Drama Skills
Yr 3-6
For older children, the program explores mime, physical theatre, improvisation, theatre games, storytelling, readers theatre, play-building and script work. There is a focus on vocal skills such as expression, projection and articulation, as well as ensemble-work, stagecraft and performance skills.
t Drama Tree, classes are not graded, streamed or competitive. The program is designed to build and extend skills over a period of time, so although students can join in Term 1, 2 or 3, best results are achieved when the program is experienced on a year-long continuum.
Yearly Structure
Overview
Term 1 – Drama Skills
Term 2 – Improvisation
Term 3 – Playbuilding
Term 4 – Stagecraft & Performance
Improvisation
Level up your skills
Improvisation is the art of creating theatre spontaneously, in the moment. We improvise every day, whether answering an unexpected question, sitting in a job interview or trying to explain to your child where the Halloween chocolate has gone! Improvisation teaches children to be decisive, to listen carefully, to collaborate with others and, most importantly, to ‘fail’ without fear. Here, students are given permission to experiment without judgement and have a go as often as possible.
Students will perform improvisational scenes individually, in pairs and in small groups. They will learn theatresports games, which will challenge them to use quick thinking and spontaneity as they respond to each other’s ideas.
Playbuilding
Be Creative
Playbuilding is a process where we use a stimulus such as a picture, poem or song, to kickstart students’ ideas which are then workshopped into a play. This creative process is very collaborative and students learn to work as an ensemble. Because the play comes from their own ideas, they have a sense of ownership over their characters and the storyline. As students improvise scenes, the teacher documents their dialogue…and so a script is born.
Stagecraft & Performance
Be Confidenct
At the end of the year, students showcase their drama work for family and friends. Much of the work consists of original material created by the students themselves. This presents an all-inclusive, in front and behind the scenes approach to learning drama.
We ask that students who attend Term 3 try to commit to Term 4 as well. Scripts, storylines and characters are interconnected – each individual is an intrinsic part of the ensemble, so it can disrupt the whole play if we lose a character.
Of course, we understand that life happens and no matter what...the show must go on!
