Introduction to Investigative Drama Unit

Higher Drama

Investigative Drama Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama • This will be your first unit in Higher Drama. • You will work as part of a group to devise a piece of Drama from a theme. A choice will be provided. • Each person within the group will take responsibility to script and direct a part of the drama. • This will be performed and evaluated by an external audience. • You will sit your first N.A.B. at the end of this unit. Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama

• The following slides will give you information on what is required to complete this unit. Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama Success Criteria:

☺Each pupil must write and direct at least one scene in the group’s drama. ☺To accompany this they must script the scene which should be two-three pages in length. ☺They must complete a ‘Dramatic Commentary’ for their script (the longest scene, if they have more than one).

☺They must complete five full length rehearsal logs (using the headings given on the following slide). Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama Rehearsal Logs Rehearsal: Planned target; what are you trying to achieve from the rehearsal? Today in detail: What happened in the rehearsal today, any developments or good ideas? Problems encountered: What were these? Solutions attempted: Things that you changed, adapted, changes to make next time in rehearsal, are there any other ways to tackle your scene? Evaluation: How are things going? How are the group working? Are you getting your ideas across? What is the progress of your directorial section? Preparation for the next rehearsal: Improvisation outline, Role cards, experimenting with different forms and structures and with Theatre Arts.

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Investigative Drama Your drama will be performed to an audience and questionnaires will be used to enable them to evaluate your work. They will be asked to respond to the following questions: 1. What do you think was the message of the play? 2. Did any scene leave you puzzled as to its relevance? 3. Who would you say would be an ideal audience for this piece? 4. Circle one of the following to sum up this piece of work: Thought provoking, comical, entertaining or confusing. Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama • The N.A.B alongside your individual script, Dramatic Commentary and Rehearsal logs will be used as evidence to pass the unit. • The N.A.B specifically focuses on YOUR scene and most of the questions are about YOUR directorial decisions. Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama To enable you to fully prepare for the N.A.B. make sure that you are prepared to answer on the following:

a) The message of your group’s drama and the message of YOUR own scene(s). b) The importance of YOUR scene(s) in the drama (purpose). c) The Form, Structure and Devices YOU used in YOUR scene and reasons why. d) The rehearsal process and how this developed. e) The overall GROUP performance and effectiveness of YOUR scene(s). Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama •The aim is to have these dramas performed and the N.A.B. completed before the October holiday. •This gives you approximately SIX weeks, allowing one week for performance and one week for N.A.B preparation and assessment. Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama Learning Plan • You must decide on your theme. • You must write out a scene plan, detailing the brief plot of each scene and characters involved. • You must allocate scenes to each group member to script and direct. •You can, if you want, improvise the drama from start to finish to support each other, but each person must take responsibility for the DIRECTION and SCRIPTING of their OWN SCENE(S). •The first draft of your script(s) should be handed in as a full group within a few weeks, to enable your teacher to offer advice and suggestions. • You should aim to complete at LEAST ONE rehearsal log per week. Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama Themes Below is your choice of themes from which to use as a stimulus to create your dramas:

POWER RELIGION SEXUALITY DOMESTIC ABUSE POVERTY Created by L McCarry

Investigative Drama

There is a further presentation designed to help you with your ‘Dramatic Commentary’,this can be found on the Website. http://www.calderglen.slanark.sch.uk/CalderglenPerformingArtsWeb/dramas5&6.htm

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Investigative Drama

Good Luck

Created by L McCarry