Drama and Theatre A Level combines academic study with practical workshops, live theatre visits, and performances. The subject content is divided into three assessed components and students study both performing and designing for theatre. Design options include lighting, sound, set, costume, puppet design, and direction. 1: Drama and theatre: Section A: one question on set text one (25 marks) Section B: one question on a given extract from set text two (30 marks) Section C: one question analyzing a single live / recorded professional theatre piece (25 marks) 2: Creating original drama: Students may contribute as performers, designers, or directors. The devised piece must be influenced by the work and methodology of one prescribed theatre practitioner. 3: Making theatre: Practical exploration and interpretation of three extracts each taken from a different play. The methodology of the prescribed practitioner must be applied to Extract 3 which is performed as a final assessed piece. Students may contribute as performers, designers, or directors. Reflective report analyzing and evaluating theatrical interpretations of all three extracts. Performance opportunities are scheduled throughout the year to enable students to develop technical and acting skills. The department produces a yearly school play based on material related to the course. Last year the students presented Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth to family and friends staged in our on-site woodland teaching area. Our current texts are Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth, The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht; Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker (1988); The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, and a guided choice of late 20th century and 21st theatre scripts for the student-directed Texts in Practice unit. Studying Drama and Theatre requires students to collaborate effectively in groups, develop self-awareness, exercise their creativity, and develop communication and presentation skills. High levels of engagement, self-motivation, and reliability are central to success in this subject. Students are required to research the context of texts studied including those which are seen for professional theatre analysis. We work in A1, a purpose-built studio, and The Box, an adapted classroom in which students can book rehearsals during study periods and after school. We have three outdoor venues, the Woodland Classroom, the Amphitheatre, and The Tent. Drama and Theatre Studies offers opportunities to develop knowledge of the theatre arts, essay writing skills, and self-confidence. The course is ideal for students looking to study at University or Drama School and for those wishing to build a career in the Arts Industries. Drama and Theatre combine well with English, History, Art, and Music, while some students opt for the Year 12 course as a contrast to their other learning environments. We offer the AS course within the A level for students who are required to take certain subjects for career choices such as Medicine but wish to continue to study drama. It is not essential to have studied GCSE Drama to take A Level Drama and Theatre.