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Confidence and self-expression come from celebrating mistakes
What is drama?
When I think of drama, I think of putting on plays with my students and playing icebreaker games. I think of journal entries and reflections on plays, movies, songs and our process of creation. I think of building puppets, sets and designing costumes. I’m reminded of a community that builds each other up, and I hear a chorus of yesses—eager voices with a willingness to try something new, or scary or silly.
When I think of drama, I think of a moment when you get to be who you are and express yourself in a way that feels true. In its simplest form, drama is a play, or the practice of creating theatre. It can range from producing a play to telling a story through movement, to improvising a scene, to creating a poem, to devising your own performance. It is often performative, but can also be a wonderful outlet to express who you are or what you are feeling.
What are the main genres or styles that exist within drama?
The drama program of studies is broken down into five main disciplines:
1. Acting/improvisation
2. Speech
3. Movement
4. Theatre studies
5. Technical theatre (Directing and playwriting are added in high school.)
This highlights the variety and depth of drama and how so many can connect to different facets of it.
Movement and physical theatre often give students the opportunity to warm up to the idea of theatre and performing in a low-stakes environment — no line memorization, no wondering how they sound, or if they’re “acting well.” From there we can explore so many different forms of theatre, including text work with poetry, scenes and monologues; designing sets and costume pieces; building puppets; learning stage combat techniques; creating silent films; analyzing plays; breaking down scripts; writing scenes and even directing small plays.
Theatre, like any art form, has evolved over time, bringing about different forms and styles. Commedia dell’arte, epic theatre, theatre of the oppressed, physical theatre — these are just a few! Modern theatre today has influences from history as well as various cultures around the world. Japanese Noh, Nigerian Yoruba Theatre, Indian Kathakali and Filipino Sarsuwela are unique theatre practices that typically involve stories of culture, singing, dancing, and extravagant costumes, make-up, puppets and/or masks.
What skills are required to excel at drama?
The most valuable and necessary skill to have in drama is a willingness to try. Drama is an adaptable discipline that can meet students where they are, as long as they are willing to try their best. For some, that means sitting in the circle while the class plays a game, or performing for a small group of people instead of a large audience.
Since theatre is a community that comes together to create, another important skill to have is being able to work collaboratively as a team. Whether you’re working on a play with actors, directors, technicians, etc., or with a Grade 7 drama class trying something new, you need to collaborate and encourage each other to do your best. To be successful in theatre, you also need to be empathetic, creative, disciplined, and it doesn’t hurt to have some improvisation skills!
What are the benefits of participating in drama?
It is often thought that the only people who should participate in the arts are those who aspire to have a career in them. However, drama, like many of the arts, teaches us an abundance of important skills that help in various aspects of life.
Drama teaches you to think on your feet, and can give you confidence in yourself and your abilities. Through drama you will also improve your public speaking and communication skills. If you’ve been in drama before, it is likely you have heard the phrase “fail forward” or “celebrate your mistakes.” Those are such valuable lessons we can take away from theatre as it helps us to learn that failure and making mistakes are parts of life, and what really matters is how we move forward and what we learn from our mistakes.
We live in a world where it often feels like everything we do has to be perfect the first time we do it. Drama helps us to be okay with creating and doing for the sake of enjoyment, fulfillment and expression.
Molly Danko
Senior high special education program
Louis St. Laurent Catholic Junior/Senior High School, Edmonton
Years teaching: 6
Main artistic discipline: Drama and music
Who or what inspired you to be a teacher?
Theatre, believe it or not! I was an incredibly shy kid in school until I started taking drama. As I neared the end of high school and looked back on how I’d grown over those three years, I realized that theatre helped me to be confident in who I was and understand myself in ways I didn’t before. I realized the value the arts had in my life, and I wanted to continue creating opportunities in the arts for kids.
If you hadn’t chosen teaching as a profession, what would you be?
As a kid, I desperately wanted to be an interior designer ... or a dentist! If I had to choose now, I’d be interested in being a speech language pathologist or an urban/community planner.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
I love that moment when kids “get it!” I love watching them grow throughout the year and getting to know them. I love helping students understand the world around them and navigate the future as responsible citizens. And most of all, I love seeing the power they have as unique individuals and being confident in the fact that they are our future.
Who is your favourite artist in your discipline and why?
Audra McDonald, Cynthia Erivo and Celia Keenan-Bolger are a few of my favourite stage actors. They all have so much depth and honesty in their performances and are incredible to watch.
What work of art has inspired you the most?
There are far too many to choose from! But I recently saw a show, The Garneau Block, at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre, and was inspired by the metaphor throughout about putting in the work to “clean up” our communities together and make our world a better place.
What is the greatest life lesson you learned from your artistic endeavours?
To “fail forward,” to pick myself back up, no matter what happens, and learn from my experiences and grow as I move forward … and that there is always something to learn from someone around you.
Drama teaches you to think on your feet.
