A few weeks ago, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority published the 2011 VCE Drama and Theatre Studies playlist. Students in Victoria studying Unit 3 Drama must see at least one play from this official playlist this year, while students undertaking Units 3 and 4 Theatre Studies must see at least one play in Unit 3 and one play in Unit 4 from the playlist. Teachers set classwork where students respond to the plays in performance and all students respond to questions about the play/s they visited on the end-of-year written examinations in these subjects. Download the 2011 playlist here (.doc).
Over the coming weeks on The Drama Teacher, I will be posting resources for teachers on several of the plays on these official playlists. Stay tuned!
I think I’ll take my Unit 3 Drama students to see the works Random and The Soul Miner.
Who will other teachers be taking their students to? Feel free to comment below.
There is a fantastic play “Sanctuary” on the Theatre study playlist being performed in Ballarat/Bendigo/Geelong and Melbourne, all Victorian schools were emailed the details.
checkout http://www.alchemy.org.au for info.
Education packs are available free of charge and DVD is also available at minimal cost.
Seeing ‘next to normal’ and ‘hamlet’. Also going to ‘top class’ and ‘importance’ as a celebration. We’re 50 mins from SA border, and have booked dates etc mid Feb and simply informed parents of estimated costs
Hey Jade – give us an email identitytheatre@optusnet.com.au as we might be able to help you.
Hi all
yes, the DVD is available for order, even if you are not purchasing tickets. Please email companywhitewolf@gmail.com to place your order.
In tes of a regional tour of Beneath the Floorboards this semester, we are definitely open to this. Please send me an email with your contact details, and I will give you a call to discuss.
Damian Alexander Bernardo
Artistic Director
COMPANY WHITE WOLF
Great! So, The Soul Miner is SOLD OUT!!!!! What is a rural school to do then?
If anyone has booked seats for APril 5/6/7 and thinks they won’t use 7 of them I would greatly appreciate hearing…
OR Damian if you are planninga rural tour we have a theatre 🙂 and I could get other schools to attend…
until them I’m the rural Drama teacher jumping up and down with no play the attend 🙁
Just to clarify Damian. Is the DVD only available if you see the production – or can it be ordered after the dates by anyone?
Thanks
That is fantastic Damian. I will certainly purchase a copy of the DVD – it will open up a whole other option for my kids.
Here is another disadvantage – I am supposed to finalise my trip dates in November for the next school years calendar (according to the admin policy) – because so much is involved with overnight excursions – of course we have to wait for the play list to be finalised so I have to book tentative dates. It’s such a pain!
Hi all. I am the director of Beneath the Floorboards, also on the 2011 playlist (I am also an ex-VCE Drama Teacher, and current teaching artist for Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre).
I agree with the disadvantage for rural students. You have given me a great idea to create a touring show for rural schools!
In terms of DVD, ours is also available. We are taking orders now with our bookings, and the DVD will be delivered after the show. Please do consider seeing our show!
Damian Alexander Bernardo
Artistic Director
COMPANY WHITE WOLF
Thanks Jade!
I’ve just put a post up under lyttlemissred.
Naomi 🙂
Hi Naomi,
Come join the forum on this page for drama teachers. My username is streetcar and I would be more than happy to share/swap resources, ideas and timelines.
Jade
People are so protective! Why would I want to copy someone else’s show? The more shows people see, the more self promotion the industry gets and the better it is for all of us. I’ve just inherited a vial of glitter as my only drama resource! Crazy!
Does anyone have a rough calender for the school year for teaching VCE Drama? I’m wondering when I should schedule the outcomes, particularly the ensemble performance. And how much time should I give for the others? Do you share performances with other schools? This is obviously my first year 12 drama…
Hi Naomi, I am teaching VCE drama for the first time too. Actually I am teaching for the first time full stop. I have found Justin’s drama teacher forum very helpful. I am also going to a PD at Drama Victoria for teachers new to VCE drama next Wednesday (23rd feb). I am happy to share resources/ ideas etc.
Hi ladies,
I taught VCE Drama last year for the first time and was lucky enough to have someone hand over a whole lot of their resources. This year someone emailed me vie the forum and I was happy to pass on to them advice/ resources based on my first year. If you’d like me to email you the same, just let me know: naomimaes@gmail.com
haha isn’t it funny that the only one I CAN see at that time is The SOul Miner which can be ordered on DVD – I’m considering not going to Melbourne at all now.
Naomi … copyright. Occasionally, if the theatre company is small enough and the work is original (as in the case of The Soul Miner), DVD’s become available to teachers. But in the majority of cases the work performed is copyrighted to its owner/s, who will rarely give permission for reproduction of the work by electronic means, even for educational purposes.
Hey! I’ve chosen The Soul Miner simply because it’s the only one on the list with a DVD. But for city kids it’s not exactly easily accessible by public transport without (what the kids would consider) a long walk. And if it’s peak hour forget getting all your kids onto the one train carriage or bus – it’s almost impossible. Why don’t all of them come with a DVD? This would help not only those in rural areas, but sick/disabled/family emergency kids also.
It just seems to be such a disadvantage. We are lucky for the performance exam as they assessors fly to Mildura. But then we are disadvantaged with the play list (access to more than one show is just not an option and even that is expensive) and also access to workshops for solos, ensembles and the written exam. It’s really very unfair.
I agree also.
We live in Mortlake which is 250km West of Melbourne.
When planning to see one of the prescribed plays we need to consider a range of issues.
1. Cost – including accommodation
2. Availability of transport
3. Clashes with other classes
4. Teacher replacement (full day minimum)
5. Impact on other VCE classes.
6. Teacher availability
The Soul Miner looks awesome. Unfortunately I will be accompanying a camp for the duration of the show so this is not an option for us.
It’s difficult, not impossible.
Even for their performance exam we have to drive 50km to Warrnambool (100k round trip). Not a huge problem but all part of the consideration.
Geoff De Manser
Mortlake College
I agree with you Jade. There is less opportunity to see a prescribed show in regional areas and a six and a half hour drive to Melbourne does not sound fun. Lots of city students can not only see one, but two shows if they or their schools can afford it. Come written exam time in November, this of course allows them to choose between a couple of plays they may have seen for the essay questions on the VCE Drama and Theatre Studies exams. I’ve seen The Soul Miner a few years ago when it was on the Drama playlist the first time. It’s a great show. Lots of simple, yet very effective uses of non-naturalistic techniques by the performer in this one-man show. Plenty for your students to write on for their SAC and the written exam. Web resources on The Soul Miner will be posted on The Drama Teacher in a few days time.
We’re going to The Soul Miner – it’s the only one that fits into the time we can travel down. I feel it’s such a disadvantage to rural kids but I guess we have to suck it up. Six and a half hour drive makes it a bit difficult.