Drama & Theatre Studies a Level
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Bridging work for Sept 2020 DRAMA & THEATRE STUDIES A LEVEL Welcome to Drama & Theatre studies A Level Year 11 > Year 12 Bridging work booklet Aims of the Booklet: To prepare you for the expectations in studying Drama and Theatre Studies at A Level. To introduce you to an overview of the course. To expand your knowledge of Theatre history and Theatre practitioners. To engage in playtexts and current 21st theatre practitioners through written and practical activities. Drama & Theatre studies A Level This booklet will lead you through a four week programme of Drama & Theatre Studies. By the end of the this booklet, you will be in a prepared and strong position to begin your A Level.This booklet is divided into four sections: WeeK One: An introduction to Component 1 – exploring theatre history & 20th century theatre practitioners with the opportunity to apply their methodologies to devising tasks Week two: An introduction to component 2 – preparing and performing from script(part 1) Week three: An Introduction to component 2 – preparing and performing from script (part 2) Week four: An introduction to component 3 (Section A): preparing and writing a critical live theatre review A Level in a Nutshell… Component 1 Component 2 Component 3 Devising Performing from a script Text analysis - written exam • Devise an original group ● Study two ● Section A: Live Review ● Section B: Explore performance using a contrasting plays staging a play as the play text as stimulus ● Perform a monologue from one play actor and designer. and performed in the ● Section C: Modernise a ● Perform a group piece style of a key theatre text as the director practitioner. the other play. 40% 20% 40% Drama & Theatre Studies A Level Specification: https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/drama-and-theatre-2016.html Drama & Theatre Studies A Level - Introduction to the course component 1 - devising from a stimulus key practitioner play text coursework devised piece must reflect your stimulus will be an you will be answering a the style of the key extract from a published series of questions practitioner. play. alongside the devising process. Group sizes: 3-6. 3-4 students = 15-20 minutes performance time. 5-6 students = 20-30 minutes performance time. Drama & Theatre Studies A Level - Introduction to the course component 2 will be assessed by a live examiner component 2 - text in performance monologue/ duologue group performance students select a monologue (1 students perform a play as a group. person) or duologue (2 people) to marked on acting only. perform. marked on acting only. monologue = 2-3 minutes performance time. groups of 3-4 = 20-30 minutes performance time. duologue = 5-6 minutes performance time. groups of 5-6 = 35-45 minutes performance time. Drama & Theatre Studies A Level - Introduction to the course component 3 - theatre makers in practice Section A: live theatre evaluation section b: page to stage Section C: Interpreting Text students watch and analyse a piece of students explore a play text in its students explore how they would live theatre. notes are brought into original context and answer modernise a play text using the the exam room. questions as the actor and the influence of a theatre practitioner. designer. They answer questions as the director. written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes section a - 1 question - 20 marks section b - 2 questions - 36 marks section C - 1 question - 24 marks Bridging work for Sept 2020 Week 1:An introduction to Component 1 Exploring Theatre History & 20th century Theatre Practitioners with the opportunity to apply their methodologies to devising tasks. WeeK One: An introduction to Component 1 – exploring theatre history & 20th century theatre practitioners with the opportunity to apply their methodologies to devising tasks Throughout KS3 & GCSE Drama you would have experienced a range of styles and techniques of theatre, from performing scripts to devising your performances. But, do you ever stop to think, where has it all come from? Where did the world theatre begin? Who influenced theatre? Who made vital changes in its development? Why it is important that I know? How may this influence me as performer, a director or a theatre maker? At A Level: you must develop a clear understanding of Theatre’s past and present to inform your decisions when making, performing, interpreting and understanding drama and theatre. You must also learn a secure knowledge in relevant theoretical research of the processes and practices involved in creating theatre with the ability to practically explore these theories. Finally, you must develop an understanding of how the social, cultural and historical contexts have influenced theatre, its practitioners and its playwrights. Your aim is to become independent, confident, collaborative, inspired and informed to analyse, critique and create theatre. Exploring the history of theatre – key historical events to develop our understanding of theatre’s past and present, we must begin with mapping out how theatre came to be, but, where do we start? Context is everything… Task one: research these dates of key historical events and add an image, a date & details of what happened and why (Historical context), how people lived (social context)/behaved (Cultural context) at this time. For example: The great battle of hastings 1066, a battle between the Norman-French army of William, the duke of Normandy, and An English army under the anglo-saxon King Harold Godwinson, beginning the norman conquest of England. It took place 7 miles of Hastings and it was ‘Norman’ victory. Social/cultural–No standing army in the 11th century but the king could rely on experience men during the war. Normans were adventurous and travelled across Europe in search of wealth and power. ‘common people’ didn’t care who was on the throne as long as they were left in peace. Protecting their families were the greatest concerns. Exploring the history of theatre – key historical dates 1. The first Olympics 2. The Norman Conquest of Britain 3. The Black Death arrives in Europe 4. Queen Elizabeth 1st crowned 5. The American Civil War starts 6. The start of the Industrial Revolution 7. Queen Victoria crowned 8. World War 1 Starts 9. Word War 2 starts 10. The first man on the moon 11. The first Glastonbury 12. The first home computer 13. The date Facebook was created 14. 2020 Remember – date, Image & details Exploring the history of theatre – key theatre styles dates Task Two: Now do the same for these theatre styles, add the image, the date, the style & key details about what it is, why it occurred and how it influenced the world of theatre. For example: site specific theatre - 1980’s. Started as early as 19th century although more examples occurred in early 1980’s. A distinctive style which is designed specifically for the location it is performed in…. Exploring the history of theatre – key theatre style dates Greek Theatre Medieval Theatre Shakespearean (Renaissance theatre) Restoration Comedy Commedia Dell’arte Melodrama & Pantomime Naturalism Epic Theatre Theatre of Cruelty Total Theatre Physical Theatre Interactive/Immersive theatre Remember – date, image & details Exploring the history of theatre – creating a theatre through time ‘timeline’ Task Three: Now, create a timeline which firstly sequences the key historical events and then add in your theatre styles in order. Ensure you add your images, dates and research you have completed from the previous tasks. make it as creative as you like - you are a drama student after all! here are some examples below: exploring 20th century theatre practitioners & their styles Task four: To expand your knowledge, select one of the 20th century practitioners from your timeline and research all what you can about them and what their style of Theatre includes… Who? Stanislavskii Brecht Artaud What is their style? What audiences did they aim to attract? What type of theatre did they use? What did it look like? What was their methodology when is came to acting and design? Can you give examples of their plays/productions? Were their playwrights who influenced them or were influenced by them? How is their style different from others? Plus, anything else you find interesting about them… Exploring 20th century theatre practitioners & their styles Task four: create a PowerPoint presentation using the information you have researched on your selected 20th century theatre practitioner by including the following: A handout to present to your classmates with key information, source links, quotes and images PowerPoints Slides on: What is their personal history/background? What key historical/cultural/political context was happening during their time? What is their style of theatre/their methodology? An example of a rehearsal technique i.e. imagination, emotional memory etc. Who are they are influenced by? Are there any examples of their work? Ensure you check: Presentation, Spelling & Grammar and accuracy of information Exploring 20th century theatre practitioners & their styles (devising work) Task five: During component one, you will use a practitioner’s style and an extract from a script as stimuli to create your own original group performance. Using the style of your chosen 20th century theatre practitioner, read through this piece of script (on the next page) and consider how you would bring this to life, in the style of your chosen practitioner. Imagine ‘Find me’, is the play text you are given. Firstly, annotate this extract with your initial ideas, explaining your choices for how actors will perform it as it is and how this will be supported by lighting, sound/music, costume & set design. Remember, it must be in the style of your chosen practitioner. Exploring 20th century theatre practitioners & their styles(devising work) Task five (part one): an extract from ‘Find me’: Task Five (Part Two): using this script as a stimulus, annotate it with what you think are the ideas, themes and messages which are shown in this script.