Theatre Studies Study Notes

Students focus on developing skills that can be applied to the interpretation of a script for performance to an audience. They work collaboratively to contribute to the development of a production of a selected script, undertaking exercises and tasks throughout the three stages of the production process, leading to a performance. Students apply dramaturgy, consider context, styles, intended meaning, and possible recontextualisations, and experiment with elements of theatre composition to manipulate meaning for an audience. They develop skills in two production roles, working collaboratively, and apply safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable practices.

Students interpret the theatrical possibilities of excerpts from a script, demonstrating understanding of working in two production roles across the three stages of the production process. They respond to and interpret script excerpts and stimulus material, formulating and justifying interpretative possibilities, including recontextualisation, and document their interpretation. They further develop understanding of audiences, dramaturgy, and safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable practices.

Students attend, analyse and evaluate an interpretation of a script in a production from the prescribed VCE Theatre Studies Playlist. They analyse and evaluate the relationship between the written script and its interpretation on stage, including decisions about acting, direction, design, use of theatre technologies, and elements of theatre composition. Students evaluate the contributions of theatre practitioners and dramaturgical processes, and how styles and contexts are interpreted in performance.

Students document and report on dramaturgical decisions that could inform an interpretation of a monologue and its prescribed scene. They conduct dramaturgy as the basis for decisions, including research into contexts, influences on the playwright, audience, and possible recontextualisations. Students outline an interpretation of the scene, focusing on its place within the script, structure, characters, themes, images, ideas, theatrical possibilities, and style. They consider how elements of theatre composition and technologies could be applied, and identify issues relating to safe, ethical, inclusive and sustainable practices.

Students focus on the interpretation of a monologue from a scene contained within a script selected from the VCE Theatre Studies monologue examination. They study the text of the monologue, the prescribed scene, and the complete script, applying selected production roles to develop an interpretation informed by dramaturgy, contexts, and intended meanings. Students make decisions about contexts, theatrical possibilities, elements of theatre composition, and styles, and work in their selected production roles to realise and present their interpretation. They consider the interrelationships between acting, direction and design, and safe, ethical and sustainable practices.

Students focus on the analysis and evaluation of the acting, direction and design in a performance of a production selected from the prescribed VCE Theatre Studies Playlist. They analyse how actor(s), director(s) and designer(s) interpret the script for an audience, considering the interrelationships between acting, direction and design, character(s), acting skills, and the establishment, maintenance and/or manipulation of the actor–audience relationship. Students refine their understanding of terminology associated with analysing and evaluating theatre performances.