Drama for Grades Prep-2, Melbourne
Children must be enrolled in full time formal education to participate in these classes.
Develop confidence, communication, critical and creative thinking skills through fun, practical drama classes.
Learning framework
Each term we focus on a specific area of performance practice to ensure students have a varied experience and learn a range of essential creative skills.
Students are able to join us at the start of any term during the year. Children must be enrolled in full time formal education to participate in these courses.
NIDA Open Drama courses are designed across a four term structure within the following learning framework:
Term one Improvisation and Performance Craft
Term two Voice and Movement
Term three Devising and Contemporary Performance
Term four Script Work and Staging
Term 1, 2024: Enchanted Forest
Enter a magical forest filled with talking animals, mythical creatures, and enchanted objects! Explore improvisation techniques to create exciting stories and embark on heroic quests with your NIDA friends. Share some of your amazing adventures with family and friends at the end of term.
Course components
- Freeing the Imagination: Participate in fun and engaging exercises and activities that promote spontaneity, creative expression and self-confidence.
- Storytelling: Explore stories, ideas and adventures through group and individual improvisation.
- Physical Expression: Participate in games and exercises that promote expressive movement, physical command and spatial awareness.
Term 2, 2024: Sounds Silly To Me
Wriggle, jiggle and squiggle your way through the delightfully silly world of nonsense poems. Create colourful characters and stage muddled up verses through an exploration of voice and movement. Invite family and friends for a carnival of silliness at the end of term!
Course components
- Vocal Expression: Participate in fun and engaging exercises and activities that promote vocal expressiveness and confidence.
- Physical Expression: Participate in exercises that promote expressive movement, physical command and spatial awareness.
- Performance Skill: Experiment with voice and movement choices as part of a short, live presentation.
Term 3, 2024: That Crazy Cat
Embark on a theatrical journey with the mischievous Cat in the Hat! Inspired by Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat, join forces with your NIDA friends to devise a brief, original, cat-inspired story. Let your imagination run wild in this whimsical exploration of Seussville, and showcase your original stories in a delightful end-of-term presentation.
Course components
- Creative Voice: Participate in fun and engaging exercises to develop new ideas and learn how to share these ideas with others.
- Collaboration: Engage with and develop the ideas of other students in your class.
- Performance: Work with a NIDA Teaching Artist and classmates to build a creative idea into a short, devised presentation.
Term 4, 2024: Into The Gruffalo's Lair
Inspired by the beloved book The Gruffalo, follow the sneaky Mouse who deceives the jungle creatures including the fearsome Gruffalo. Learn how to adapt this well-loved story for the stage. Create a short script, explore characters, and present your walk in the woods with your NIDA ensemble.
Course components
- The Written Word: Learn how to turn a story or play into live performance.
- Stage Craft: Practice live performance skills; speaking in front of an audience, basic stage craft, audience and performance etiquette.
- Characters: Experiment with vocal and physical expression to create characters for performance.
Important information
- Please read our Cancellation and Transfer Policy.
- Flights and Accommodation: From time to time we may need to cancel an advertised course. Before booking flights and accommodation for travel to attend a NIDA Open course, please contact the NIDA Open office to confirm if your course will proceed as planned. NIDA does not accept liability for any associated costs of attendance or cancellation.
- Please wear comfortable clothing you can move in for all drama and performance related courses. Clothing that restricts movement is inappropriate.
- Please wear closed-in shoes. Shoes may be removed in the rehearsal room on the direction of the class tutor.
- Please bring a bottle of water to all classes.
- If you are running late to collect your child, please call NIDA reception on 02 9697 7600. NIDA will only provide supervision during advertised course times.
Enrol for the full year in advance to receive a 15% discount off the full price!
- Discount is only applicable when booking all four terms within the same calendar year.
- Discount is not available online. Please book over the phone by calling the office on 1300 450 417 to receive the discount.
- If students do not attend all four terms, the discount is no longer valid.
This course has no current classes. Please join the waiting list