Welcome to drama! Wipe your feet and take off your coat and jump into a circle. This dynamic workshop introduces the foundations of drama through practical activities such as improvisation, story telling, and more. Explore the elements of drama through games and exercises which build trust, foster creativity, and raise confidence. Students will develop their understanding of taking on roles, developing characters, and working within different dramatic forms. A great “all rounder” to introduce your students to concepts of drama in the Creative Arts syllabus.

Curriculum Links: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 1.3, 2.3, 1.4, 2.4

Get up and MAKE! in this active workshop which introduces students to playbuilding. Through movement and generated text, students will weave the elements of drama into creating an original piece of theatre, building ensemble skills along the way. Students will hone their skills in collaboration and group devising, as they explore their own dramatic interests in a supportive environment. At the conclusion of this workshop, students will have a short original play ready to present to other classes or at assembly. 

Curriculum links: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 1.4, 2.4, 3.4 

Students will break down the classic three-act story structure, and build dramatic tension through character and story, shaped by the elements of drama. Through writing tasks and small group research, students will develop a suite of scenarios and jump up to bring them to life through characterisation and movement. Using a watch-and-do method, students will investigate gaps in their narrative arc, and develop a key understanding of the role of the audience in presenting their work. 

Curriculum links: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 1.4, 2.4, 3.4 

Give your students a boost towards their end-of year-show, as students work on their foundational performance skills in voice projection, staging for a live audience, blocking, and more. Delivered by professional theatre makers and producers, students will be introduced to professional theatre practice lexicon, as well as hints and tricks to get the most out of their live performance before the curtain rises! 

Curriculum links: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 1.4, 2.4 

Get up and make in this active and fast paced devising workshop. Try out a bunch of new devising techniques to take your group’s ideas to the next level. Using a watch-and-do method of devising, find out how to use simple devices to identify plot or character holes and help drive story. This highly practical and hands-on workshop puts students in the roles of both performer and audience, helping them pull out questions that audiences might be asking themselves as the performers are creating on the fly. This workshop is ideal for Preliminary or HSC students looking to kickstart or propel their devising process.

Curriculum Links:
Stage 4/5 Outcomes: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.3
Stage 6 Outcomes: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.9, 2.5

This workshop provides a practical exploration of verbatim theatre for HSC Drama students. The workshop provides unique insight into the artistic process and challenges of creating theatre using the words of actual people. Students will gain a greater understanding of the ethical considerations, and the tension between authenticity and theatricality that verbatim theatre practitioners must negotiate, as well as many experiential exercises and practical tools for developing their own verbatim theatre work.

Curriculum Links:
Stage 6 Outcomes: 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.3, 3.4

This workshop sets up the crucial foundations of improvisation and puts them straight into practice. Students will experiment with characters and scenarios as they develop strengths in supporting their fellow actors to make quick choices and commit to offers. Students play with a range of improvisation exercises and end with a quick fire round of improv games which can be further explored in the drama classroom for weeks to come.

Curriculum Links:
Stage 4/5 Outcomes: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1
Stage 6 Outcomes: 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.5

Want to drum up students for Drama electives? This all-in, super fun taster for Drama will spark students’ creativity through practical activities in movement, improvisation, group-work, and more. Students will also have the opportunity to discuss pathways to professional creative practice with Tantrum’s workshop facilitators, who are all practicing artists and contemporary performance makers. Designed for Year 10 students or even English classes as a taster for Drama selection for HSC.