Drama and Theatre Studies (A Level)
Why study Drama and Theatre Studies at Tapton?
Overview
Students completing the course successfully will have a thorough understanding of drama and theatre, highly toned analytical and creative skills and an ability to communicate effectively with others.
The AS course provides students with the opportunity to study plays from the point of view of the director, designers, performers and critic. The full A Level extends this understanding and enables students to apply it to their own creative work. The course provides opportunities for students to make and understand drama, recognising it as a practical art form in which ideas and meanings are communicated to an audience through a choice of form, style and convention.
Trips and Visits
Theatre trips to theatres in Sheffield and across the northern theatres, residentials, involvement in the school productions either on stage or backstage, theatre workshops, working with students lower down the school in Theatre Company and Musical Theatre Company. There may also be other enrichment opportunities, working with practitioners currently in the business from touring companies.
Destinations
The emphasis on communication skills, confidence building and teamwork ensures our subject has links with a wide range of subjects in Higher Education. A significant number of students apply to Drama School or study Drama and Theatre based courses at University. Some pursue a career in teaching. The skills developed are transferable to any chosen career.
What are the entry requirements?
5in Drama or 5 in English Language and English Literature.
What else is required?
First and foremost you must have a real enthusiasm for drama and theatre and a willingness to extend and develop your knowledge through wider reading, theatre visits, workshops and rehearsals outside of lesson time. You must have the skills to work as a supportive member of a team.
What other subjects link well?
Drama and Theatre Studies provides an excellent complement to Music, Art, English Literature and Social Sciences. However, as a subject which encourages a highly creative approach to work, develops communication skills and builds confidence it enhances student learning across the whole Post 16 curriculum.
Exam Board
Edquas (WJEC)
How will I be assessed?
A Level:
Component One: Theatre Workshop 20% (Internally assessed, Externally Moderated)
Component Two: Text in Action 40% (Externally Assessed)
Component Three: Performance in Text 40% (Externally Assessed).
what will i study - A level
Component 1: Theatre Workshop
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of a piece of theatre based on a reinterpretation of an extract of a text chosen from a list supplied by WJEC. The piece must be developed using the techniques and working methods of either an influential theatre practitioner or a recognised theatre company.
Learners must produce:
- A realisation of the performance or design
- A creative log.
Component 2: Text in Action
Learners will be assessed on either acting or design. Learners participate in the creation, development and performance of two pieces of theatre based on a stimulus by WJEC:
1. A devised piece using the techniques and working methods of either an influential theatre practitioner or a recognised theatre company (a different practitioner or company to that chosen for Component 1)
2. An extract from a text in a different style chosen by the learner.
Learners must perform live for the visiting examiner. Learners choosing design must also give a 5-10 minute presentation of their design to the examiner.
Learners produce a process and evaluation report within one week of the completion of the practical work.
Component 3: Performance in Text
A two hour thirty minute written paper, containing 3 sections:
-Sections A and B Open Book: Clean copies (no annotation) of the two complete texts chosen must be taken into the examination. Two questions, based on two different texts, one written pre 1956 and one written post 1956
-Section C: A question based on a specified extract from: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens. Details of the 10-15 minute extract will be released during the first week of March, in the year in which the examination is to be taken.