Drama
Drama brings exciting opportunities for all pupils right across the school from Pre-Prep through to Year 6. Prince’s Mead is fortunate to have an outstanding LAMDA coach whose mission is to train our dramatic artists and technicians so they can make an impact on their senior schools and beyond through their experience with theatre. In the last academic year, 68 pupils entered into either an Acting or a Spoken Verse and Prose LAMDA Examination, 56 children passed with Distinction and 12 pupils were awarded Merit. Every single child worked with passion and dedication and these results are richly deserved. Prince’s Mead also runs an annual Drama Festival where children perform in front of an outside adjudicator.
In Years 4, 5 and 6, drama is taught as a separate lesson where a wide variety of activities are used to develop the technical and interpretative skills needed for each child to become a confident communicator who is comfortable expressing themselves. Public speaking plays an important role in the Drama provision at Prince’s Mead. The children have many opportunities to practise their performance skills, from Match Reports in Friday Assemblies, class performances and our own Drama Festival.
At the end of the Summer Term, Year 6 have the opportunity to display the skills they have learned and talents they have honed, in the much-anticipated End of Year Production. The shows always include a high level of acting performance and direction, with specific coaching from specialist teachers in dialogue, singing, dancing and, when needed, stage-fighting. The school sports hall is transformed into a spectacular theatre space, creating the perfect venue for each amazing event. A professional lighting and sound company bring effects and radio mics to embellish our shows, while our peripatetic music teachers accompany our children, giving the experience a real West End feel. Past productions have included Bugsy Malone, The Sound of Music and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. More recently we have performed Shrek the Musical JR., Disney’s Aladdin, Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Disney’s Mary Poppins JR.
Mrs Jan Lyon PCertLAM, Speech & Drama Teacher