In VCE Theatre Studies, students interpret scripts from historic periods to the present day and produce theatre for audiences. Through practical and theoretical engagement with scripts, they gain an insight into the origins and development of theatre, the influences of theatre on cultures and societies, and the influences of culture and society on theatre. Students apply dramaturgy and work in the production roles of actor, director and designer, developing an understanding and appreciation of the role of theatre practitioners.
This unit focuses on the application of acting, direction and design in relation to theatre styles and their conventions pre-1945, that is, from the era up to and including 1944. Students work in production roles with scripts from specific periods that fall between the beginning of theatre history until the end of 1944 focusing on at least two theatre styles, their conventions and histories. They study innovations in theatre production through the styles they explore and apply this knowledge to their interpretations of works.
Students develop knowledge and skills about theatre production processes, including dramaturgy, planning, development, and performance to an audience, and they apply this knowledge and skill to their own work. They study safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable (where possible, environmentally sustainable) working practices in theatre production.
Theatre up to and including 1944 encompasses scripts from a wide range of styles including, but not limited to, Agitprop, Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, Beijing Opera, Bunraku, Commedia Dell ’Arte, Epic Theatre (early works), Elizabethan, Expressionism, Kabuki, Liturgical, Medieval, Miracle plays, Musical theatre, Naturalism, Neoclassical, Noh, Melodrama, Realism, Surrealism, Theatre of Cruelty and Wayang Kulit Theatre.
Students begin to develop skills of performance analysis and apply these to the analysis of a play in performance.
Area of Study 1 - Exploring theatre styles and conventions pre-1945
In this area of study, students explore theatre styles and their conventions pre-1945. They study two or more distinct theatre styles pre-1945 and the conventions and scripts associated with each selected style. Students study developments and innovations in theatre production as they learn about contexts, production roles and performance possibilities for each of the selected theatre styles. Through practical workshops, research and dramaturgy, students gain knowledge of how these styles shaped and contributed to the world of theatre pre-1945.
Area of Study 2 - Interpreting scripts
In this area of study, students focus on the presentation of theatre scripts pre-1945. They work in at least two production roles to interpret scripts from two or more distinct pre-1945 theatre styles. Students study and apply relevant conventions of the styles and consider how work in production roles is informed by different theatre styles, their conventions and historical contexts. They learn about processes for developing characters through acting skills appropriate to the style. They consider audience culture and the influence of an audience on their work in production roles to enhance the interpretation of scripts.
Throughout the production process, students will have opportunities to develop oral skills by participating in discussions and explaining how their work in production roles contributes to realising the production aims. They continue to study and apply elements of theatre composition and safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable (where possible, environmentally sustainable) working practices in theatre production.
Production roles
For Area of Study 2, students must work effectively in at least two production roles. The production roles for Area of Study 2 are:
actor
director
designer – any one or more of costume, hair and make-up, props, set, lighting, sound.
Area of Study 3 - Analysing a theatre production in performance
In this area of study, students focus on analysing a professional performance of a script. They attend a production of a play in performance and study the nature of performance analysis, including analysing audience culture, acting skills, directorial skills, design skills and the ways in which the historical contexts and conventions of theatre styles identified or implied in a script are interpreted in performance. Students study the use of theatre technologies and the elements of theatre composition in a professional theatre performance. Where possible, students should attend and analyse a pre-1945 play in performance.
In this unit, students study contemporary theatre practice through the exploration of scripts from 1945 to the present day. They select scripts from either two distinct theatre styles OR a theatre movement between 1945 and the present day. In either option, students should study at least one Australian play.
Contemporary theatre movements can be defined as performance styles from 1945 onwards that push the boundaries of traditional theatre styles and conventions. They often consist of a range of conventions and features and can cut across art forms, genres and disciplines.
This unit focuses on the application of acting, direction and design in relation to contemporary theatre practice from 1945 to the present day. Students work in production roles to interpret scripts. They study developments and innovations in theatre and apply this knowledge to their own work.
Students develop knowledge of, and skills relating to, theatre production processes that include dramaturgy, planning, development and presentation to an audience, and they apply these to their own work. They study safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable working practices (where possible, using environmentally sustainable approaches) in theatre production. They develop skills in theatre production analysis and evaluation, which they apply to their own work and to the work of other practitioners.
Examples of theatre styles post-1945 include Kitchen Sink Drama, Immersive theatre, Verbatim theatre, Theatre of the Absurd, Australian realism, Musical theatre, Butoh, Forum theatre.
Examples of theatre movements post-1945 include Theatre-in-education, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre, Feminist theatre, Post-Colonial theatre, Queer theatre, Black Rights theatre, Theatre for Climate Justice, Physical theatre, Cross-cultural theatre, Post-Dramatic theatre, Memory plays.
Note: Some theatre movements may be linked to a particular practitioner or company. Some theatre styles or movements may have been established prior to 1945 and may still have a significant presence post-1945.
Area of Study 1 - Exploring contemporary theatre styles and/or movements
In this area of study, students select and explore scripts from contemporary theatre styles and/or movements from 1945 to the present day. They study two or more distinct theatre styles OR two or more playwrights within one contemporary theatre movement. In examining distinct theatre styles, students consider dramaturgy and research to explore scripts associated with the selected styles. Similarly, in exploring playwrights and scripts from a contemporary theatre movement, students consider the style(s) and conventions implied in the selected scripts from that movement. Dramaturgy may include the social political contexts, cultural origins, intentions, comparisons in structure and languages, production roles and performance possibilities for each of the selected scripts from either the distinct styles OR the selected theatre movement. Students learn about audiences and audience culture. Through practical workshops and experimentation, students gain knowledge of how these styles and/or movement(s) shape and contribute to the world of contemporary theatre.
Area of Study 2 - Interpreting scripts
In this area of study, students work in at least two of the production roles of actor, director and/or designer to realise scripts from at least two distinct contemporary theatre styles or one contemporary theatre movement from 1945 to the present day. Through this work, students gain an understanding of how production teams can work collaboratively to interpret scripts. They also learn how work in production roles is informed by, and contributes to, the development of different theatre styles and/or a theatre movement. They consider ways in which theatre production work is itself shaped by the styles and contexts inherent in scripts and theatre movements.
Students continue to learn about theatre production processes, including dramaturgy, planning, development, performance to audiences, and audience culture, and they apply this knowledge to their own work. Throughout the production processes, students will have opportunities to develop oral skills by participating in discussions and explaining how their work in production roles contributes to realising the production aims. They study and apply elements of theatre composition and safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable (where possible, environmentally sustainable) working practices in theatre production.
Production roles
For Area of Study 2, students are required to work in at least two production roles. Production roles for Area of Study 2 are:
actor
director
designer – any one or more of costume, hair and make-up, props, set, lighting, sound.
Area of Study 3 - Analysing and evaluating a theatre production
In this area of study, students attend a performance and focus on analysing and evaluating a professional theatre production of a script. They study the nature of theatre production analysis and evaluation, including the application of acting, direction and design and their effect on an audience. Students study the use of theatre technologies and elements of theatre composition in professional theatre performance, and they study the relationship between contexts of the script and the use of production roles. Where possible, for this area of study students should attend and analyse a play in performance from the period of 1945 to the present day.
The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of outcomes specified for the unit. Teachers should use a variety of learning activities and assessment tasks that provide a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate the key knowledge and key skills in the outcomes.
The areas of study, including the key knowledge and key skills listed for the outcomes, should be used for course design and the development of learning activities and assessment tasks. Assessment must be a part of the regular teaching and learning program and should be completed mainly in class and within a limited timeframe.
All assessments at Units 1 and 2 are school-based. Procedures for assessment of levels of achievement in Units 1 and 2 are a matter for school decision.
For this unit, students are required to demonstrate three outcomes. As a set, these outcomes encompass the areas of study in the unit.
Suitable tasks for assessment in this unit may be selected from the following:
interpretation of scripts from contemporary theatre styles or movements from 1945 to the present day through the application of acting, direction and/or design (costume, hair and make-up, props, set, lighting, sound)
oral, visual, multimedia reports and/or presentations
structured questions
a research report
an analytical essay.
At least one assessment task must be practice-based, at least one task must be written, and at least one task must include an oral component.
Where teachers allow students to choose between tasks, they must ensure that the tasks they set are of comparable scope and demand.
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