Domain 3: Professional Engagement

1. TEACHER PORTFOLIO
Creating performance opportunities out of a Drama elective
Subject: ‘Creating the Drama’ – Year 9/10

2. Rationale
• Need for the students to be accountable in terms of the performance
they create – a more public production raises the importance of the
elective outcome.
• Opportunity to develop a variety of stagecraft skills (as well as acting)
to provide a clear pathway into VCE Theatre Studies.
• Fill a gap in terms of extra-curricular production opportunities at Year
9 and 10.

3. Outline
• Students in the elective are responsible for all aspects of a production
– from inception to performance.
• Students were required to: write scripts, attend auditions, rehearse,
direct, design costumes and sets, create technical design and market
the production.
• The ‘behind the scenes’ design was done during designated class
time, whilst acting rehearsals took place outside class.
• Students were asked to nominate the two specific areas of stagecraft
upon which they will be assessed.

4. General Skills
• Working collaboratively
• Problem solving
• Thinking laterally
• Communication
• Organisation
• Working to a timeline
• Being imaginative and creative
• Expressive skills
• Improvisation
• Understanding theatrical
language
• Scriptwriting
• Playmaking
• Creating character
• Property, costume, set and
technical design
Drama Skills

5. Curriculum Links - VicCurric
Achievement Standard
By the end of Level 10, students develop and sustain different
roles and characters to realise dramatic intentions and engage
audiences. They perform devised and scripted drama in
different forms, styles and performance spaces.
They plan, direct, produce, rehearse and refine
performances. They select and use the elements of drama,
narrative and structure in directing and acting and apply
stagecraft. They use performance and expressive skills to
convey dramatic action and meaning.
Students analyse the elements of drama, forms and
performance styles and evaluate meaning and aesthetic effect
in drama they devise, interpret, perform and view. They use
experiences of drama practices from different cultures, places
and times to evaluate drama.
This elective has a direct
correlation with the
achievement standard for
Level 9-10 Drama.

6. Curriculum Links – VCE Theatre Studies
This project has strong connections to
the VCE Theatre Studies design, with a
focus on interpreting play scripts and
developing a variety of stagecraft skills.
This bridges the gap between Junior
Drama classes in Year 7 and 8 and VCE.
Many students who enter VCE Theatre
Studies have not participated in Drama
since Year 8.

7. Project Concept
• The stimulus given to the students was the concept of
‘back stories’. Students chose a supporting character in a
well known text, and created a story to flesh out that
character beyond its original portrayal.
• The characters chosen were Primrose Everdeen (from
The Hunger Games) and Lady Capulet (from Romeo and
Juliet). Incidentally, these two characters have links with
the Year 10 English texts.
• Two one act plays were created around original
narratives that took their cue from the stimulus texts.

8. Focus areas/learning activities
• Constructing a narrative, script writing conventions
• Editing processes, including table reads and collaborative feedback
• Creation of ‘look books’ as part of a design brainstorming process
• Costume design and construction, with focus on recycling and
repurposing
• Set design – understanding space, ‘static’ versus movable set pieces
• Masterclass on directing a scene (for student directors only) –
understanding beats, blocking, creating levels and balance and
working with actors to evoke character
• Mastering a variety of technologies to understand the operation of
sound and lighting boards, as well as multimedia for stage

9. Evidence of practice
Student designed
promotional poster
Student designed
show program

10. Evidence of practice
Staging (student designed) and tech

11. Evidence of practice – ‘EVERDEEN’ Production

12. Evidence of practice – ‘CAPULET’ Production

13. Student Reflections
“I really enjoyed directing, I think that I have really grown my knowledge and now understand how to direct people in new ways, instead of
forcing them to do what you say you can ask them and it’s more likely that they will follow.” (Annabel, Year 9)
“This performance has allowed me to meet new people and understand how much hard work that goes into creating and showcasing a
production.” (Rosy, Year 10)
“I really think that her character really suited the things that I wanted to achieve which was to be more bold and confident when
performing in front of a live audience.” (Annabel, Year 9, on playing ‘Effie’)
“My favourite part of the production was making it come alive as it all came together. I loved the feeling that we had nothing and suddenly
we had a set, actors, a performance.” (Zara, Year 9)
“I helped write the Everdeen play, which was really different to anything I had done before as when I had previously written plays they had
never been heard by an audience. The process of script writing was tiresome but I think that the play turned out with a great story line and
lots of twists and turns.” (Claire, Year 9)
“It pushed me to speak more as I wasn’t a talkative person, the girls acting were all so nice and worked with me well, which I was so
thankful about.” (Monica, Year 10)

14. Reflection – positive outcomes
• Students were exposed to a variety of stagecraft skills, and understood the
importance of all the non-acting areas of playmaking.
• Many students upskilled in terms of their use of technology (design, sound
editing and sound board applications).
• There was true ownership of this project – imperfections were allowed,
nothing was ‘fixed’ by staff.
• With minimal budget, this production was a huge exercise in
resourcefulness, recycling, upcycling, problem solving and creative
thinking.
• The production was viewed by the rest of the school community as an
important part of the performing arts production schedule. The audience
was full and appreciative, and was made up of students, staff and parents.
• The production provided an opportunity to introduce the Drama Captain
for 2018 (Demi Markakis) and profile the Drama Auxiliary.

15. Reflection - improvements
• Timing – this elective is best run in Semester 1, when H2H doesn’t have as
much of an impact, and it isn’t jostling for a place with Speech Night and the
Junior production.
• The scriptwriting process was the most challenging aspect and needed to be
improved. Perhaps the introduction of an external influence – writer’s
workshop?
• The fact that part of the subject requires an out of class time commitment
would need to be stated in the subject description.
• Venue - we made the Ballroom work as a venue, but as it is used so
frequently, bumping in and out became very tight and stressful, having an
impact on other activities in the school.