Theatre

Course Structure

SL and HL

Prerequisites:

Nil

Exclusions:

Nil

Theatre is a dynamic, collaborative and live art form. It is a practical subject that encourages discovery through practical inquiry, experimentation, risk taking and the presentation of ideas to others.

The IB Diploma Programme theatre course is a multifaceted theatre-making course. It gives students the opportunity to make theatre as creators, designers, directors and performers. It emphasises the importance of working both individually and as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process of inquiring, developing, presenting and evaluating. Students are encouraged to work as inquisitive and imaginative artists, transforming ideas into action and communicating these to an audience.

The basis of theatre is inquiry into the human condition; what makes us human, the actions we take and the stories we tell, how we interact and how we share our visions.

Theatre is a form of expressive communication to others, and students are therefore required to think about the responsibilities of theatre-making, considering carefully what they wish to communicate and how to best present their ideas.

Theatre students learn to apply research and theory to inform and contextualise their work as they experience the course through practical and physical engagement. They understand that knowledge resides in the body and that research can be conducted physically through both action and practice. In this respect, the theatre course encourages students to appreciate that through the processes of researching, creating, preparing, presenting and critically reflecting on theatre—as participants and spectators—they gain a richer understanding of themselves, their community and the world.

Through the study of theatre, students strengthen their awareness of their own personal and cultural perspectives, developing an appreciation of the diversity of theatre practices, their processes and their modes of presentation. This enables students to discover and engage with different forms of theatre across time, place and culture and promotes international-mindedness. Participation in the DP theatre course results in the development of both theatre and life skills; the building of confidence, imagination, creativity and a collaborative mindset.

Coursework

Staging play texts

This area of the syllabus addresses the transformation of play texts into action. Students examine the ways in which ideas are articulated in texts by playwrights and the ways in which performance and production elements can be used to effectively fulfil theatre-maker intentions.

Exploring world theatre traditions

This area of the syllabus addresses the authentic exploration of world theatre traditions through academic and practical research and exploration. Students inquire into and physically explore world theatre traditions, performance conventions and performance material from those traditions in order to acquire a deeper understanding and appreciation of the traditions through the body and/or voice.

Collaboratively creating original theatre

Performing theatre theory (HL only)

This area of the syllabus addresses the exploration of aspects of theatre theory and the ways in which theory can inform performance. Students research at least one theatre theorist, identify an aspect of their theory and apply this to create and present theatre work that demonstrates this aspect of theory in performance.