Discover Drama 2022 - 2023 - St Dunstan's College

DISCOVER DRAMA ST

DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE

DISCOVER DRAMA ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE

INTRODUCTION

AAt St Dunstan’s College, we are proud to offer an ambitious, diverse and inclusive programme of opportunities that challenge our students to explore their role within society. Whether it be in the studio or on stage, Drama has so much more to offer than just the opportunity to perform.

It is such an exciting time for Drama at St Dunstan’s, a subject that this community truly values, prioritises and believes in. In September 2021, we moved into our state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre. This new facility includes three fully equipped black box rehearsal spaces, two new LAMDA teaching rooms and our theatre. Whether you are a dancer, a designer, a technician or a director, these facilities will ensure that every student is able to explore the limitless possibilities contained within the world of theatre.

For the subject to remain accessible to all, we offer a wide variety of pathways. If you are seeking to understand performance from an academic perspective, we offer Drama and Theatre Studies at both GCSE and A Level, achieving outstanding results each year. Since June 2020 our students have achieved 100% A*-B at A Level and 89% 7-9 at GCSE, with 100% of students achieving and 8 or 9 in 2022. Outside of the curriculum, there are so many opportunities to engage with the subject as a part of our Forder Programme, which is ambitious in both breadth and scope. We offer a diverse array of College

productions, which have included musical theatre and naturalism as well as dance and physical theatre; a variety of clubs across a broad range of disciplines such as tech, dance and script writing; workshops with industry professionals and a comprehensive programme of trips and visits, which draw on the resources that our rich and diverse location affords us. If that still isn’t enough drama to fill a week, we also have a full time LAMDA teacher on site, with all qualifications and styles accounted for. The only real challenge our young thespians ever face is finding the time to fit it all in!

Mr Gareth Stewart Director of Drama and Dance

‘Drama has given me the courage to become an individual and share my creative voice’

Year 12 student

GOING OFF SCRIPT

At St Dunstan’s, we create an environment which gives our students the courage and confidence to create their own work, rather than simply reproducing the work of others. With a firm belief in the power of ensemble performance, each individual becomes part of a team, creating work that they can all be proud of. We encourage students to work collaboratively and not just with their fellow cast members, but with the wider student body and even other subject areas, enriching the work that they produce and creating opportunities for them to learn from each other. Rather than specialising early, they build a broad portfolio of skills and understanding.

We believe that theatre should be experiential, and we encourage our students to consider their work from the audience’s perspective. Instead of only working within the more traditional approach of using a 4th wall, students at St

Dunstan’s create theatre that is immersive, encapsulating all senses and ensuring that the purpose of the work can be experienced as well as understood.

This progressive approach to performance is one that can be seen equally in our curriculum, with our choice of texts and stimuli material remaining contemporary and relevant to society today. Our students are challenged to work beyond the syllabus and to consider how their own academic study could benefit those around them, whether that be in highlighting social injustice through our support of external agencies or empowering peers to take action in their own community and stand in support of worthy causes. Whether they are entertaining or educating their audience, drama students at the College understand the power of theatre to illicit change.

CREATE YOUR OWN STAGE

We recognise that our students hold fantastic potential when provided with the correct stimulus and opportunity. We focus on creating safe spaces for the exploration of diverse and often challenging material. With the world of tomorrow yet to be defined, contemporary society can prove a daunting and intimidating place for young people seeking to find their voice. Drama at the College facilitates a safe space for students to explore the world around them, equipping them with the courage to stand out from the crowd and make a difference.

Whilst our team of staff are responsible for creating an environment that inspires and supports our student

body, we are a department that place a great deal of emphasis on student voice. At all stages of the College, student voice is sought and valued, having a tangible impact at every stage of the artistic process. This includes shaping the Forder Programme so that provision reflects student preferences, choosing the productions that we create annually or making suggestions regarding the practitioner styles that we use to influence our work. Once the programme is set, we then encourage students to take on key leadership roles, such as director or producer, further extending their understanding of the theatre and nurturing their potential to become a leader in their chosen field.

‘Drama encourages independence in all aspects of the subject, allowing you to devise and work with freedom to truly be yourself’ Year 12 student

Year 7 student

‘I had so much fun doing Shakespeare club - I loved trying out new pieces and techniques, while learning about Shakespeare’s plays and insults! I 100% recommend joining!’

‘I really enjoy dance club because it’s super fun and interactive. I like learning all the dance choreography and performing it as well. It is also great because I get to see some of my friends who I don’t see that much because we are in different forms. I love to challenge myself and dance is a fun way of doing that!’

Year 8 student

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The world of theatre encompasses a diverse range of roles and skills, all of which are valued equally t at the College. To achieve high performance, every role must play a part. As a department, we ensure our students are exposed to this diversity through a co-curricular programme that is ambitious in breadth and scope. We take full advantage of our South London setting to seek out and develop mutually beneficial partnerships with organisations active in the world of theatre. Recent examples include Frantic Assembly and PunchDrunk, whose vision not only serves to inspire the students, but to remind them of the breadth of opportunity that exists within the profession. We are fortunate to have a parent body that represent some of the biggest names in the industry, who willingly give of their time to support the College. In addition, such experiences with industry professionals are not limited to performers, with the Opening Minds lecture series having hosted playwrights, producers and directors, once again reminding our students that it’s not only performers for whom the theatre offers opportunity.

The co-curriculum is enriched further with trips to artistic showings, including but not limited to the theatre, art galleries, orchestral recitals, the opera and West End workshops. Sources of inspiration are never too far away as a result of the diverse community that we are proud to be a part of. Many of our students are inspired by these experiences and have gone on to work as professionals in the industry, with one of our most dedicated performers recently appearing in the West End sellout, ‘The Ferryman’, directed by Jez Butterworth. RADA and The Central School of Speech and Drama are regular destinations for our alumni, with two of our most innovative technical designers and stage managers recently accepting a place of study on their prestigious degree programmes. In all that we do, we continually encourage students to explore an amalgamation of artistic endeavours, so that they remain both progressive and agile in their response to the ever-changing world of contemporary theatre.

NOT WHAT I LOOK LIKE, BUT WHAT I STAND FOR

Although drama often starts and ends with a performance behind the 4th wall, at St Dunstan’s we also encourage students to embrace theatre as a medium through which societal and political injustice can be explored and challenged.

Even in moments of global adversity, we believe that drama can inspire and empower students to have a positive impact on the communities that they are a part of. Through engaging with issues of social injustice, students develop a sense of social responsibility and create work that challenges any form of discrimination or prejudice.

As an example, our student led production of ‘Our Land,’ an all-female production that was devised in response to the rise of domestic violence during the pandemic, raised over £2500

in aid of Refuge, a local Lewisham charity that supports victims of domestic abuse. The Nightingales Project, a 5 day theatre residential that was directed by external director Briony O’Callaghan in collaboration with the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. Originally conceived by the 1st XV, the project sought to break the taboo of mental health issues in young male sports players, using Tenesse William’s ‘Not About Nightingales’ play text as a stimuli. By stepping out of their comfort zone and focusing on a purpose far greater than themselves, these young men, most of whom had never stepped foot on a stage, came together to raise over £3000 for a cause close to their heart, beautifully encapsulating what we as a department believe to be the true purpose of theatre in society.

‘It is fun being with my friends and in a space where I can think less about the stress of exams and have more fun’ Year 11 student

DRAMA HIGHLIGHTS

5

100% A*-A A Level Results

2021 & 2020

100% 9-8 GCSE Results 2022

LAMDA

£3000

Raised for the Charlie Waller Memorial by The Nightingales Project - formed by a cast of the 1XV Rugby team

Students regularly combine their studies with stints in West End shows, such as Mowtown and The Ferryman

Tech students gained places at Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Central School of Speech and Drama

94% Achieving a distinction in their LAMDA exam in 2022

Students have opportunities to work with professional directors, such as the National Theatre’s Kate Beales

New state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre opens, including a new theatre

Visiting practicioners

From Frantic Assembly, Created a Monster and Punchdrunk