KTB130 Foundations of Drama and Performance

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2027, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This foundational unit provides you with a comprehensive introduction to the diverse landscape of dramatic arts. It explores a spectrum of theatrical forms including classical, commercial, post-dramatic, musical, and community theatre, with a strong emphasis on the sociocultural and historical contexts that shape these practices, including the role of First Nations works and artists in the Australian context. Industry aligned case study examples encourage you to critically engage with dramatic roles, which may include the director, producer, performer, designer, and teaching artist, examining how each contributes to the creation and communication of meaning in performance. This fosters analytical and collaborative skills through exposure to extant scripts, staged readings, and associated opportunities to develop and practice dramatic performance skills.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Identify and describe a range of theatrical forms and practices, including First Nations works, within their sociocultural and historical contexts.
2. Analyse the roles and contributions of key dramatic practitioners in the creation and communication of meaning in performance.
3. Apply foundational performance and collaborative skills through engagement with scripts, staged readings, and workshop activities.
4. Critically reflect on dramatic practices using appropriate disciplinary language across written, oral, and performative modes.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit uses lectures, tutorials, and workshops in a modulated sequence to move learning from theory to practice. Lectures establish foundational concepts, tutorials deepen understanding through discussion and application, and workshops provide hands-on opportunities to translate ideas into creative outcomes. This progression ensures an integrated learning experience that builds knowledge and skills effectively.

In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the following:

Lectures and guided readings that introduce core ideas, contexts and vocabularies across a range of theatrical forms, including First Nations perspectives.

Tutorial and workshop practice where you explore scene work, ensemble skills and foundational performance techniques through short tasks.

Tutor and peer-led discussions to consolidate concepts, extend examples, and support multimodal learning.

Peer feedback and reflection activities (short debriefs, reflective sessions) that help you translate concepts into practice.

Real‑world collaboration expectations: Performance‑making is cooperative; you will coordinate rehearsal time outside scheduled classes and commit to safe, respectful studio behaviour. Attendance at all classes is strongly recommended and participation will be assessed.

Ethical and cultural protocols: Wherever diverse materials are used, the unit follows First Nations First principles and refers to industry-standard protocols, such as Australia Council’s Protocols for producing Indigenous Australian performing arts, where appropriate.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Throughout the unit, teaching staff will provide feedback to you which will inform all assessments items. There will also be opportunities to seek and apply feedback from peers by virtue of the creative process. Feedback in this unit is provided to you through comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets.

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessment items in this unit. A1 and A2 will provide you an opportunity to critically engage with the unit's theoretical content, with practical application. A3 will give you the opportunity to demonstrate the skills that you have learnt in the workshops and synthesise these with the theoretical components from the lectures.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Critique (written)

Engage in a critical dialogue with an AI tool, analysing a selected dramatic form. (Non-AI pathways are available if you opt-out of AI, which may include a critical dialogue with a peer.)

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Critique (oral)

Present a critique of a live, recorded or written performance, integrating and demonstrating communication of dramatic analysis skills.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

The late submission period does not apply and no assignment extensions are available.

Assessment: Performance

Perform an excerpt of an extant script, demonstrating understanding of style and genre through collaborative staging.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

The late submission period does not apply and no assignment extensions are available.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages (CIESJ Tier 1 HSE requirement) 

For some students, this unit also may also require a Tier 2 CIESJ Health and Safety Induction which is provided by the technician on site in the theatre, workshop or studio. 

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information. For CIESJ Tiers 2 and 3 Health and Safety requirements, you will be instructed on safe procedures and the required safety gear for all studio and workshop processes that are demonstrated

As all performance-makers understand, creating a performance potentially carries with it certain physical and/or emotional risks, both in the rehearsal room and in the theatre. Indeed taking risks is an integral component of the art form’s processes. Some rehearsal warm ups and exercises, and some performance events may include physically or emotionally strenuous activities. Managing this risk to ensure working conditions are safe, is always a high priority in the production process. It is therefore extremely important that if you are aware of personal physical or emotional vulnerabilities that make you feel unsafe or at risk in any way, you should immediately inform your tutor or director or stage manager, so that your situation can be evaluated and appropriate rectifying action can be taken.

Theatres and other performance spaces are also potentially dangerous places, particularly backstage during performances when low light conditions prevail. You will be warned by the stage manager, the production manager or the director of any specific risks that you will need to be aware of, when your project team first moves into the theatre. Whenever moving into a new performance space, you should always conduct your own risk assessment, and notify your team or director of any hazards you have personally identified.

Every effort is made by Drama staff at QUT to ensure that you work in a safe environment. Conversely you are absolutely expected to follow all safety rules, procedures and directions, and to ensure that you do not put at risk the safety of others, or yourself, or of the highest artistic fulfilment of the project in any way. 

Course Learning Outcomes

CA01 Bachelor of Creative Arts

1. Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
   Relates to: Critique (written), Critique (oral)
2. Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
   Relates to: Critique (written), Critique (oral), Performance
3. Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
   Relates to: Performance
4. Communicate independent learning clearly and coherently in diverse modes relevant to your field of creative practice.
   Relates to: Critique (written), Critique (oral)
5. Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
   Relates to: Critique (written), Critique (oral)
6. Work productively as a leader and collaborator in disciplinary and interdisciplinary practices.
   Relates to: Performance
7. Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
   Relates to: Critique (written), Critique (oral)
8. Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
   Relates to: Critique (written), Critique (oral)
9. Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
   Relates to: Performance