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Case studyIsabella
Case study
"The most useful aspect of the Drama course for me has been devising our pieces. Not only did this challenge my creativity, it also gave me the opportunity to develop skills such as leadership and teamwork which will not only benefit me in the theatre but in all walks of life."
Cora Kirk studied both Drama and Performing Arts with us before successfully auditioning to study acting at Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She has appeared on stage at the National Theatre, in Peter Pan and most recently in A Monster Calls at Bristol Old Vic.
Drama & Theatre Arts (A Level)
Assessment- Year 1 and 2
40% Written Exam; 60% Practical Exam - Exam board
Edexcel
What Will You Learn?
As a Drama & Theatre student, you’ll study a range of texts from various playwrights, from 19th Century Drama, right up to current contemporary work. You’ll work on these practically and theoretically and develop your skills as a performer, through both individual and ensemble work, experimenting and exploring different styles and conventions. As a budding performer, you will have lots of opportunities to perform in front of an audience in our fantastic purpose built theatre and our black box rehearsal space.
Modules
Component 1: Devising (20% of the overall qualification)
Working in the style of an influential theatre practitioner, you will participate in the creation, development and performance of a piece of theatre based on a reinterpretation of an extract from a text, chosen by the exam board. This will be a collaborative project, working with a group of other students and will allow you to create and devise around the text, themes and ideas of the play chosen. For this assessment, you will create and perform your piece to an audience and submit a creative portfolio.
Component 2: Text in Action (40% of the overall qualification)
Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of two pieces of theatre, based on a stimulus given by the exam board. Two scripted pieces, from different genres or styles, will be performed. One piece is a group performance and the other a monologue/duologue. Both pieces will be performed to an audience and a visiting examiner. You will also produce a process and evaluation report for this project.
Component 3: Text in Performance (40% of the overall qualification)
This is your written exam, two plays are studied from the perspective of the actor, designer and director. One play is a modern text, the other is a classic text. In addition, you will be asked to evaluate the effectiveness of a live theatre event you have seen whilst studying the course, from the audience's point of view.
Special Features
Drama and Theatre students are well supported, with excellent practical resources, including a fully functional theatre space, which also operates a professional sound and lighting desk, as well as a black box studio space. There are also shared practice rooms and access to the dance studio space.
As practical work forms a substantial part of the course, we recommend and encourage students to get involved in the very popular annual college production. Performing in our productions allows students to gain experience performing for a large audience and working collaboratively as part of an ensemble cast whilst forming strong relationships with their peers.
Drama students are also able to take part in our annual trip to London, where we have visited the British Film Festival, National Theatre and Barbican Centre on previous trips.
Where Will This Lead?
Many of our students have gone on to prestigious universities and stage school to study a diverse range of creative courses. Recent examples include:
- Central School of Speech and Drama - Acting/Physical Theatre/Education
- Royal Academy for Dramatic Arts (RADA) - Acting
- ALRA (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts) - Acting and Performance
- Manchester Metropolitan University – Drama and Creative Writing
- The University of Salford – Broadcast Journalism/Television and Radio
- The University of Sunderland – Drama
- Newcastle University – English Language and Drama
- University College Oldham- Performance
