Drama is thriving at Priestlands and there are numerous opportunities to be involved either on stage or behind the scenes. Over the academic year we stage around four productions, ranging from small studio GCSE pieces to full stage shows and musicals. The School has become well known for the high standard of its productions, our involvement in the Shakespeare Schools Festival has been nationally recognised, affording us opportunities to perform at the Middle Temple in London and for the Marchioness of Queensbury at her home in Wiltshire.  We also have an active Youth Theatre, ‘Trapdoor’  running on a Wednesday evening for 7 – 19 year olds in three age classes.

Facilities

Our purpose built Performing Arts Centre with its sophisticated sound and lighting system can seat up to 120 people in tiered seating for our productions and events when opened up. During the normal working day we have two working drama studios for our weekly lessons as well as a recording studio, two music teaching rooms, four practice rooms and store rooms.

Staffing

We have two full-time and one part-time specialist members of the department.   

Curriculum

Drama forms part of the curriculum for all year 7 and 8 pupils and is an option at year 9 and 10.  Drama GCSE is a popular option as the syllabus offers a good balance of challenging practical and text based work.  For those not choosing to study drama for public examination, this vibrant area of school life affords numerous opportunities for all pupils to perform, design and direct in the many productions that take place during the school year. Extra-curricular activities offered by the drama department include; scenery design,  theatrical productions, sound, stage management and stage lighting. We work closely with M3Technology, a professional theatre support company who deliver some of these workshops and provide excellent scenery and technical wizardry for our productions.

Trips and Events

New York City

In year 11 GCSE Drama students have the opportunity to go to the amazing city of New York. This highly popular trip eight day trip has run for the last 13 years in February half term. Bundled up against the snow and wind we stay at the beautiful Edison Hotel in the heart of Times Square. We visit all the major New York sights; Statue of Liberty, Empire State building, Ice Skate in Central Park, and visit a Broadway Show to name but a few.  We also enjoy Drama workshops/performances with a High School In Brooklyn and ‘Tada’ Youth Theatre in Manhattan.

London

At KS 3 pupils are able to participate in our overnight residential trip to London, last year we saw The Wizard of Oz and Wicked, visited the London Dungeons, the Natural History Museum and Buckingham Palace, lunched in Covent Garden and pic-niced in a London park.

Visiting Theatre Companies and Theatre Visits

We relish the opportunity to welcome theatre companies into our school to work with targeted groups of people or year groups.  We have enjoyed visits from the Nuffield Theatre, Forest Forge, Trap Media and specialist practitioners in fight direction, and physical theatre.  We have made theatre visits to Bath, London and Southampton.