Drama | Sixth Form | King's Ely | Private School near Cambridge

Kings Ely sixth form

Academic

A Level Drama & Theatre

King’s has an outstanding Drama and Theatre department with a long history of being a valuable and distinguished part of school life. 

 

King's Ely Senior Production of Legally Blonde cast photo, a private sixth form boarding school near Cambridge.

A Level Drama and Theatre pupils have achieved 100% A*-B for the past 5 years and in 2015 pupils achieved 100% A*. 

Drama and Theatre is a thoroughly challenging, enjoyable and rewarding A Level where candidates learn through experience, seeing theatre and making theatre for themselves. They are introduced to a wide range of theatrical styles and contexts as they explore plays practically, devise and work on performances.

Students choose to develop as a:

  • Performer
  • Designer (lighting, sound, set, costume, puppets)
  • Director
  • Combination of these.

The department drives to better itself each year with new facilities, first-class productions, accessible courses for all, high standards of teaching, and extra-curricular events and clubs. We aim to stimulate and challenge the minds of all students and develop new skills in all aspects of performance and theatre work. 

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Prerequisite

It is not necessary to have taken GCSE Drama, but a passion for theatre and some experience in performance/design would be an advantage.
Topic Overview
Component 1: Drama & Theatre
  • Develop knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre.
  • Study two set plays: Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams.
  • Visit the theatre and learn how to analyse and evaluate the work of theatre makers.
Component 2: Creating Original Drama
  • Learn about the artistic intentions and working methodologies of a key theatre practitioner.
  • Use your knowledge of the theatre practitioner to create and perform a piece of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director).
Component 3: Making Theatre
  • Learn about the artistic intentions and working methodologies of key theatre practitioners.
  • Engage in practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts each taken from a different play.
  • Apply your knowledge of a chosen theatre practitioner to a final assessed performance of extract 3 (students may contribute as performer, designer or director).
Assessment 
Component 1: Drama & Theatre
  • Section A: Choose one question on a set play studied. (25 marks)
  • Section B: One three part question on a given extract on another set play studied. (30 marks)
  • Section C: One question (from a choice) of the work of theatre makers in a single live production seen. (25 marks)  

Written examination: 3 hours - 40% of marks

Component 2: Creating Original Drama (practical)
  • You will create your own devised piece of drama, which must be influenced by the work and methodologies on one prescribed practitioner.
  • You will create a working notebook during the process of creating the devised drama. (40 marks).
  • Performance of devised drama (students may contribute as performer, designer or director). (20 marks).

30% of marks 

Component 3: Making Theatre 
  • Practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts (Extract 1, 2 and 3) each taken from a different play. The methodologies of a prescribed practitioner will be applied to Extract 3.
  • Extract 3 is to be performed as a final assessed piece (students may contribute as performer, designer or director). (40 marks)
  • Reflective report analysing and evaluating theatrical interpretation of all three extracts. (20 marks)

30% of marks 

Drama A Level Exam Specification

 

Meet the director of drama & theatre

Jane Parker

EMAIL JANE PARKER


 
 

 

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