They will also focus on developing their characterisation skills. Through these key skills students will also develop their teamwork, communication and creative skill set. Further into key stage three, most students will also develop an understanding of theatrical elements that are used on stage in a production such as costume, lighting, set, sound and props and stage furniture. Some students will also start to cover some key theatre practitioners such as Konstantin Stanislavski and Bertolt Brecht both of which created a new style of theatre that was revolutionary for their time and their ideas are still used on stage today. By completing drama studies at key stage three, students will not only develop their academic skill set but also develop on an individual level. They will also be ready and prepared for the GCSE.
At GCSE and A level, students will explore three key components. In the devising component, students will create thought-provoking and powerful pieces from a range of initial stimuli. These stimuli could include pictures, photographs, song lyrics, documentaries, testimonials etc. Students will also produce a piece of coursework which documents this devising journey. In the scripted unit, students will perform extracts from a scripted piece, bringing the characters to life using physical and vocal skill set and highlighting their characterisation abilities. In the written component, students will have to answer questions based on a set text. They will show an understanding of characterisation choices for the piece, but also show an understanding of theatrical elements such as lighting and costume for the chosen extract. Pupils will also need to write about a piece of live theatre that they have watched.