Drama and Theatre Studies
Head of Drama: Mr A Williams
Drama is unique in being both a subject and a teaching method. As such, it is one of the most valuable of learning tools, building up a wide variety of transferable skills, ranging from decision-making and role-playing to team-building and innovative thinking.
The passion for Drama is here to be experienced and shared by all - from the extrovert would-be actor to the shyly-retiring academic who wants to enhance confidence, creativity, and communication skills for the world of work and higher education beyond school.
Here, at Kent College, Drama is at the heart of the school community. GCSE and Advanced Level Theatre Studies courses are augmented by a lively programme of Drama activities for all.
These include regular theatre trips to local and London theatres, visiting professional theatre companies, Kent College Youth Theatre, and a variety of College productions, ranging from lavish musicals, through more intimate drama productions and informal workshop performances, to children's theatre for local schools.
Whatever the involvement in Drama at the College, we hope to provide something positive and valuable for everyone : we are proud to add value to the linguists and business students, as well as to the future artists.
College productions have gained a reputation for their quality and vitality, whether big-scale musicals, such as Les Miserables, challenging modern drama, such as Steven Berkoff's Metamorphosis, rollicking entertainments like Chaucer's The Canterbury tales, or innovative interpretations of the classics, such as The Tempest, staged on the professional stage of the Gulbenkian Theatre as part of the national Shakespeare Schools' Festival.
GCSE and A Level Drama and Theatre Studies students take part in several performances a year, create and lead projects for primary school pupils, and make numerous visits to learn from the extraordinary breadth of professional theatre available to us.
It is sometimes said that all you need for Drama are "bare boards and a passion". Here, at Kent College, we can offer rather more than that. The Chapel doubles as a performance venue, and has well-equipped theatre facilities, including a computerised lighting system and sophisticated sound equipment, while the brand new Drama Studio is a flexible and well-equipped dedicated facility for small-scale performances, rehearsals, workshops and classes.
The College's new Head of Drama has wide experience as teacher, writer, director and GCSE and A-Level examiner. His most recent work at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011 won a prestigious Fringe Guru Editor's Award. He is determined to ensure the future of Drama is a dynamic spirit at the centre of College life.
