Course Information
Title: Drama
Type: A Level
Entry Requirements:Standard entry requirements. It is useful to have taken GCSE drama and to have previous performance experience
Course Length: 2 Years
About
Take your interest and enthusiasm for drama to a deeper and more creative level. Develop performance skills through being directed, devising your own
performances and directing your own interpretations of key texts.
Extend your knowledge of theatre by exploring a variety of plays which adopt different genres and writing styles. Visit professional performances and
become an informed member of the audience by analysing and understanding key influences on theatre today. By exploring the work of key theatre companies
and practitioners such as Frantic Assembly, Katie Mitchell and Punchdrunk, you will look at new ways to create and perform drama.
Throughout the course, you will approach the theory and practical creation of drama from the perspectives of an actor, director, designer and theatre
critic. As a result, this course prepares you as a performer, a creative practitioner and offers a wide choice of future opportunities.
What will I study
An introduction to theatre practitioners and companies, applying new learning to the creation and performance of dramatic work.
Component 1: Devising and performance of an original piece of theatre inspired by a key extract from a play text. Ideas are created in
the light of a key theatre practitioner. Practical performance and portfolio assessment.
Component 2: Performance of one monologue from a published play text and group performance from a different play text, directed by your
teachers.
Component 3: Analysis of Live Theatre seen during the final year of the course. Study of a contemporary play text in the light of an actor
and theatre designer. Study of a classical Greek tragedy, exploring the original performance conditions and producing a directorial concept inspired
by a theatre practitioner.
How will I be assessed?
You will be assessed through a combination of practical work, performance examination, written coursework and final examination.
Assessment Overview
80 marks
Performance and written portfolio / Internally assessed and externally moderated.
40% of total mark
60 marks
36 marks for group performance / 24 marks for monologue
20% of total mark
80 marks
2 hour 30 minutes written paper
40% of total mark
Where can drama lead?
Studying drama and theatre at Post 16 will enable you to enter into a wide range of further training course and careers. From drama schools to more
traditional university courses, this will give you a good grounding in the creation, performance and theories behind drama and theatre.
Careers associated with this course are wide ranging, including the obvious such as acting, playwright, directing, entertainment industry. This course
also supports those interested in careers such as stage management, technical theatre design and events promotion. With the entertainments industry having
such a huge impact on the UK economy, the creative skills developed throughout this courser supports students entering into a range of career options.
The transferable skills developed throughout this course are also highly valued within a range of careers, such as teaching, law, events management,
media production, business studies etc. This is due to the communication skills, confidence, problem solving and creative thinking that are
essential to every element of the A level drama and theatre course.
What Students Say:
"Drama really pushed me to explore my own talents and extend myself - I would recommend it to anyone"