Topic 1: Personal resource development

• Improvisation and ensemble play
• Vocal exploration and verbal communication skills
• Physical exploration and non-verbal communication skills
•  exploration of communication tools
• Improvisation, workshopping and ensemble play
• Vocal development and verbal communication skills
• Physical development and non-verbal communication skills
•  focus is on the understanding, development, maintenance and improvement of skills for communication, interpretation and expression
• Improvisation for performance
• Vocal and physical integration for performance
• focus is on integration of all interpretative, expressive and communication skills in the final performance programmes

Topic 2: Acting & Performance

• Acting and reacting in individual and group work
• Basic acting tools (character, subtext, interaction, spatial awareness etc.) in scripted and unscripted work
• Interpretation of texts
• Improvisation and workshoping skills
• Acting a character in scripted and unscripted individual and group work
• Acting in a specific (realistic/ heightened) style in scripted and unscripted individual and group work
• Physical storytelling
• Techniques for Poor theatre
• Integrated performance of three contrasting pieces, including at least ONE individual and ONE group piece in an audition or theme programme
• Demonstrating mastery of at least THREE contrasting styles and modes (lyrical, narrative and dramatic) in pieces and/or links
• Demonstrating vocal and physical interpretation and characterisation of texts

Topic 3: Performance texts in context

  Three performance texts must be studied each year, at least one from each category:

• South Africa
• The world

Western/ Eastern performance: early forms

• Origins of theatre in ritual
• Greek theatre and text
• Medieval theatre, commedi dell’arte OR Indian theatre and text

South African theatre traditions

• Hybrid nature of South African theatre, drawing from diverse South African identities, traditions and histories
• Theatre with a specific agenda: such as Protest theatre, Community theatre and Workers theatre
• South African theatre texts

Presentational and Representational theatre

• Realist theatre and text
• Stylised theatre and text, for example at least ONE of: Elizabethan, Asian, Pan-African, Expressionism, Contemporary American theatre

Contemporary South African theatre

• 1960 – 1994 theatre, and text
• Post-1994 to present day theatre, and text

Twentieth-century theatre movements, and beyond

• Overview of twentieth-century movements: Absurd theatre, Epic theatre, Postmodernism with appropriate theatre text

Topic 4: Theatre (and/or Film) production

• Principles and elements of drama basic design elements
  (The visual and aural world of the play) Staging and/or film conventions
• The role of the designer in stage and/or film.
  The role of the director in stage and/or film.
  The production process (inclusive of marketing the production, etc.)
• Design integration (related to final performance)
• The role of the playwright (integrated into study of texts in context)
  The role of the audience (including the theatre reviewer, integrated into study of  texts in context)

Grades 10 and 11

• A minimum of six formal assessment tasks must be completed during the school year.
• These six formal assessment tasks make up 25% of the total mark for Dramatic Arts. The six formal assessment tasks consist of the following:
• Two written controlled tests to be written
•  One mid-year examination that includes a performance examination and a written examination
• Three PATs to be completed during the school year
• Each of the three PATs contains TWO sections: a preparation section which is a theoretical, written component and a performance section which is a practical component.
• The end-of-year examination includes two parts: a performance examination (150 marks) and a written examination (150 marks).
• Together these two parts make up the remaining 75% .
• In Grades 10 and 11 all assessment is internal.

Grade 12

• A minimum of seven formal assessment tasks must be completed.
• These seven formal assessment tasks make up 25% of the total mark.
• The seven formal assessment tasks consist of the following: two written controlled tests are to be written; one mid-year examination, as well as a prelim examination that includes a performance examination and a written examination; and (PATs) to be completed during the year.
• Each of the three PATs contains TWO sections: a preparation sectio n which is a theoretical, written component and a performance section which is a practica l component.
• The end-of-the year examination includes two parts: a performance examination (150 marks) and a written examination (150 marks). Together these two parts make up the remaining 75% in all grades.
•  In Grade 12 the formal assessment (25%) is internally set and marked but externally moderated. The end-of-the year assessment (75%) is externally set, marked and moderated.