BA Acting and Community Engagement

This core first year acting module provides an initial training in acting theory, method and practice based on the uniqueness of the individual and the ability to change, adapt, extend, perceive, accept and reject. Students move through self-study to look outside themselves, approaching firstly improvised situations and then scripted text in imaginative and collaborative ways. By the end of the course you will know how to start work on a play and will have begun collaborative text work. You are able to begin to create a character from a text and to start the process of creating the world of the play.

View Introduction to Acting Theory, Methods and Practice: From Self to Character on our Module Directory

For this core first year acting module students work in small groups to study scenes from a contemporary play, learning how to divide a scene into units of action, how to discover objectives for a character and use the text to discover information – about the play, its themes and characters. You workshop scenes in your groups, practising your learning from the early part of the course. By the end of this block of work you will be able to find a character’s through line and recreate work achieved during the rehearsal process.

View Verbatim Theatre and Contemporary Scene Study on our Module Directory

This core first year acting module provides opportunities for students to apply the introductory learning of Introduction to Acting Theory, Method and Practice to more demanding textual and acting challenges. You continue to advance your actor training through a focussed approach to the theatre of a particular period. Work on this course will be informed by your learning on Contextual Studies. The work of this module progresses into second year when it informs and supports the acting/voice project in Acting Techniques and Styles.

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This core first year acting module provides you with opportunities to play out the life of a character under simulated rather than ‘staged’ conditions in order to understand more fully the true meaning of the character’s experience and emotional depths.

View Improvised Living History on our Module Directory

This core full year module is one of the programme’s four skills modules. The work begins in Term One with an introduction to the anatomy of voice production. You will begin the work of acquiring good vocal habits through the use of basic vocal exercises. Techniques for direct communication with voice will be introduced. In Term Two you will develop the structures used by voice. You will work on improving articulation and explore accents and the voices of others. The work of the final term is on the vocal demands of acting, on developing clarity and power. By the end of the module you will have the ability to assess critically your own vocal capabilities and will have in place vocal exercises and a regime for future use.

View Voice I on our Module Directory

This core full year module is one of the programme’s four skills modules. The work begins in Term One with an introduction to basic anatomy. You begin the work of developing suppleness and stamina. Techniques for the release of emotion in movement will be introduced. In Term Two you develop balance, co-ordinations and rhythm, linking movement and dance with acting. You learn a range of styles and carriage. The work of the final term covers preparation for physical demands and the extension of physical and dance vocabulary.

View Movement I on our Module Directory

This core full year module is one of the programme’s four skills modules.

View Music and Singing I on our Module Directory

Actors spend their entire careers speaking other people’s words and trying to imagine how other people think. Contextual Studies is intended to help students to observe, to make rational sense of their observations and to put their own ideas into their own words as part of seminar discussion and in writing. The arts administration component introduces students to the principles of community theatre and the way companies work in the community.

View Contextual and Community Studies on our Module Directory

In this core second year module you begin to develop relationships with key local organisations and to explore the different influences and contexts that form the cultural landscape of communities. The module is project-based and encourages you to engage with your local communities in Southend, Loughton and the wider south east England region. You gain experience of working with and for a range of people from the very young to very senior citizens, to create and present community theatre. Projects draw on observation and narrative, exploring and referring to local histories and identities. Performances take place in a range of environments such as on campus, in studios, care homes, public libraries or outdoors.

View Applied Theatre Skills I: Consulting the Community on our Module Directory

This core second year module has a focus on community development, and you have opportunities to investigate equality of opportunity and community cultural development as you engage with communities in Southend, Loughton and the wider south east England region. You extend your experience of creating theatre in a range of forms, styles and performance environments. You explore a variety of approaches to physical theatre, object manipulation and outdoor performance, extending your technical and acting skills to apply to the demanding environments of street theatre. The work of this module culminates in the creation of Pandemonium – a street theatre festival for the people of Southend.

View Applied Theatre Skills II: Developing the Community on our Module Directory

In this core second year module you examine a range of community theatre contexts of arts management. You explore the structure and management of small-scale community and voluntary sector arts organisations, and community and education departments within large organisations. The module includes preparation for work placements assessed in the final year. By the end of the module you are prepared to learn and begin to apply arts administration skills in a professional company context. Aspects of event management and production management are explored. This may include such aspects as marketing, databases, budgets, liaison with agencies, licensing, risk assessment, audience management and other aspects of health and safety, along with scheduling and logistics. The structure and purpose of organisations involved in community theatre: community, voluntary, public and relevant departments under the umbrella of larger organisations.

View Community Theatre Arts Management on our Module Directory

The emphasis in this module is on developing design concepts and technical expertise for mounting small-scale community theatre, and developing technical skill in video documentary. You explore case studies of design for performance in the community. You are encouraged to make use of found materials and low-budget solutions suitable for small-scale touring and work in community settings. You gain an understanding of the technical, legal and health and safety issues of performance in a range of scales and settings. You learn to carry out established risk assessment procedures and to propose appropriate solutions to health and safety issues.

View Technical Theatre Skills on our Module Directory

The work of this module provides a training in voice, music movement and any other skills required for performance in community settings. You explore techniques of physical theatre and extended vocal work. You expand your understanding of dance and movement vocabulary including popular and culturally diverse dance forms. The work of this module provides you with an overview of the music appropriate to contemporary and historical contexts of your acting projects. You are able to apply standard body and vocal warm-ups and take active responsibility for identifying and remedying areas of personal weakness in performance. Contemporary theatre practices extend your understanding of physicality, voice, movement and characterisation in relation to community theatre. You undertake a series of intensive workshops with visiting practitioners active in the contemporary theatre profession to stimulate fresh responses to space, place and identity. The work of the module is completed by providing you with opportunities to develop a range of skills in samba, street music-making and circus in support of the outdoor project being developed in Applied Theatre Skills II. You learn how to perform percussion improvisations using junk and found instruments to create outdoor processional spectacles. You explore a range of carnival traditions and learn to make appropriate choices for your use in practical projects. You build on the skills developed in the first year to extend your technique in movement, voice and music. You are offered challenges and opportunities which can develop your competency to industry entry level. As well as developing the skills required of performers in community theatre, you develop specific skills related to your projects such as period dance or song, song writing and playing samba instruments. New skills are introduced in combat (to foundation level) and circus skills. You develop one circus skill to performance level competence.

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This is a full-year module for students on the BA Hons Acting and Community Theatre course. The module explores the role of the arts in the public realm and will introduce the wider history and context of community theatre in the UK and Europe. It will draw on the development of ideas of 'popular theatre', including theories of carnival, spectacle and community empowerment, with examples from a range of cultural contexts and practices. Students will also explore theories of representation including semiotics, drawing on visual, aural and popular culture. You will critically analyse performances, lectures and classes you have attended, drawing on appropriatetechnical and theoretical vocabulary. You will learn to locate performance practice within a social and cultural framework.

View Contextual Studies on our Module Directory

The work of this BA Hons Acting and Community Theatre Year 3 module begins with a series of workshops to introduce students to the ethical and practical issues of working with vulnerable groups involved with the health, social services or criminal justice system. Students are encouraged to develop a working knowledge of the processes of exclusion and inclusion, and of contemporary practice of theatre arts projects with these participants. The module further explores the role of theatre and workshop facilitation with participants who may have a disability or poor mental health, or are socially excluded, are at risk of offending or are in the criminal justice system.

View Applied Theatre Skills III: Wellbeing, Social Care and Criminal Justice on our Module Directory

The work of this core module complements the simultaneous work of Applied Skills III module. This module explores site-specific, issue-based and socio-political theatre. It explores citizenship, the inter-relationship of performance environment, form and content, the notion of community-based media and theatre for development. You develop a performance in an identified community setting with local historical or social significance. The performance draws on advanced technical resources in performance and production. You explore theatre as propaganda, consultation and persuasion. Provocative texts designed to stimulate debate and interactive techniques designed to promote participation and enquiry, may be be used to illustrate this theatrical form. The role of theatre in development, regeneration and conflict resolution are examined. You apply these approaches to research and development of a theatre performance. Advanced techniques in recording and editing of video and audio documentary and performance are applied to develop a project of contemporary community media. Technical skill in web design are developed.

View Applied Theatre Skills IV: Site-Specific and Web-Based Historical/Political Projects on our Module Directory

In this module you undertake a placement for a minimum of one day per week over fifteen weeks with a local or regional arts organisation of other user/provider of applied theatre. The work may be ‘blocked’ into a total of three weeks’ work or a combination of days and weeks by negotiation with the tutor and placement provider. Potential work placement providers include arts organisations, schools hospitals and social care or youth work settings. You are supported in their placements by the module tutor and a designated work placement supervisor within the organisation. You undertake 15 days work placement during the summer vacation between second and final years or other non-teaching periods as negotiated with the course leader. You critically examine the working practices of the organisations and companies with which you have a work placement. You further explore issues in current arts management, funding and arts development. You extend your arts administration knowledge in funding sources, developing a pitch and completing an application. Production management is advanced to consider planning, prioritising of areas and time lines. The work of this professional preparation module includes lectures with key industry bodies and personal management sessions.

View Arts Administration and Professional Development on our Module Directory

This module runs over 10 weeks, and can wither run the length of the Autumn or Summer Term, or be separated into smaller blocks of work. The student will be responsible for securing their own placement, with approval needed from the Head of Course. The type of placement will vary according to student interest but it may fall under the following headings: Theatre Management, Company Management, Film Production, Media, Stage Management, Dramaturgy or Research Assistant, Assistant Director (film or theatre) and Arts Administration.

View Contextual Studies on our Module Directory

This is the summative project for the BA Hons Acting and Community Theatre final year. In small companies students will identify a community setting in which to develop a theatrical intervention. For example this could take the form of a community play, a participatory project, or promenade performance. The students will work with at least one group of participants to develop the project. Each company of students will work as production crew and FOH for another company. Students will align the artistic and practical needs of the project and the community they work with. They will ensure that the performance conforms to licensing and other regulatory requirements. They will consider issues of accessibility and interpretation for audiences. Posters, programmes, and publicity for the project will be produced. Through regular company meetings they will assign roles to manage publicity, production processes and documentation of performances. During the work of this module students will critically examine the role of the artist, management and arts administration in community theatre. They will reflect on their own artistic development and readiness for high level participation in the development of community arts provision.

View Community Project on our Module Directory