Overview

This unit focuses on the application of acting, direction and design in relation to theatre styles from the pre-modern era, that is, works prior to the 1920s. Students creatively and imaginatively work in production roles with scripts from the pre-modern era of theatre, focusing on at least three distinct theatre styles and their conventions. They study innovations in theatre production in the pre-modern era and apply this knowledge to their own works.

Students develop knowledge and skills about theatre production processes including dramaturgy, planning, development and performance to an audience and apply this to their work. Theatre styles from the pre-modern era of theatre include Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, Liturgical drama such as morality/miracle/mystery plays, Commedia dell’Arte, Elizabethan, Restoration comedies and dramas, Neo-classical, Naturalism/Realism, Beijing Opera, Noh, Bunraku and Kabuki and other traditional indigenous theatre forms. Students begin to develop skills of performance analysis and apply these to the analysis of a play in performance.

Production roles

For Area of Study 2, students must work in at least two production roles. The production roles for Area of Study 2 are: 

• actor 
• director
• designer – any one or more of costume, make-up, props, set, lighting, sound.

VCE Theatre Studies Unit 1 is available as an acceleration option, subject to Avila College’s acceleration requirements.

Theatre Studies Study Design

Assessment

1. Exploring pre-modern theatre styles and conventions
2. Interpreting scripts
3. Analysing a play in performance
4. Written Exam

Overview

This unit focuses on the application of acting, direction and design in relation to theatre styles from the modern era, that is, the 1920s to the present. Students creatively and imaginatively work in production roles with scripts from the modern era of theatre, focusing on at least three distinct theatre styles. They study innovations in theatre production in the modern era and apply this knowledge to their own works.

Students develop knowledge and skills about theatre production processes including dramaturgy, planning, development and performance to an audience and apply this to their work. They study safe and ethical working practices in theatre production and develop skills of performance analysis, which they apply to the analysis of a play in performance. Theatre styles from the modern era of theatre include Epic theatre, Constructivist theatre, Theatre of the Absurd, Political theatre, Feminist theatre, Expressionism, Eclectic theatre, Experimental theatre, Musical theatre, Physical theatre, Verbatim theatre, Theatre-in-education, and Immersive/Interactive theatre.

Production roles For Area of Study 2, students are required to work in at least two production roles. 

Production roles for Area of Study 2 are: 

• actor
• director 
• designer – any one or more of costume, make-up, props, set, lighting, sound.

VCE Theatre Studies Unit 2 is available as an acceleration option, subject to Avila College’s acceleration requirements.

Theatre Studies Study Design
Assessment:

1. Exploring modern theatre styles and conventions
2. Interpreting scripts
3. Analysing and evaluating a theatre production
4. Written Exam

Overview

In this unit students develop an interpretation of a script through the three stages of the theatre production process: planning, development and presentation. Students specialise in two production roles, working collaboratively, creatively and imaginatively to realise the production of a script. They use knowledge developed during this process to analyse and evaluate the ways work in production roles can be used to interpret script excerpts previously unstudied. Students develop knowledge and apply elements of theatre composition, and safe and ethical working practices in the theatre. 

VCE Theatre Studies Unit 3 is available as an acceleration option, subject to Avila College’s acceleration requirements.

Theatre Studies Study Design

Assessment

1. Staging Theatre
2. Interpreting a Script
3. Analysing and Evaluating Theatre

Overview

In this unit students study a scene and an associated monologue. They initially develop an interpretation of the prescribed scene. This work includes exploring theatrical possibilities and using dramaturgy across the three stages of the production process. Students then develop a creative and imaginative interpretation of the monologue that is embedded in the specified scene. To realise their interpretation, they work in production roles as an actor and director, or as a designer.

Theatre Studies Study Design
VCE Theatre Studies Unit 4 is available as an acceleration option, subject to Avila College’s acceleration requirements.

Assessment

1. Researching and presenting theatrical possibilities
2. Interpreting a monologue
3. Analysing and evaluating a performance
4. Monologue Examination
5. Written Examination