Devising Drama in Learning Communities

This subject is not offered in 2015.

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject will explore the principles of performance making across a range of different cultures and theatrical traditions and in educational and community contexts. Students will examine how and why theatre is devised and how performance making affects, and is affected by, audiences. Working alongside a teaching artist, students will participate in the development of an ensemble performance for a designated audience and performance venue. They will keep a reflective artist’s workbook and conduct a research task into the practices and principles of an ensemble theatre company.

In this subject, students will:

• Develop performance making skills and collaborative art-making capacities;
• Consider the forms and contexts of ensemble based purpose-driven performance making through a series of practical workshops and seminars;
• Learn and practise a range of devised drama skills;
• Develop skills as a theatre researcher;
• Explore and develop personal understanding of devised drama utilised in a range of community and learning contexts.

• Individual Research project, 1200 words, due mid semester, 30%
• Presentation/devised performance – individual and group component, 2000 word equivalent. Due late semester, 50%
• Reflective artist’s workbook, 800 word equivalent, due end of semester, 20%

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs/online classes) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

Course readings will be supplied.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

This subject will assist students to acquire the following graduate attributes:

• a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship;
• knowledge of their specialist discipline(s);
• critical and creative thinking skills, including a demonstrated aptitude for continued self-directed learning;
• well-developed analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences in diverse subjects and settings;
• the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems;
• excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations;
• an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community.