at Newstead for 12 years as Drama teacher at all key stages. I have worked as Wardrobe Manager for many school productions and I have directed several productions for The School Shakespeare Festival. (I am also an old pupil back in the days when the school was called Orpington Girls Grammar!)

SCHOOL SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL AT LOCAL THEATRES.

Mrs. Frost.

DRAMA A.S LEVEL (EXAM BOARD EDEXCEL) 1. PERFORMANCE. Students will create, develop, rehearse and perform a group performance of an extract from one play.

Group Performance of “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare.

Students will choose to create, develop, rehearse and perform a monologue or a duologue from a contrasting second play. Emma in monologue From ”A kind of Alaska” by Harold Pinter. Magdalena in a Monologue from “The Day in the death of Joe Egg” by Peter Nichols.

Francesca in a Monologue from “Medea” By Euripides. 2.

Students practically study a set play which is assessed through a written examination. Lessons consist of practical workshops on the form, style, characterisation, staging, language and design elements of the text

In the examination you will be given an extract of the play and asked two questions from the perspective of a performer or designer. For example; 1. As a PERFORMER, discuss how you might interpret and portray one of the key roles in the extract.

2. As a DESIGNER, discuss how you would use theatrical elements to create mood and atmosphere.

3. Live Theatre.

We will visit the theatre at least three times during the year and we will discuss, evaluate and analyse performances of plays. You will make notes on all the performance and design elements. In the written examination you will be asked to answer one question from a choice of two on one of the productions you have seen. For example; 1. Analyse and evaluate the contribution of THE COSTUME DESIGNER and their use of colour in the performance you have seen. OR 3. Analyse and evaluate how stage space was used to create impact in the performance you have seen. So the questions will be related to performance space, acting skills, directing and

design elements( set/ costume/ properties/ lighting and/ or sound).

COURSE AT A GLANCE. Module 1; Performance- section A- GROUP PERFORMANCE/ section B- MONOLOGUE OR DUOLOGUE- assessed by a visiting examiner. Module2; Section A- PAGE TO STAGE-PRACTICAL STUDY OF A PLAY- assessed by written examination( approx.. 55 minute question) Section B- Live Theatre- assessed written examination (approx... 55 minute). Exam Paper- 1 hour 45 minutes total.

Overview of the year

Dates

Half Term 1

Practicals/ examinations/ visits  Bridging unitPerformance of 2 minute Monologue prepared over Summer Break.

 Practical study of play,

 Live theatre visit 1.

 Practical study of play  Live theatre visit 2. Half Term 2

 Preparation for Group Performance. Half Term 3

 Preparation for Monologue or Duologue.  Mock examination Paper on studied play and live theatre.

Half Term 4

 Preparation for Group Performance.  Preparation for Monologue or

Duologue.  Performance of Group Play to an audience. Half Term 5

 Performance of Monologue or Duologue to an audience.

 Induction to A level Drama course. Half Term 6

 Devising theatre.  Study of play 2.

August

AS Results

A LEVEL DRAMA YEAR 13. 1. Students devise an original piece of theatre in a particular style and form not studied at A.S. The stimulus will be taken from an extract from a play text. Students have to show how their work has been inspired by a particular director or theatre company.

A LEVEL DEVISED PIECE 2016, “Immigrants got talent”theme was the refugee crisis influenced by Brecht and Frantic Assembly Theatre Company.

Students are assessed on their final performance of their play to an audience and through a written record of their research, devising and rehearsal log and evaluation.

2. Students study a second play text, different in style and form from the one studied at A.S. They study the play practically through the work and techniques of a particular theatre practitioner/director/ or theatre company. Students are assessed on the play through a final written examination and have to suggest a performance concept for the play.

EXTRA CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES IN DRAMA. 1. “The school play”. The school play this year will be a whole school production of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardobe” as performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Auditions will be in early September and you could audition for a part, train to be an assistant director, train to be a stage manager, train to be a technician,

train to be a wardrobe manager, train to be a make up supervisor or train to be part of the front of house team. The play is a wonderful opportunity to really get involved with school life, build your team and leadership skills and work with students form all years and other members of staff.

“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”- next years school production- will you be in it ?

2. Drama club; you and a friend could start up and run a drama club for year 7, 8 or 9 at lunchtime. You could do imrov. Workshops, play drama games, explore scripts or even work towards a performance for parents. Past drama clubs have performed Christmas devised plays and one year a club put on “The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole”- it depends how ambitious you re but the girls love drama ! 3. Shadowing and Teaching- we could give you the opportunity to shadow us as teachers on your

study periods and eventually team teach with us if you would like the challenge. 4.The Drama Festival. In the Summer term all years from 7 to 9 will be performing plays and you could help act as a supervisor to a form and /or help out for the Drama Festival evening when plays will be performed to an audience of friends and familythere are always plenty of jobs to get involved in from serving refreshments to filming or taking photographs, form technical support to stage management.

The Drama festival has been at Newstead since 1957- above are two entries from year 9 and year 7- “The Rocky Horror Show” and “Grease”.

DRAMA BRIDGING UNIT.  I would like you to prepare a 2 minute monologue of your choice in the first week back in the autumn term.  The monologue can be from any play written for the stage- sorry - no films or T.V speeches.  The monologue needs to be from a play you have read. It can be from a text you have studied or one you have seen, or a play you have heard about.  If you choose your monologue from a monologue or speech book make sure it comes from a full published play and then make sure you read the play.  You need to have; read the play, learnt the lines for your monologue, and rehearsed it with speech and movement.

 You will also need a costume - this can be as detailed or naturalistic as you want it to be – depending on the style of the play.  Your monologue can include properties if you want and can include stage furniture, e.g. tables/ chairs.  You will have two lessons to rehearse the monologue in the drama studio- but you will be expected to know the lines and to have done some Rehearsal work beforehand.  The monologue will be performed under stage lighting and you can let me know what kind of lighting you want e.g colours, strobe etc.  You may use recorded sound or music – but please make sure this is on a c.d or memory stick.  The monologue can be from any play written from the early days of ancient Greek theatre to present day. (e.g. “Medea” by Euripides to “Harry Potter and The Cursed Child “by J.K Rowling.  You can cut and edit your speech but make sure it makes sense and do not add any lines.  The monologue could be: Shakespeare, Modern, Comedy, Fantasy, Pantomime, Physical theatre, Surreal, Melodrama, Children’s theatre, Musical Theatre, Naturalism- any style at all. ( Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” to Lady Macbeth/ / Toad in “Wind in the Willows” to Malvolio in “Twelfth Night”

 I want you to choose something that tells me something about you - something you are interested in or that suits your personality or acting skills- a play that you watched which you loved or inspired you or something you can relate to.  The text can be any gender.  You can research your text and interpret it in any way you want.  This is not an audition, but – it must show you at your best- so do not choose something last minute.  You will also need to accompany your performance with a 2 minute presentation to the rest of the class about the play- its context, why you chose it, your ideas for staging.  You will also need to hand in a 500 word performance concept to me a day before you perform- including, context, analysis, rehearsal process and staging ideas.  SO TO CONCLUDE; A TWO MINUTGE MONOLOGUE OF ANY PLAY PERFORMED UNDER STAGE LIGHTING AND IN COSTUME TO THE REST OF THE CLASS/ A 500 WORD CONCEPT HANDED IN TO ME A DAY BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE AT THE LATEST AND A TWO MINUTE PERFORMANCE PRESENTAION BEFORE YOU DO YOUR MONOLOGUE WHICH CAN INCLUDE POWER POINT, VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHS ETC.

You can email me with any questions on [email protected]. Good luck Thespians, Mike Stokes.