Overview

Build confidence, work as a team, and develop creative storytelling. In engaging and dynamic classrooms, we will explore a variety of performance techniques that are exciting, fun, and foster personal growth and self-expression.

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 can join us at the start of any term during the year. NIDA Open Drama courses are designed across a four-term structure within the following learning framework: 

Term 1 Improvisation and Performance Craft 
Term 2 Voice and Movement 
Term 3 Devising and Contemporary Performance 
Term 4 Script Work and Staging 

Term 1: Building Blocks

Have you ever wanted to build magical places for your favourite things or dream up big plans for the future? Inspired by Oliver Jeffers’ What We’ll Build, use your imagination to create exciting new worlds. Explore improvisation and storytelling and develop your performance skills in a fun environment. Share your amazing adventures and newfound talents with friends and family at the end of the 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 exercises that promote expressive movement, physical command and spatial awareness.

Term 2: Wild Things

Roar, stomp, and move like a Wild Thing as you step into the enchanting world of magical creatures! Explore voice and movement techniques to create your own mystical characters and develop your confidence while exploring their lively rhythms, rhymes, and wild rumpus. Collaborate with your NIDA Open friends, and invite family to join your otherworldly adventures at the end of term.

Components

• Vocal Expression: Learn how the voice works and develop vocal confidence in a live performance setting.
• 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: Opposite Day

What if everything you knew was turned upside down? Dive into a world where up is down, stop is go, and fish fly while birds swim! Welcome to Opposite Day. Devise original, topsy-turvy stories with your NIDA friends and bring your wacky worlds to life. Develop your creative expression and unleash your imagination in a fun and inclusive environment. At the end of the term, present your delightfully chaotic stories to friends and family.

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 Open teaching artist and classmates to build a creative idea into a short, devised presentation.

Term 4: Delightfully Different

What if being different could be your greatest strength? Inspired by Aaron Blabey’s wonderfully unique characters – Pearl Barley, Charlie Parsley, Sunday Chutney, and Stanley Paste, uncover the power of individuality and learn how to adapt a well-loved story for the stage. Create a short script, develop compelling characters, and rehearse and stage your brand new story. Share your delightfully different stories with friends and family at the end of the 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.

For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.