Unit One – Pre-modern Theatre
This unit focuses on the application of acting and other stagecraft in relation to theatrical styles of the pre-modern era.
Students work with playscripts from the pre-modern era of theatre, focusing on works created up to 1920 in both their written form and in performance. They also study theatrical and performance analysis and apply these skills to the analysis of a play in performance.
Unit Two – Modern Theatre styles and conventions
This unit focuses on the application of acting, direction and design in relation to theatre styles from the modern era, that is, the 1920’s 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 performances 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.
Unit Three – Producing theatre
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.
Students attend a performance selected from prescribed VCE Theatre Studies Unit 3 Playlist.
Unit Four – Presenting an Interpretation
In this unit students study a scene and 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.