Drama at Northern
Why Study Drama
Drama not only prepares students for careers in film and theatre. The skills acquired can be used in a variety of professions from law, to politician, entrepreneur or sales executive. Drama helps explore one’s creative side as will as improving presentation and writing skills. These are skills that can be applied to many professions.
Experience in dramatic arts will be valuable for college and university entrance whatever the student’s intended field of study. Institutions of higher learning are looking for well-rounded students. Experience in the dramatic arts engages the imagination, fosters flexible thinking, develops disciplined effort and builds self-confidence.
What goes on in a Drama Classroom?
- Presentations
- Rehearsals
- Group Work
- Script Building
- Creative Thinking
- Peer/Self Assessment
- Risk Taking
- Leadership
- Time Management
What Do Students Learn?
- Act/Directing to Acting Techniques
- Anthologies
- Canadian Theatre
- Children's Theatre
- Directing Approaches
- Docudrama's
- Dramatic Criticism
- Drama Structures
- Independent Study Projects
- One Act Plays
- Play Analysis
- Technical design and construction
Northern’s Drama Course Overview
In Grade 9 students begin to explore dramatic forms and techniques using material from a wide range of authors, genres, and cultures, while learning to construct, communicate and analyze their work.
In Grade 10 they begin to actively explore dramatic forms and techniques using their own ideas as well as ideas from external sources. They begin to analyze more more specific forms of drama. This includes improvisation, mask, theatre history, script analysis, character development and rehearsal techniques.
In grade 11 Acting Students research different acting stages and conventions from various times and cultures including Shakespearian, Contemporary, North American and Western plays from the turn of the 20th century. The Playwriting Students in grade 11 explore acting and directing while preparing both original work and selected scripts for presentation. Creative writing assignments help prepare students for writing monologues and short scenes, culminating in the creation of a one act play.
In grade 12 students have the option of taking a History of Film and/or the Grade 12 Drama course. The Drama course provides hands-on experiences with various aspects of dramatic arts productions, including researching, writing, directing, performing, set design, lighting costume, stage and technical management and marketing. The History of Film course will improve students' general knowledge of world-cinema and enhance their ability to deal critically with this influential medium.
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