The new Drama and Theatre specification will be a combination of practical, practitioner influenced workshops and written analysis and reflection. Workshops will be challenging, fast paced and engaging and will require students to research performance genres, director influence on contemporary theatre and the history of theatre. The course will not only cover performance, technical and directing skills but will also require the study of politics, history and literature to support the development of a broad understanding of theatre. Students will be required to study one complete and substantial performance text, focusing on two key extracts within the overall context of the text. They will be required to study political influences on the text and the historical influences on the writer. They will also be asked to consider approaches to staging and direction. Students will study a variety of practitioners and their influence of modern theatre practice. They will focus on one practitioner at AS level and two in detail at A Level.