Actors in children’s theatre have a special skill of creating ‘theatre magic’ in live performance that suspends disbelief and creates wonder for a young audience. Year 10 Drama invites students to hone their acting skills through workshops exploring how voice, movement, space, ensemble and stagecraft make effective drama. They experience professional acting as audience members, deepening their understanding of the actor’s craft and how actors engage an audience. By exploring children’s stories and Storytelling Theatre, and interacting with students from Flinders Primary School, the Year 10 Drama students develop an understanding of an audience of children. They work collaboratively to create, develop, rehearse and present original Storytelling Theatre performances for a real Primary School audience. They then document and explain their intentions for shaping the dramatic action in a storyboard format, evaluating how they have manipulated dramatic languages to make meaning and create ‘theatre magic’ for their young audience.
This subject provides a foundation for further studies of Drama in Year 11 and 12. The skills developed may also have application to other subjects.
Formative Assessment: Written response to live theatre
Summative Assessment: Presenting and performing student-devised drama
Summative Assessment: Creating and making a dramatic concept
Ms Charlene McMenamin
cmcmenamin@mfac.edu.au
