Drama & Theatre A Level
Course Overview
Drama and Theatre Studies is an exciting, inspiring, and challenging course which encourages creativity and independence, enabling you to become an effective theatre maker as a performer and/or designer. It is a highly practical course which prepares you for further study in higher education and drama schools.
The course is divided into three components:
- Theatre Workshop: will see you studying a practical reinterpretation of a chosen text extract which you will develop using the working methods and techniques of a chosen practitioner or theatre company. The written coursework documents your creative process. You can work as either a performer or a designer.
- Text in Action: is a practical component where you will create, develop and perform/design a devised piece and a scripted piece. The written coursework documents, analyses and evaluates your creative process.
- Text in Performance: consists of both theoretical and practical study of three set texts from actor, director and designer perspectives, which will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of how drama and theatre are developed and performed. You will also analyse the work of others by viewing live theatre productions.
The main focus of the course is the interpretation, development and making of theatre in preparation for both devised and scripted live performances. You will have the benefit of working with industry-trained staff and practitioners within the department, who have many years of experience in teaching Drama and Theatre and preparing students for auditions.
Year 1 Modules
- Theatre Workshop
- Text in Action
- Text in Performance
Year 2 Modules
- Theatre Workshop
- Text in Action
- Text in Performance
Key Info
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Five GCSEs at Grade 5 including:
- Grade 5 in GCSE English Literature
- Grade 4 in GCSE English Language
- A successful audition where you demonstrate the practical performance or theatre design skills required for the course that you may not have had the opportunity to show at school.
Assessment
- 40% Exam
- 60% Coursework
- Exam Board: EDUQAS
Audition Requirements
Auditions for September 2026 study: Applicants will be invited to attend their audition as part of our Welcome Day on 29th June 2026. For those not attending the event, an alternative date will be arranged.
The audition process is a really important and valuable part of your application and a reflection of practice within the Performing Arts industry. Therefore, the purpose of this audition is to allow you to showcase your skills and to ensure your suitability for your chosen course.
All students will be required to participate in a group-devised workshop, and choose one of the following activities to complete.
We would like you to prepare a 1–1.5 minute monologue of your choice; this can be from an existing play, something from your GCSE course or a piece you have written yourself, but it must be memorised. To complement this, we ask that you submit, at the same time, a personal interpretation of the character you are playing in the monologue; this should be no more than 150 written words. You will be required to perform your monologue during the audition session.
For those students choosing to do the Theatre Design strand of the A Level Drama course:
Please submit either design option 1 or design option 2 for a play of your choice. This can be for an existing play that you have studied for a GCSE course or a play you have devised for GCSE Drama. To complement this, we ask that you submit, at the same time, 150 words explaining how your design creates meaning for an audience.
Option 1: Please submit a mood board with your design ideas for set, lighting, sound or costume for a play of your choice.
Option 2: for those students who have previous design experience (from amateur dramatics or GCSE Art, DT or Drama).
Please choose one design aspect and provide the following:
Set design (including props):
Please produce a set design (a 3D model (e.g. within a shoebox) or a digital design for a play of your choice, including:
- The placement of the furniture and large props
- Any use of set elements (eg, levels, flats, audience position, design of the whole space, use of texture, materials, colour, shape etc)
Costume design (including hair and make-up):
Please produce designs for a play of your choice, including:
- A set of drawings/designs for costume, hair and make-up
- Any use of costume elements (eg, fabric, texture, colour, weight, style etc)
Sound design:
Please produce a sound design with at least 4 different cues for a play of your choice, including:
- Use of pre-recorded sound effects and/or use of music to create atmosphere
- Any use of sound elements (eg, volume, distortion, reverb, echo, layering of sound effects etc)
Lighting design:
Please produce a lighting design for a proscenium arch/end on stage with at least 4 different cues for a play of your choice, including:
- Colours
- Lantern positions
- Any use of lighting elements (eg, gobos, barn doors, colour, use of video projection, style etc)
Why choose this course?
You will enjoy this course if you are creative and interested in studying and making theatre, as a performer and/or a designer; or you are considering a profession in the entertainment industry.
Our Drama and Theatre course is taught in excellent purpose-built facilities, which include rehearsal rooms and a fully functional black box theatre. Visiting theatre groups and practitioners, theatre trips and enrichment activities such as working towards LAMDA Acting qualifications ensure that any student studying at Long Road has the opportunity to develop their skills beyond the study timetable.
Skills you'll gain
On this course you will:
- Develop an informed, analytical framework for making, performing, interpreting and understanding drama and theatre.
- Appreciate and experience live theatre.
- Develop analysis and evaluation skills.
- Appreciate how the social, cultural and historical contexts of performance texts have influenced the development of drama and theatre.
After Long Road
The course includes preparation for students considering Drama and Theatre courses at university and actor training at major Drama schools. It is also an excellent grounding for interpersonal skills such as communication, confidence building, organisation and teamwork in preparation for careers in areas such as law, social work, psychology and teaching.
Drama has been an amazing experience. The new skills that you learn help you develop independence that you can interpret into other aspects of your life.
