Drama
Year 8 Elective Drama
We have loved getting to know our new Year 8 elective Drama students this term. The start of our Year 8 course is all about getting students comfortable with working with a mix of people and building confidence to embrace their creative side. After two weeks it is clear this Year 8 cohort have a great sense of humour, hold strong bonds with each other and are always up for giving performance activities ago. Here is a reflection on the course from one of our Year 8 Drama students, Fergus Kerr:
The beginning of Year 8 has been so exciting, especially with my new favourite addition to my timetable – Year 8 Drama. This week we have had so much fun learning what makes a good improvised scene and what are the fundamental Elements of Drama. I think that this class is something that everyone should try out as it’s so fun getting to commit to a character and giving it a go. This class also perfectly ties into my extra-curricular Drama classes as I have noticed that this class is solidifying all the skills and techniques that I had subconsciously learnt from these after school classes.
Theatre Captain 2024
On Monday 12 February students from Year 12 HSC and IB Drama and Theatre participated in a Biomechanics workshop based on the approaches to acting of Vsevolod Meyerhold. The workshop was conducted by physical theatre practitioner Tim Walker, a NIDA graduate who specialised in Physical Theatre, who works as an actor, director and performer with Chopt Logic Physical Theatre Company. Many of us knew Tim from directing the play last year, but what we didn’t know was his impressive knowledge and capability of biomechanical physical theatre.
This topic was a new side of physical theatre we hadn’t yet explored. Over two hours we learnt the basics of Meyerhold’s theories. Exploring the tools of the biomechanical actor: precision, balance, coordination, efficiency, rhythm, expressiveness, responsiveness, playfulness, and discipline.
I think this workshop really challenged everyone to take risks and push themselves out of their comfort zone(s) and everyone really enjoyed this. Unpacking the “specificity” within these techniques we engaged with the basics, Otkaz -the impulse, Posil, the journey, and Tochka, the arrival. We were taught that these principles form the basis of every movement.
I found this a fascinating style to physicalise as it was so different to other physical theatre we had studied previously. This workshop’s focus on ensemble work was very particular and required a very high level of focus. We collectively used levels of tension and release, creating shapes and lifts that were the building blocks of physical theatre.
Before this term, I didn’t really enjoy learning about physical theatre, however, the two workshops we have explored, Jacques Le Coq and Meyerhold, have both really pushed my engagement, challenged my thinking and exposed me to the many other interesting concepts which I now understand can be applied to forms of collaborative projects, approaches to acting and the creation of theatre.
Olivia Everingham
Theatre Captain
Yr. 12 IB
Friends of Drama for 2024
We loved hosting our gorgeous Friends of Drama for Coffee and Hot Cross Buns on Tuesday morning. These people are a treasured and vital part of the production of our amazing dramatic performances across each year and we are looking for new members. If your students are involved in the Musical or any other aspects of drama please consider joining this group, as the saying goes “many hands make light work”. Please contact our new Drama & Theatre Administrator, Mrs MacKinnon via drama@redlands.nsw.edu.au
Kathryn Smith
Acting Subject Coordinator of Drama and Theatre
ksmith@redlands.nsw.edu.au
Drama and Theatre Extra Subjects Program
Our extra subjects Drama and Musical Theatre classes launched with a creative bang this week. It was so wonderful to see so many new faces, as well as the familiar ones who have been dedicated to the program since kindergarten.
We are also very excited to announce this year’s Junior Musical will be…. Seussical the Musical. Yr 5 and 6 are very excited to begin working on this! We can’t wait to see what they come up with.
Housekeeping: We kindly ask that all parents and guardians be on time to the extra subject pick up locations after the classes finish.
You will find the various finishing times and locations for Junior school pick up on the Redlands Drama and Theatre pulse page. If you are running late your children(s) will be taken to OOSH and you will be charged accordingly.
If you have any questions, please email:
drama@redlands.nsw.edu.au or avirtue@redlands.nsw.edu
Thank you for your ongoing support of our extra subjects program.
Amber Virtue
Head of Extra Curricular Drama
avirtue@redlands.nsw.edu.au