New Zealand School Activities: Fine Arts--Drama


Figure 1.--This New Zealand boy (probably from the 1930s) is participating in a school drama. He seems to be playing an Elizabethan noble, presumably in a Renaissance play. Interestingly it would not be a Shakespearean production. Shakespeare never shows beheading on stage (for obvious reasons), and this boy is kneeling at a block. Other kinds of bloody violence are often shown, however, and Shakespeare does have severed heads brought on stage. The scene here must be from some other historically based theatrical. He wears a fancy jacket with lace collar and lace cuffs and long white stockings which are supposed to simulate Elizabethan aristocratic dress. (This helps date the image. Modern schools would hve used tights as long stockings are no longer readily available.) School costuming is often makeshift, especially primasry school productions. This boy wears his school short trousers and ordinary black street shoes. The boy looks to be about 10-11 years old. Click on the image for a fuller discussion.

Many New Zealand schools have theatrical programs. Here the British roots of New Zealand education show. Many schools have drama programs of varios kinds. This includes both course work and extra-curricular activities. The drama proigrams are strongest in secondary schools and private schools. Drama is often combined with speech in school programs. The programs feature communication and performance skills with elements of stagecraft. Younger children may do drama activities in their class rooms with their resident teacher. Some schools arange for various types of support available in the community. Itinerant teachers are also utilized. Some secondary schools have drama courses. For the most part these are the only schools with specilist drama teachers. Most schools do plays as extra-curricular activities. We notice schools using the term co-curricular. Schools often stage a number of significant drama events throughout the year. The type \and sophistication of the products of course is lsargely determined by the school level. One secondary school, for example, reports "an annnual Shakespearean production, the Junior and Senior Drama productions, and the hugely popular Stage Challenge."







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Created: 1:56 AM 3/30/2010
Last updated: 7:24 AM 4/4/2010