Drama

Welcome to SAAC Drama, an integral sector of The Arts at St Andrew's!

A very big warm and theatrical welcome to the 2013 school year and to the Drama Department at St Andrew’s. In my role as the Head of The Arts I am absolutely thrilled and extremely excited about the wonderful opportunities we have ahead in 2013. From our inquisitive Year Seven students through to our highly engaged Year Twelve Drama students, our creative and talented individuals shall have numerous opportunities to explore their ability and love of acting in a range of curriculum based lessons of theatrical discovery, amongst a range of extra-curricular learning opportunities. We are aiming again in 2013 to encourage our Drama students to explore Youth Theatre groups and build connections within the local community as many done so in the past. We would like to see our students realise their theatrical potential through creative action and dynamic energy in and out of St Andrew's!

NEWS FROM THE ARTS

We are absolutely THRILLED to announce that our two fantastic new co-curricular opportunities in the realm of Drama Club and Dance Club, taking place each week in The Studio! are going exceptionally well. Students are loving the new challenges presented each week and developing friendships across the year levels.

 

Drama Club – Open to students from Y7-12, Friday afternoon 3:15pm-4:30pm for keen thespians to experience new genres, work with peers across a range of year levels, created engaging improvisations, scriptwriting, creating plays based on their own interests and topics to present to the College community, at various yearly events and in showcase afternoons for parents.

 

Dance Club – Open to students from Y9-12, Thursday morning’s 7:30am start for students eager to experience dance in a range of genres and forms led by our very talented Year Twelve student Tyler-Mae Fraser who has a wealth of dance experience. Students will get the opportunity to explore genres of interest, try new moves, make new friends across the year levels and create pieces to present to the College community, at various yearly events and in showcase afternoons for parents.

PRIMARY FRIENDS VISIT YEAR NINE CLOWNS!
Recently our talented Year Nine students portrayed their Clowning Skills developed this term to some of our youngest students in our College our Prep and Grade One students. Squeals of delight, giggles of glee, and plenty of laughter filled The Studio while silly scenarios, slapstick, and funny routines were presented! We are so grateful to our young visitors for coming along and being such a wonderful audience!

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL – THEATRE EXCURSION IS ALMOST HERE!!!

Thursday evening the 28th of March we are headed to Brisbane to "BEND AND SNAP!" 60 students and 5 staff are heading to Brisbane’s QPAC to see Australia’s biggest new hit musical to arrive in Brisbane! Receiving the 2011 Winner of the Best New Musical Olivier Award! This production is an absolute must see. Leaving at 4:30pm and returning by approximately 11:45pm. IT IS GOING TO BE BRILLIANT!!!

 

Drama Tutorial Sessions Wednesday (Y8-10 from 3-5pm) and Thursday (Y11-12 from 3-5pm)
Drama Tutorial sessions are now up and running for our Drama students in Years 8-12. The Tutorial program in Drama is for students to seek assistance with Drama written assessment in years 9-12 and also for all Drama students to have time to rehearse their performance pieces outside of the classroom. Remember to give your teacher plenty of notice if you are keen to rehearse and don't leave rehearsals to the last minute.

 

CONGRATULATIONS 2013 ARTS LEADERS!

 

We are thrilled to announce St Andrew’s Anglican College Arts Leaders for 2013 as Jackson Barton, Abigail Hill and Julian Vidler Ellerton. Congratulations to these three students and best wishes for the exciting year ahead. Well done to all of the Arts Leaders applicants for taking up this opportunity.

GO FORTH AND ACT! - Ms Mackie Head of the Arts

Over the coming school year please check out the Drama Department Webpage for further information and updates:

 

• -Theatre visits for Years 9-12
• -Performances by students here at St Andrew’s
• -Junior Drama Showcase Evening
• -Senior Drama Showcase Evenings presented by Y11 and 12 artists
• -Drama practitioners and experts into the College
• -Photos from class
• -Acting tips/Learning Lines Successfully pointers
• -2014 Secondary Musical Information
• (2012 Secondary Musical Chicago pictured)
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What is Drama at St Andrew’s Anglican College?

Drama is an art form directly concerned with living and the way we lead our lives.

Through Drama at St Andrew’s we explore the way human beings think, feel, and communicate; learning to understand others and ourselves. Drama allows students to take on the role of another person in an imagined situation, so that they may perceive and experience the world through different eyes whilst in a safe and supportive environment.

Students at St Andrew’s are invited and encouraged to explore their world through the safe and supportive environment of the Drama classroom. The engaging curriculum of Drama assists pupils in their self-discovery and consequently building their own identity. Drama also increases confidence and allows the mind and body to explore through a physical and subjective approach.

Students who study Drama at St Andrew’s have the opportunity to develop a strong understanding of theatrical styles, both Realism and Non-Realism, as well as exploring the aspects of Comedy and Tragedy. As an integral part of each unit, students develop their confidence and performance skills through various ‘theatresports’ games, acting activities and improvisational situations, which are a great deal of fun!

It can be seen that the development of acting is not the only direct consequence of studying Drama. There are many other career opportunities, as well as personal skill development, which will benefit students across a wide range of subjects and careers.

As a learning experience, Drama is unique! It is highly creative and increasingly challenging! It pushes each individual student to explore the world in which we live through a variety of elements. Students come away from Drama lessons with new ideas, knowledge, a range of experiences and generally a smile on their face. Drama students at St Andrew’s are engaged, enthusiastic, confident, eager to strive for their theatrical goals, and are of course, incredibly energetic!

Drama Staff at St Andrew’s

Head of The Arts & Teacher in Charge of Drama – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Drama Teacher – Mrs Alisha Watson (on leave Term 1 2013)
Drama Teacher - Mrs Trina Provan
Drama Teacher - Mr Chris Ivey (College Principal)

CULTURAL CARNIVALE AND SOUNDS OF CELEBRATION - 2012 Reflection...

Wow! What an INCREDIBLE weekend!!! My goodness me, we have an unbelievable community who continually support and encourage our talented and diverse students in their various cultural fields represented so wonderfully on the weekend. Firstly, my sincere thanks and congratulations to our incredible staff who are at the forefront of the spectacular event that is the Cultural Carnivale 2012. To our incredible Arts Faculty thank you for the amazing Visual Art displays and set-up all last week. The RGC had an amazing vibe on Friday evening at our official opening and just continued to flow with positive energy all weekend long due to your planning and creative displays. Hours were spent by these staff preparing for the event creating invitations, posters, signs for student displays, DAYS ‘velcro-ing’ dots onto student work for display and all with huge smiles. Luci Morris created some incredible live art displays represented by Alex Bartils, Chloe Brisk and Indiah Morris as statues on Friday evening. Luci painted the clothes, hats, shoes, boxes and accessories last week to create such an incredible concept which guests absolutely loved, in amongst doing so many other jobs! Gail Mackey has, as always, worked exceptionally hard with her dynamic Senior Visual Art students to portray their exquisite pieces and encourage them to discuss their concepts with guests over the weekend. Gail also assisted our guest judge with awarding top prizes in a fun, informal manner which just put the cherry on our Cultural Carnivale cake! Huge thanks to our Design Tech team for their work in the lead up and over the weekend displaying and explaining the Design Tech pieces which were marvelled upon by our guests. The surf boards were a major hit on Saturday amongst the visiting Dads of our community!  Kate Lewis and her Year Twelve Hospitality students did an outstanding job creating delicious edible delights for all to enjoy and taste on Friday evening. They were amazing. Thanks to all of the staff who helped out in various ways over the weekend. A special congratulations to Andrew Eunson, Cade Bonar and Chelsey Thomas amongst our other Music staff for a sensational Sounds of Celebration Concert which you can read about in our Music Newsletter. A massive thanks to Sue Sagar for all of her assistance with the weekend and all of the lead up to the event and our Facilities Team led by Tania Lee. A HUGE thanks to my generous and adventurous Year 12 and 11 Drama students for being ‘human art’ pieces on Friday evening and all day Saturday (and in allowing me to go nuts with make-up and glitter all over your faces and hands!) You were just remarkable and I am so grateful for your continual support. The Cultural Carnivale was a huge success due to the support demonstrated by staff and students over the weekend in popping along to witness the incredible talents on display. Thank you so very much for taking the time to come along and support everything cultural and creative at our College. Next year is only going to be bigger and better with with the inclusion of Chinese Art & Poetry, as well as aspects of our incredible Sustainability Garden and the amazing creative life occurring within our College. No doubt the level of ability presented at our Sounds of Celebration afternoon will be even more outstanding than this year! Thanks again to all of the wonderful staff and parents who came along to support the Cultural Carnivale and of course, the incredible Sounds of Celebration concert. We are so thankful for your continual support.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCE EVENTS AT THE STUDIO ST ANDREW'S COLLEGE CAMPUS 2013

Senior Drama Commedia Dell' Arte Spectacular - Thursday 21st March @ 6:30pm
Please feel free to come along and witness the 2013 Year Eleven cohort demonstrate their theatrical talents and skills developed through this classic theatre genre. 
'Here's Soap in Your Eye' Year Ten Soap Opera Evening - Wednesday 5th of June @ 6:30pm
Year Ten portray an evening of laughter, tears, revenge, betrayal and raw emotion expressed through the highly dramatic and very over the top genre of Soap Opera.
Surrealism Showcase Evening - Friday the 13th of September @ 6:30pm
Another frightful and engaging evening of spooky delights set to take place on the spookiest night of the year, Friday the 13th of September, presented by the Year Eleven cohort.
Senior Drama 'Final Curtain Call' Showcase Evening - Thursday the 31st of October @ 6:30pm
An evening observing and witnessing the creative flair and skills developed by our highly talented Year Twelve students, in their FINAL performance evening of their College years. 
Junior Drama Showcase Presented by Year Nine - Thursday 21st November @ 5:30pm
Blood is Thicker than Water - Willy's Russell's Blood Brothers SAAC Drama Performance Evening - not far away now folks! Keep the evening free to celebrate our Junior Drama Student success.

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CONGRATULATIONS YEAR ELEVEN!!!
The Year Eleven Drama students presented an exceptional evening of Commedia dell Arte Italian theatre to a huge audience at the end of Exam Week. Students presented a highly professional and exciting evening of improvised pieces presenting vibrant stock characters, exciting fights, chases and disguises, amongst hilarious one liners and twenty-first century comedic moments. A wonderful evening which the students simply adored.
'It was so much fun and I got such a buzz out of performing live' Victoria Daveron.
'All the people I talked to after the performance were so amazed at how real our characters were! Our class should all be so proud of themselves! Well done everyone!' Emma Mosely.
'Congratulations everyone, you all did so well tonight! You are all fantastic! I'm so proud of you all and so happy to be part of such an amazingly talented class! Thank you Miss Mackie for all the time and effort you put into our performance night and just throughout the term' April Convey
'Well done everyone! All of you were so amazing! I'm so glad to be apart of such an amazing class! Thank you so much Miss Mackie!' Hannah Campbell
Well done indeed!!!

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THEATRE TRIPS
Animal Farm - QPAC Brisbane Senior Drama Excursion - possible date Friday 17th of May 2013 - more from your Drama teacher ASAP!!!
War Horse at QPAC Brisbane - Possible Theatre Trip - July 2013
The astounding production of War Horse is coming in July 2013 to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. It will, without a doubt, be one of the most inspiring and emotion driven performances of this year. 

'WAR HORSE tells the story of Joey, the beloved horse of a boy called Albert, who is sold to the cavalry at the outbreak of World War I and shipped to France.  He's soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man's land.  But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home', (QPAC Brisbane website)
Stay tuned for more details!!!

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Drama Tutorial Sessions
Drama Tutorial sessions are now up and running for our Drama students in Years 8-12. The Tutorial program in Drama is for students to seek assistance with Drama written assessment in years 9-12 and also for all Drama students to have time to rehearse their performance pieces outside of the classroom.Tutorial sessions are available on the following days: Wednesday (Y8-10 from 3-5pm) and Thursday (Y11-12 from 3-5pm) Drama students are encouraged to rehearse their performances outside of lesson time i.e. before school, at lunch time, after school and on weekends to ensure the performance work is of the highest standard. Drama rehearsals do not need to take place in The Studio - any clear space can be worked into a performance stage, giving students the perfect opportunity to work on their theatrical representations! Rehearsing outside can often be a great performing space, particularly to ensure you are using your voice and projecting appropriately. (Just remember to wear a hat if you are rehearsing outside - no one needs a burnt actor!)
Remember to give your teacher plenty of notice if you are keen to rehearse and don't leave rehearsals to the last minute. Yay Drama!!!

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Support your group by: commiting to the set rehearsal schedule, arriving on time and prepared to work to the very best of your ability, learning your lines and the cues for your scene/s prior to rehearsals, be responsible for your character and role in the performance
Tips to learning your lines and understanding your character:
- read you lines again and again and again and again... (you get the idea!)
- ask a family member or friend to test your knowledge by holding your script and listening to you recite your dialogue       
- re-write your lines out with your dialogue cues in place too
- highlight your lines in yellow (this is an official learning colour that your brain will remember!)
- rehearse with your group as often as you can
- make sure you consider what it is your character wants in the scene (their motivation behind their actions)

- know the order of the scene/s (what happens when in terms of blocking and movement by actors for every moment of your production)
- stay in character NO MATTER WHAT!
Following these basic rules will assist you greatly in enjoying the rehearsal process, getting to know your character and gaining the most from the rehearsal experience.
                                                                                                   
Youth Theatre Groups on the Sunshine Coast
Are you interested in exploring your acting and creative flair outside the Drama Studio?! Keen to have acting experiences theatrically thrust upon you?! Well, look no further! Jump out of your seat and see Ms Mackie at school for some amazing opportunities that are available for our students.














Acting, Acting, Acting Auditions
Next time you are near the Drama Studio pop in and see Ms Mackie to find out about some great auditions currently happening on the Sunshine Coast! Musicals, Plays, Concerts and more are just waiting for you!
Also, check out the local productions and auditions taking place on the Sunshine Coast through this website: http://www.livetheatre.com.au/html/cms/9/auditions

Old costumes/clothes/props wanted!
Sick of looking at that old fancy dress costume from that party in 2001?! Need more space in your wardrobe for 2011 fashion?! We would absolutely LOVE any hand me down fancy dress style costumes that could be kindly donated to our Drama Props and Costumes Department. Any item you may have at home that might be taking up precious space (hats, over the top fashion items, props for Drama performance scenes, pots, pans, scarves, old coats, the list goes on and on and on...) please consider donating these items to our wonderful Drama Department by contacting Ms Mackie at the College.

BEST WISHES TO ALL FOR AN AMAZING 2013!!!
I love acting. It is so much more real than life - Oscar Wilde






























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