As part of a busy two weeks for the Secondary Performing Arts department, the B604 Theatre ‘Black Box’ classroom stage featured performances from Year 7, 8, and 9 Theatre students.

Year 7S Theatre:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Shakespeare Shorts readers theatre production

This Year 7 “Scripted Drama” unit worked on “How do I transform my face, voice, body, and posture using performance skills from both scripted and improvised drama.”

The students, having explored the different ways to improve their creative processes through improvisation, learned the structures and practices to help them perform their roles in a scripted play.

This unit engaged the students in performing a scripted performance to showcase their talents as actors and improve their ability to perform to the public using strong vocal projection, good mime and effective storytelling, and transforming into different characters wherever possible using aspects of melodrama.

They also had the opportunity to explore the themes of the play and curated the soundtrack for their performance.

Why Shakespeare?

We remember Shakespeare today because he wrote plays that continue to mean a lot to us.

Plays like “Hamlet”, “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” which are still performed today because people like to hear the ideas and words that Shakespeare wrote, and because he told stories about the feelings that people have always had.

Year 8I and Year 8S Theatre:
Commedia dell’arte scenes

Year 8 students explored the Italian genre of Commedia dell’arte through their Art of Comedy unit.

First applying their research skills to an investigation ofCommedia stock characters, students then formed groups and presented a Commedia scenario to their Year 8 peers.

Student actors explored and demonstrated the ‘performance elements’ of Face, Voice, Gesture, Movement, and Body, while incorporating slapstick techniques into their self-directed scenes, such as ‘the slip’, ‘the trip’ and ‘the double take’.

Creativity was also shown by the costumes students put together from the costume stock in B604, informed by their research of the Commedia stock characters.

In hilarious and sometimes confusing situations, the old men, Pantalone, Il Dottore and Il Capitano, appeared, as did the young lovers, Flavio and Isabella, and the zanni (servant and clown characters), Arlecchino, Colombina, Brighella and Pedrolino.

Year 9 Theatre:

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Hound of the Baskervilles

Year 9 Theatre students chose a play from the canon to workshop and perform in the Theatre ‘Black Box’ classroom.

Thinking about how do plays present a strong central idea or theme (from a specific time or place) that must be effectively transformed through design, acting, and direction; students chose an adaptation of “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Hound of the Baskervilles” by British author Sir Arthur Connan Doyle.

The students needed to interpret, shape, select, structure, and show insight into their role as actor, as well as to working with a director on their roles.  Notes taken and scripts annotated show their interpretation, shaping, selection of ideas and insight, which will be evidenced in their Arts Process Journal.

A further challenge was that students had to perform with flair (confidence and control) in the dark, with only their voices to tell the story of the infamous detective! Using their vocal mechanics, flashlights, and sound effects to set the emotional tone of their radio play, the student actors kept their audience fully engaged.

Year 10 Theatre:

Musical Theatre Mash-up

After weeks of ePortfolio tasks, Personal Projects, and eAssessments the Year 10 Theatre students have evolved their earworms into the unbridled joy of a musical theatre – mash-up unit!

The students have explored the genre and structure of a Broadway Musical Theatre piece and then creatively change it into a modern “mash-up” form by using a modern song, as they compose, present, and express themselves in an original piece of musical theatre (in class assessment).

The aim is to develop in students a sense of responsibility for their own learning and for increasing their knowledge of theatre styles and genres.

This assignment engages students in performing a musical theatre mash-up to showcase their talents as digital musicians and creative designers.

There was “Don’t cry for me Argentina” from Evita + “Fix you” by Coldplay; “You can stop the beat” from Hairspray + “Don’t stop me now” by Queen; “To life l’chaim” from Fiddler on the Roof + “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay; “If I were a rich man” from Fiddler on the Roof + “24 Karat Magic” by Bruno Mars; and “Slipping through my fingers” from Mamma Mia + “Everything I wanted” by Billie Eilish.

See you all in September

 for the start of

a new academic years’ worth

 of productions and performances!

---

（Commedia dell’arte）场景

---

🔥 2025 UISG Future Leaders Summer Academy🔥

• Cutting-edge STEM, Entrepreneurship & Intensive English – Ignite Innovation!
• Programs for Ages 3-18 | 10% Early Bird Discount (Extra 10% for UISG Students)!
• “Week Without Walls” Overnight Camp for Ages 9+ – Adventure Awaits!
• Limited Spots – Secure Your Summer of Excellence Now!