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Advice for teachers -
Theatre Studies

Unit 3 - Area of Study 1: Staging theatre

Outcome 1

Interpret a script across the stages of the production process through creative, imaginative and collaborative work undertaken in two production roles.

Examples of lear​ning activities

Note: Students can complete the following activities for each of the two production role/s they are working in.

  • Identify ways of contributing to the interpretation of a script at each stage of the production process; construct a timeline to show involvement in the process.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Research the scope of the selected production area/s; apply the production role/s to the production process; document ways in which the production area is applied; evaluate your contribution to the process.
  • At the conclusion of each stage of the production process, discuss ways in which working practices could be improved in the next stage or for future collaborations.
  • Discuss which roles are most important in which stages of the production process and why.
  • Identify points in the production process where work went from the development stage back to the planning stage and discuss why this was necessary.
  • Create a template for a production meeting that includes headings for the different production areas; take turns to run a production meeting; record the stages of completion of each area and the actions moving forward. Minutes of the meetings should be circulated to all members of the production team.
  • During each stage of the production process, explore methods of recording the decisions made, e.g. record the meetings on a voice memo, make written representation; take still photos; sketch plans of the stage; take video recordings of rehearsals; decide which will be most useful for the team and how these will be shared.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

​​Detailed example

Contributing to the production process

Teachers facilitate the students’ ability to contribute to the production process, keeping in mind that:

  • This example of how students contribute to the production process details only one aspect of the work that each student will undertake.
  • Students can complete these activities in relation to one or both of their selected production roles for Unit 3, Outcome 1.
  • Dramaturgical research and critical thinking is required for all the production roles.
  • It is essential that students have ongoing conversations about the various production roles undertaken to facilitate cohesion in design and realisation.

Students complete the following activities:

Researching the production role

  • Research and make notes about the scope of the selected production role/s and its potential application across each stage of the production process.
  • Research skills and techniques that could be used to apply selected production roles at each stage of the production process.
  • Document the aims for the interpretation of the script.
  • Describe the context and theatrical styles that the production team has agreed to use when exploring the theatrical possibilities for interpreting the script.

Applying the production role

  • Research skills and techniques that could be used to apply selected production roles at each stage of the production process.
  • During workshop activities and/or rehearsals, experiment with ways of using relevant skills and techniques individually and in collaboration with members of the production team who are applying different production areas at each stage of the production process.
  • Ensure that ongoing dialogue is happening between all the different roles in the creative team, this can take place individually, through shared emails, in production meetings or on social media platforms.
  • Evaluate your application of the production areas and refine to achieve closer alignment with the agreed approach to interpreting the script. Make use of a camera to record and analyse the effectiveness of your contributions in creating meaning in the production.

Documenting the application of production areas

  • As the production is developing, create a flowchart showing how your contributions relate to and influence contributions from other members of the production team.
  • Annotate the flowchart to document decisions made during the production process, explaining how specific decisions assist in creating meaning in the production.

Evaluating the contribution made

As each stage of the production process is completed, respond to a series of questions to evaluate your contribution, focusing on:

  • how your contribution has assisted in contributing meaning
  • the collaborative relationship between production roles
  • opportunities to refine application of production roles during stages of the production process.