Drama and Theatre

Course summary

Exam board – Pearson/Edexcel, Specification 9DR0 Minimum requirements for the course: Grade 5 in Drama and English. Staff contact: Miss Johnson, ejh@cheneyschool.org What is Drama & Theatre Studies all about? This course is designed for students with a keen interest in studying, visiting and producing theatre. It consists of studying play texts and the ideas of influential theatre directors, creating original work and reviewing live performances. Progress is monitored through regular essays, research projects and reviews. The course is made up of three units, which explore both the practical and theoretical elements of theatre production. Course structure: Component 1: Devising (40%) internally assessed. Devising an original performance from a key extract and theatre practitioner as stimuli. Component 2: Text in Performance (20%) externally assessed. A group performance of one key extract from a play text, and a monologue or duologue from another play text. Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice (40%) externally assessed. A written exam, which entails practical exploration of two set texts, and a live theatre review. Complementary courses: English Literature, Languages, Photography, Fine Art, Music, DT, Media. Leads to: Performance degree. Also any course/profession that requires analytical skills and/or for you to express yourself in a clear and lucid way. Resources: Read around some of the main practitioners you will explore in the exam: The Complete Brecht Toolkit, Stephen Unwin or The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit, Bella Merlin. Bursary students can request copies from the Bursary Fund. What students say: ‘I like how creative we can be in our performances and create work that is relatable but also thought provoking.’