Course Content

There are three mandatory units which make up the course:

• Drama Skills

• Production Skills Plus

• Course Assessment

Advanced Higher Drama allows learners to explore both the practical and analytical aspects of the subject – to develop skills through practical aspects of theatre, the creative explorations of the art of theatre and its forms and practices.

The aims of the course are to enable learners to:

• Develop autonomy and independent thinking skills

• Develop skills in performing within their chosen area of acting, directing or design

• Develop individual creativity when applying skills in problem solving, analysis and evaluation

• Analyse current theatre performance

• Develop analytical skills in the interpretation of texts

• Develop knowledge and understanding of theatre practice and key practitioners

• Develop knowledge and understanding of the social and cultural influences on drama.

Assessment

Component 1

Performance (Actor, Director, Designer) 50 marks out of a total of 100. The performance will take place in front of a visiting assessor.

Actors:

must prepare two contrasting roles from two different texts. One extract must involve interaction with other characters, and the second must be a monologue.

• The monologue should be approximately 3 minutes and is worth 20 marks.

• The interactive piece must last at least 20 minutes and is worth 30 marks.

Directors:

will prepare a substantial extract from their chosen text e.g. an act from a play that is structured into or acts of the equivalent. They will conduct a live rehearsal with actors from a section of their chosen act – approximately three pages – these pages will be chosen by the Visiting Assessor on the day of their visit. The rehearsal should last approximately 40 minutes.

Designers:

will design a set for your chosen text and chose two other related design roles from – lighting, sound, media, props, costume, make-up and hair. You will demonstrate your design concepts for the chosen play using plans, drawings, designs, plot sheets, mood boards etc., and produce a scale set model and designs/drawings/cue sheets for the two additional roles. You will present your work to the Visiting Assessor, and this presentation should last approximately 20 minutes.

Component 2

Project – Dissertation 30 marks out of a total of 100.

• identify a performance issue

• carry out appropriate research

• communicate your findings in the form of a dissertation

• ensure your presented work is word processed

• ensure your presented work is 2,700 – 3,000 words in length

Component 3

Assignment - 20 marks out of a total of 100.

The assignment has two stages:

• Research

• Production of evidence

You will analyse a professional theatrical production and the work of at least one theatre practitioner (actor, director, and/or designer) involved in the production, in an extended response.

There is no written exam for this course but all elements, the Practical exam, the Assignment and the Dissertation are externally examined.