Since 2021, Melbourne Theatre Company has partnered with the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) to deliver a semester-long course for Theatre Arts students.
Since 2021, Melbourne Theatre Company has partnered with the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) to deliver a semester-long course for Year 11 Theatre Arts students. Offered as part of the school’s extension program, the course allows students to explore the lifecycle of a Melbourne Theatre Company production to see how a play is brought to life on stage. The course has been designed to complement and enhance the study of VCE Drama and Theatre Studies.
A unique aspect of the course are the guest artists and Melbourne Theatre Company staff who share their professional knowledge with students. Each term is facilitated by a lead artist who has worked with Melbourne Theatre Company, and weekly sessions with guest artists explore the work of various production roles in the theatre-making process. Students develop their own interpretation of plays available on MTC Digital Theatre, such as SLAP. BANG. KISS. by Dan Giovannoni and Berlin by Joanna Murray-Smith. Assessment outcomes include a set model, costume design presentation and ensemble performances. The 2023 course was led by Katy Maudlin (SLAP. BANG. KISS.) with guest artists including actors Sarah Fitzgerald, Tsungirai Wachenuka and Conor Leach (SLAP. BANG. KISS.), Set & Costume Designers Anna Cordingley (Jasper Jones), Kate Davis (SLAP. BANG. KISS.) and Jacob Battista (A Very Jewish Christmas Carol), Lighting Designer Amelia Lever-Davidson (Bernhardt/Hamlet), Voice Coach Matt Furlani (& Juliet), Movement Director Xanthe Beesley (Laurinda) and Intimacy Coordinator Isabella Vadiveloo (I Wanna Be Yours).
In 2023, we introduced a series of after-school events for Year 12 Theatre Arts to experience tech sessions at Southbank Theatre and participate in seminars with staff from the technical and production departments.
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To learn more about the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, visit vcass.vic.edu.au
