Courses - Faculty of Arts
Drama
Stage I
Presentation and Performance Skills: Taking the Stage
Focuses on enhancing oral communication and performance skills through interactive workshops with speakers and performers highlighting the transferable skills of acting in three main areas: public speaking, improvising and group-devised performance.
Stage II
History and Performance
Explores a range of major plays from ancient Greek tragedy to contemporary New Zealand drama. This course examines plays in their historical context and as texts for performance. In Semester Two, students learn skills in theatre production by staging a full-length play, directed by an outside professional director.
Prerequisite: 60 points passed including DRAMA 100
Restriction: DRAMA 204
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 202 A and B
Drama of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific
An overview of the development of modern and contemporary drama, theatre and playwriting in Aotearoa New Zealand. Topics include: experimental theatre, feminist drama and Māori drama. Some plays by Pacific writers will be considered.
Prerequisite: 60 points passed
Restriction: DRAMA 303
Stage III
Drama: Topics and Themes
Building on the principles and practical skills from DRAMA 202 and 204, the course will focus more narrowly on topics of theatrical practice and dramatic representation. Classes involve theatrical workshops and collaborative projects.
Prerequisite: DRAMA 202 or 204
Performance Skills
Classes in stage acting, improvisation, movement, voice and character, taught by professional tutors. Students will present a solo or duo short performance.
Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II
Restriction: DRAMA 719
Drama of Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific
An overview of the development of modern and contemporary drama, theatre and playwriting in Aotearoa New Zealand. Topics include: experimental theatre, feminist drama and Māori drama. Some plays by Pacific writers will be considered.
Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II
Restriction: DRAMA 203
Contemporary Theatre Practice
A survey of current trends in theatre practice, including: devised and dance-theatre, participatory and immersive theatre, autobiographical performance, applied theatre and documentary theatre, intermedial and virtual theatre, and new musical theatre. Students will select focus areas and engage in critical and creative research towards two key performance outcomes.
Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II
Drama Tools
Develops the skills that are essential in theatre-making, including acting and storytelling, by staging a public performance. During the intensive three-week rehearsal period, under the guidance of an experienced director, students work in a collaborative fashion through ongoing group discussion and theatrical practice. Other transferable skills include effective communication, team-work and problem solving in an active and creative manner.
Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II
Production and Management Skills
Introduces students to multiple roles and skills needed for the management of productions, companies and other organisations in the performing-arts, specifically drama, but also dance, music and other performance art. Skills discussed include planning and creating schedules and budgets, procuring and managing resources, arts organisation infrastructure and liaison, donor and benefactor development, social marketing and networking, crowdfunding, and outcome reporting.
Prerequisite: DRAMA 202 or 204
Postgraduate 700 Level Courses
Drama and the Mind
Examines a selection of modern British and Irish dramatic texts that involve mind-body relationships and the representation of unconscious processes. Perspectives include Freudian psychoanalysis, neuroscience, and theories of acting.
Studio - Level 9
A practical, explorative theatre or drama project, with written reflection, nominated by the student or a small group of students. Projects must be approved and supervised.
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 709 A and B, or DRAMA 709
Semester One Production
Students participate in a full-scale, public production of a full-length play. As far as possible all roles from acting to lighting to design to stage-management to front of house etc will be taken by students enrolled in the course. Direction will be by teaching staff or guest director.
Restriction: DRAMA 703
For students currently enrolled in a postgraduate programme in Drama.
Semester Two Production
Students participate in a full-scale public production of a full-length play. As far as possible all roles from acting to lighting to design to stage-management to front of house etc will be taken by students enrolled in the course. Direction will be by teaching staff or guest director.
Restriction: DRAMA 703
Directed Study in Playwriting
A study of playwriting or workshopping or dramaturgy or a short writing project, either original or adaptation.
Long Play
The writing of a complete play for live performance between one hour and two hours in length.
Restriction: DRAMA 715
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 717 A and B
Playwriting
A series of exercises in the basic building blocks of dramatic writing, incorporating guest visits from practising and established dramatists.
Restriction: DRAMA 714
Performance Skills
Classes in stage acting, improvisation, movement, voice and character. Students will present a solo performance and a short study in performance training theory.
Restriction: DRAMA 302, 702
Advanced Playwriting
Develops skills in playwriting with each student working under supervision.
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 720 A and B, or DRAMA 720
Special Topic
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 723 A and B, or DRAMA 723
Special Topic
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 724 A and B, or DRAMA 724
Research Principles for Theatre
Outlines the principles of research for theatre. Combines critical enquiry, theory and practical exercises to explore best practice in scholarly and creative performance research. Topics include developing a subject, refining a research question, scholarly research practices, using the creative process as research methodology, and framing research findings. Examines impact of language, culture and gender on theatre research.
Studio/Project in Practical Drama
Students may undertake a supervised practical project in drama of a limited scale, either as an individual or in a small group.
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 730 A and B, or DRAMA 730
Studio/Project in Drama - Level 9
Substantial individual and group project(s), including some public presentation of project work.
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 770 A and B, or DRAMA 770
Dissertation - Level 9
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 783 A and B, or DRAMA 783
Research Project - Level 9
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 790 A and B, or DRAMA 790
Dissertation - Level 9
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 792 A and B, or DRAMA 792
Thesis - Level 9
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 793 A and B
Thesis - Level 9
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 795 A and B
Thesis - Level 9
To complete this course students must enrol in DRAMA 796 A and B