Drama

The drama program at Melbourne Girls Grammar consists of classroom drama and the co-curricular drama program.

Classroom Drama

At Year 5 Drama is a core subject and at Years 6 – 10 Drama is an elective the girls may choose. At VCE, Drama studies are on offer.

In the Middle Years (Years 5-8), Drama students develop a range of skills including: expressive and performance skills, play-making techniques and scripting. Students experiment with a range of eclectic performance styles including naturalism, Elizabethan theatre, elements of Greek theatre and contemporary theatrical principles

At Years 7 and 8, our Contemporary Movement courses are also on offer, allowing students to develop choreographic and movement skills. In these courses, students study a range of style including Cultural Dance, Musical Theatre and Indigenous Storytelling.

In the Senior Years (Years 9-12), Drama students develop key skills in theatre making as they undertake study into the devising and play-making process. Students create works that are eclectic in nature and draw upon conventions from a range of performance styles. Our VCE students undertake study of ensemble, solo and professional Drama works.

The Drama and Contemporary Movement program is enhance by our proximity to the cultural heart of Melbourne and our students see a diverse range of theatrical performances at various venues.

House Drama

There are five Houses at Melbourne Girls Grammar: Batman, Clarke, Hensley, Mungo and Taylor. The inter-house music drama program competition fosters House spirit, camaraderie and participation for all students.

The annual festival is a major House event and involves large numbers of girls from Years 5 to 12 in the writing, rehearsing, producing and performing of a House play.  This provides an authentic opportunity for girls to lead, learn and be a part of a dynamic community building activity.

Facilities

At the Merton Hall Campus, the Drama Department is situated in a purpose built facility and includes:

• The Open Space – a performance studio – and provides a place for students to rig, focus and operate lights.
• Godot provides a drama classroom complete with projection and screen for viewing and when combined with the balconies, provides a spacious foyer for productions.
• Laban is a movement studio complete with a mirrored wall, a sprung dance floor and fold down make-up benches for use in productions.
• Artuad is the costume room.

Co-Curricular Drama

Co-curricular drama consists of several major productions each year; these range from plays to musicals and involve students from both the Middle and Senior Years. 

Experiential learning is a well-established vehicle for our drama girls to broaden and deepen their knowledge and skills.