Senior Drama 2019

Drama students at St Mary’s are always thinking ‘outside the box’! They are constantly devising their own pieces using creativity, collaboration, problem solving and research to produce engaging solo and ensemble performances. They view and analyse professional theatre performances while also showcasing their talents and hard work to live audiences.

In 2019 our Year 10 students developed skills in improvisation, character development and story-telling. They also explored the topic, Screen Time, using play-making techniques to create their own self-devised ensemble performance, filled with fun and entertaining characters.

Our Year 11 students honed their theoretical knowledge and practical skills and knowledge through developing both ensemble and solo performances over the course of the year. Exploring the concept of The Wall, the Unit 1 students used the stimulus to create ensembles that included historical information, engaging storylines and exaggerated characters. In Unit 2, the Year 11s developed their first solo performance, creating the very abstract character of The Spirit of Place and exploring how the bush, city, outback and coast have helped shape the Australian identity.

In VCE Unit 3, our Year 12s students created dystopian societies as they worked together to develop thought-provoking, meaningful and captivating performances exploring The end of the world as we know it. For Unit 4, students devised a 7-minute solo performance from one of the prescribed structures from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). They spent almost three months researching, scripting, rehearsing and refining their final pieces ready to present their solo at their Performance Exam in October.

Each year the Heather Linde Drama Award is presented to a Year 12 Drama student who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to Drama. The 2019 recipient of this award was Seamus Allan. Seamus achieved outstanding results in all practical and theoretical tasks, provided invaluable support to his classmates, and is an advocate for the Dramatic Arts at school and within the community.

Well done to all our talented and hard-working Drama students! We look forward to all that 2020 may inspire!

Mrs Lisa Darlow