Drama
Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12
Our Drama co-curricular programs are dedicated to creating rich artistic experiences and aim to provide the opportunity to extend creative talents, intellectual abilities, and people skills in a fun and nurturing environment.
Programs are delivered by MLC School’s Dance, Drama and Entertainment department and by external specialist tutors from the Speech and Drama Studio.
Dance, Drama and Entertainment
Delivered by MLC School Dance, Drama and Entertainment (DDE) Department
Delivered by MLC School Dance, Drama and Entertainment Department
Rehearsals run across Term 3 and Term 4
Performance is held towards the end of Term 4
This production will be by audition and open to students from Year 7 to Year 9. Being involved in a school production encourages students to be become part of a collaborative creative community. It aims to cultivate essential skills in drama that can have benefits to their academic, emotional, and social wellbeing as well as encouraging a greater appreciation of the arts. It allows students to develop their self-confidence, imagination, cooperation, and communication skills through performance.
Students who are offered a role must attend all scheduled rehearsals which run on:
- Monday after school for rehearsals between 3.30pm–5pm
- Select Sundays in Term 3 and Term 4
A full rehearsal schedule will be produced prior to the commencement of rehearsals which will detail student’s full commitments.
There will be an opportunity for Year 9 and Year 10 students to work as part of the backstage crew for this production. The will learn skills such as stage management, lighting operation and set construction.
Coordinator: Kathryn Smith-Sergi
Places available: Varies depending on the play chosen
Time: Tuesday after school for rehearsals, 3.30pm–5pm
Select Sundays in Term 3 and Term 4
Location: Drama Theatre
Cost: $250 ($125 per term)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator for audition information. Auditions will be at the end of Term 2
Delivered by MLC School Dance, Drama and Entertainment Department
Rehearsals run across Term 1 and Term 2
Performance is held towards the end of Term 2
This production will be by audition and open to students from Year 10 to Year 12. Being involved in a school production encourages students to be become part of a collaborative creative community. It aims to cultivate essential skills in drama that can have benefits to their academic, emotional, and social wellbeing as well as encouraging a greater appreciation of the arts. It allows students to develop their self-confidence, imagination, cooperation, and communication skills through performance.
Students who are offered a role must attend all scheduled rehearsals which run on:
- Fridays after school for rehearsals between 3.30pm–5pm
- Select Sundays in Term 1 and Term 2
- Dress rehearsals during June long weekend (Sunday and Monday)
A full rehearsal schedule will be produced prior to the commencement of rehearsals which will detail student’s full commitments.
Coordinator: Lisa Jinga
Places available: Varies depending on the play chosen
Time: Fridays after school rehearsals 3.30pm–5pm
Select Sundays in Term 1 and Term 2
Location: Drama Theatre
Cost: $250 ($125 per term)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator for audition information
The Speech and Drama Studio
Tuition for MLC School students delivered by The Speech and Drama Studio
The Speech and Drama Studio, led by Monica Brian, provides MLC School girls with an onsite comprehensive speech and drama program. For the past 25 years at MLC School, Monica’s specialist knowledge of the entertainment industry in addition to her experience as an educator ensured the program’s high standard and real-life application.
The Speech and Drama team is made up of established industry professionals and highly experienced educators who are committed and passionate about providing lasting training in performance, acting, vocal skills and producing confident speakers.
Each member of staff is committed to creating an empowering environment where each students’ worth, ideas and ability is recognised and cultivated. Creative talents are developed, broadened and enhanced through carefully planned lessons.
In our speech and drama program, students work in small groups of 4-5 students, or individual or duo sessions, which allows the tutor to get to know and understand each student and tailor classes accordingly. In the Junior years, we communicate with class teachers on a regular basis to sustain continuity with teaching techniques for individual students so we can provide the best possible learning environment.
Speech and drama training has consistently seen our students achieve higher results across curriculum subjects through increased confidence and skills in oral presentations, literacy, critical analysis, comprehension, greater literary knowledge, listening skills, understanding and developed vocal skills and relaxation techniques to understand and control nerves.
Speech and Drama provides lasting training that assists students during and beyond school. Our students have gone on to receive leadership roles within MLC School. Ex-students find the skills developed in their speech and drama training invaluable in their chosen careers. A number of ex-students have joined the Speech and Drama teaching team whilst studying at University – three are currently working with us and one has just finished her degree in Speech Pathology and embarking on her Masters Degree.
The Speech and Drama Studio Teaching team includes:
Monica Brian, Emilia Stubbs Grigoriou, Zuzi Fort, Ingrid Maganov, Maria De Marco, Taylor Buoro, Julia Kennedy-Scott, Milly Xouris, Vani Jaidka, Crystal Warner
The Speech and Drama Studio’s reputation of excellence continues with our students achieving highly as excellent role models for MLC School both within and beyond our School community.
Exam Achievements
Speech and Drama students participated in the Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA) examinations and Trinity College of London examinations achieving exceptional results with a Distinction average. Six MLC School Speech and Drama Studio students from Year 4 to Year 11 were selected for the ASCA Outstanding Achievement Awards in Excellence.
Eisteddfod Achievements
One hundred Speech and Drama Studio students represented MLC School at the Inner West Eisteddfod in Term 2 achieving a record number of winning place and highly commended awards in character recital, duologue, improvisation, prepared speech, verse speaking and prose readings. We also had students participate in the Parramatta Eisteddfod placing in their categories and students participate in the Sydney and Ryde Online Eisteddfods.
Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival Winners
After winning their sections in the MLC School Shakespeare Carnival, 12 Middle Years Drama Company members competed in the Regional Shakespeare Carnival at Trinity College in Summer Hill, run by Sport for Jove in Duologue, Ensemble Scene, Devised Scene and iPhone Film categories. MLC School students performed brilliantly and moved through to the State Finals at the Seymour Centre in three out of the four categories. At State level the competition was of a very high standard and all students were exceptional. We were thrilled that MLC School students were awarded second place in the Duologue section.
Middle Years Drama Company
In addition to the Shakespeare Festival, the Middle Years Drama Company rehearsed two productions online during lockdown. They rose to the challenge of online rehearsals and decided to adapt their productions to two successful radio plays. During COVID, radio plays and audio web series are having a rising popularity. The radio plays will be recorded and reach an even wider audience.
Theatresports
Our Theatresports Club intermediate team represented MLC School with excellent results at the 2021 Theatresports School’s Challenge hosted by Impro Australia. Our Junior team are looking forward to competing in the Theatresports School’s Challenge which has been postponed to Term 1 2022.
All students showed off their fabulous improv skills at our 2021 MLC School Theatresports Challenge.
Holiday Productions and Online Programs
Junior School students from Pre-K to Year 6 assisted by a talented production team of Year 7 to Year 12 students, produced two very successful holiday productions, A Fairy’s Tale and Alice in Wonderland. Many students enjoyed our January and September online holiday programs. 2022 will include five holiday productions and exciting online holiday programs.
Acting for Camera
Our current acting students are having great success in the industry with many receiving audition opportunities, getting booked for work and even landing quality Agents.
Ever watched a movie or TV show and dreamed of being a part of it? Well now you can!
If you are interested in pursuing work in film and television we highly recommend our Acting for Camera classes.
These classes not only work on acting for camera techniques through scene work, monologues and self tapes, but also gives students practical knowledge of how to break into the entertainment industry, and skills that every actor needs to know such as discovering their casting type, how to audition, film self-tapes, understanding briefs, breaking down scripts and so much more.
The Speech and Drama Studio team are also professional working actors, directors, writers and producers so we offer up to date knowledge of the ever changing Entertainment industry. In addition to working professionally we consistently pursue our own professional development in many aspects of performing arts, increasing and refining our skill set that we can then pass on to our students.
Students work towards filming a monologue they have developed, a scene with a partner and creating an actor profile necessary for pursuing acting work.
Our current acting students are having great success in the industry with many receiving audition opportunities, getting booked for work and even landing quality agents. Join us now to start your own journey in the wonderful world of film.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: Year 7 to Year 12: 14
Year 6 to Year 8: 6
Time: Year 7 to Year 12: Friday 3.30pm–5pm
Year 6 to Year 8: Monday lunchtime and Thursday lunchtime
Individual Tuition Year 3 to Year 12: by appointment
Online Private Coaching Year 3 to Year 12: by appointment
Location: Year 7 to Year 12: G33
Year 6 to Year 8: Speech and Drama Studio demountable
Individual Tuition: Speech and Drama Studio demountable
Cost: Year 7 to Year 12: $352 per term (incl. GST)
Year 6 to Year 8: $330 per term (incl. GST)
Individual: $473 per term (incl. GST)
Online Private Coaching: $550 per term (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Year 6 to Year 12
Private lessons
Nothing speaks to us more as people than passion. Immemorial trailblazers and academics, movers and shakers used passionate discourse to instigate change. The Future Leaders Public Speaking Club will explore some famous speeches composed by civilisation’s greatest figures, allowing us to acquire persuasive and passionate vocabulary for our own creations. We will focus on the techniques used for effective public speaking. We will explore a list of literary devices and examine how the ones commonly used in writing also translate into public speaking. We will familiarise ourselves with the basics but more importantly we will immerse ourselves in the secrets of great oration including gesture, rhetoric, litotes and more.
Year 3 to Year 5
Monday lunchtime or Monday 4.05pm–4.35pm
Private lessons available
Our Future Leaders program is specifically designed for young speakers (Year 3 to Year 5) who are keen to develop confidence, presence and social skills to assist them with speeches, debating as well as leadership skills. The sessions cover voice production, articulation, body language and control of anxiety and nervous habits, types of speeches and the correct structure as well as dynamic presentation and audience engagement. Through exercises and scenarios, students develop problem-solving tools, a questioning mind and sharp social skills.
The course will cover:
- Confidence
- Body language
- Voice
- Speech structure
- Types of speeches
- Dynamic presentation
- Engaging with the audience
- The 4C’s of public speaking
- The Ace Key
- And more…
Kindergarten to Year 2
Wednesday lunchtime
Private lessons available
The Kindergarten to Year 2 Junior Future Leaders Public Speaking Club will focus on confidence and clarity. Speaking in front of a group can be nerve-wracking, however with some simple skills your children can learn Public Speaking in a way that makes it fun. In the Junior Future Leaders Public Speaking Club students will learn to articulate their thoughts and ideas clearly. They will improve their listening and speech skills and their sentence and speech structure. These skills will help students become more confident communicators, assisting them in their learning, personal communication and in their future workplaces.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Time: Year 3 to Year 5: Monday lunchtime or Monday 4.05pm–4.35pm
Kindergarten to Year 2: Wednesday lunchtime
Location: The Daphne Line Hall
Cost: $320 (incl. GST)
A 5% discount is included when paid annually
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Our Musical Theatre course is taught by Tutors with a combined 50 years of experience in Musical Theatre. Combining acting, singing and dancing skills, the students will learn the basics of how to be a musical theatre performer, in a weekly one-hour session. Why stop at one skill, when you can learn two skills and add in a third skill to create what the performance industry calls a TRIPLE THREAT. This is a performer who can act, sing and dance, creating an all-round and versatile performer who is thrilling to watch. The course will culminate with an end of year Showcase.
Students will work equally on all three areas – dance, singing and acting. Everyone is welcome of all abilities. The level of experience and expertise in each area is not important. Our experienced Tutors have this covered and we are there to support everyone, learn new skills and have fun.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Time: Friday 3.30pm–4.30pm
Location: The Daphne Line Hall
Cost: $341 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Students will explore a range of speech and drama activities focused on strengthening their non-verbal and verbal communication skills. This will assist them in the creation and performance of their own version of the Round Square character attributes. Through differentiated poetry and prose pieces students will begin identifying characters in scripts, incorporating performance dynamics and engaging an audience. Students will work on cultivating and strengthening their communication and presentation skills through a variety of impromptu and public speaking tasks that relate to the Round Square Discovery Framework.
*Please note that only group classes are offered in the Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 After School Co-Curricular Program. If you wish your daughter to also participate in an individualised program (private, duo and trios) these are available to MLC School students through The Speech and Drama Studio.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Time: Monday 2.45pm–3.15pm ; Friday 2.45pm–3.15pm
Location: The Daphne Line Hall
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Private, duo and trio speech and drama lessons for Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 students offer a specialised program with individual focus, enabling students to grow into confident speakers, creative thinkers, active listeners, strong communicators, accomplished performers and passionate leaders all whilst having FUN along the way. Laying the foundation of these essential skills at this young age will assist students throughout their schooling and beyond.
Lessons can follow our curriculum or be tailored to the students’ interests. Students in Year 1 and Year 2 have the opportunity to perform in Eisteddfods and participate in the Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA) Examinations.
Course Components include:
Vocal Skills
Lessons commence with a physical and vocal warm-up. There is an ongoing focus throughout the year on vocal skills where students are taught how to use their natural voices effectively. Students gain an understanding of releasing tension and relaxation exercises, breathing and projection techniques, articulation, modulation, pace, resonance, vocal emotion and energy.
Improvisation and Impromptu Speaking
Improvisation promotes creativity, spontaneity, characterisation, acting technique, scene structure, risk taking, problem solving, intuition, critical thinking.
Impromptu speaking increases confidence, quick thinking, speech structure, develops public speaking skills, introductions, descriptions, explanations, storytelling, informative speeches, persuasive speeches, demonstrative speeches, entertaining speeches.
Acting and Characterisation
Students ignite their imagination by creating interesting characters and exploring physical and vocal characterisation, storytelling and scene work. They discover acting techniques, acting and reacting, active listening, collaboration and teamwork. Acting enhances confidence, develops empathy through role play and encourages focus.
Exploring Text – Poetry, Prose, Drama
Students gain an understanding and appreciation of different styles and genres of text. They learn poetry techniques and vocal skills for performing poetry, prose and drama through modulation, projection, articulation, tone and emphasis. Students develop sight reading, eye contact and communications skills. Practice with comprehension assists with understanding the meaning, mood and character. and explore physicality and space.
Public Speaking and Communication Skills
Gives students practice in different kinds of talk such as narratives, recounts, discussions, arguments, debates, informative talks. Encourages creative and spontaneous thinking and assists with articulating thoughts quickly and clearly in to spoken word. This component develops skills used to engage an audience with a strong focus on vocal skills and how the use of modulation, pause, emphasis, vocal energy and emotion will assist greatly in getting your point across. Students are equipped with skills for managing nerves.
Tailored Lessons
Acting and Performance Focus
Students interested in acting and performance can be challenged in this area. Year 1 and Year 2 students can pursue a performance exam with the Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA). Students can prepare and participate in Sydney Eisteddfods.
Public Speaking Focus
Students may wish to focus on public speaking and communication skills and can pursue this area undertaking a communication exam with the Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA). Students can prepare and participate in Sydney Eisteddfods.
EAL/D
The Speech and Drama Studio programs can be tailored for students aiming to develop their English-speaking skills. Students focus on pronunciation, articulation and sound placement and gain the necessary skills to communicate effectively and confidently.
In addition to private, duo and trio lessons, students can join the group Speech and Drama classes offered through the MLC School’s Pre-K to Year 2 After school Co-curricular Program which is delivered by The Speech and Drama Studio tutors.
Timetable
Daytime Rotational Timetable (Pre-K to Year 2 Private and Duo classes only)
Rotational daytime classes are scheduled on a different day/time each week.
JUNIOR private and duo students may do rotational lessons through the school day or after school.
After School Timetable (Pre-K to Year 2 Private, Duo and Trio classes only)
Pre-K to Year 2 after school lessons Monday to Friday.
Fixed lesson times can be scheduled after school. Please contact Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director for availability and enrolment.
Saturday Classes
Speech and Drama lessons are available on Saturdays for all year levels.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Time: See Timetable section above
Location: Speech and Drama demountable
Cost: Trio: $396 per term
Duo: $429 per term
Individual: $473 per term
Fees are inclusive of GST
A 5% discount is included when paid annually. Lessons can be done on a yearly or term by term basis.
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama program covers:
- Acting
- Monologues and duologues
- Public speaking
- Scene work
- Speech confidence
- Theatre devising
- Vocal skills and techniques
- Speech theory
- Performance skills
- Social development
- Debating
- Human skills
- Impromptu speaking
- Shakespeare
- Improvisation
- Sight reading
- Characterisation
- Mime
- Poetry
- Movement
- Prose
- Preparation for Eisteddfods
- Preparation for Exams, Trinity College of London and ASCA Australian Speech Communication Association
Private Tuition Tailored Courses
Private and duo students can have a course tailored to their interests. These classes are designed for students who wish to pursue a particular avenue of Speech and Drama.
Acting and Performance Focus
Students interested in acting and performance can be challenged in this area and pursue acting or performance skills exams with Trinity College of London or the Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA). Students can prepare and participate in monologue, duologue, poetry, prose, improvisation and Shakespeare sections in Eisteddfods.
Public Speaking Focus
Students may wish to focus on public speaking, debating and communication skills and can pursue this area undertaking a communication exam with Trinity College of London or ASCA. Students can prepare and participate in public speaking sections in the various Sydney Eisteddfods.
EAL/D
The Speech and Drama Studio programs can be tailored for students aiming to develop their English-speaking skills. Students focus on pronunciation, articulation and sound placement and gain the necessary skills to communicate effectively and confidently. This program is open to all students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12.
Audition Preparation
Sessions will assist students in preparation for National and International Drama school, film, TV and theatre auditions. Acting coaches provide tailored support for students in finding the perfect audition piece and using modern acting techniques to bring the best out in their performance.
Project or oral presentation tuition is also available.
Speech and Drama Exams
Students have the opportunity to participate in Trinity College of London or Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA) Examinations. The exams are specifically designed to help students progress. They inspire learners and mark their achievement at each stage of their development and at all levels of competence.
Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA) exams (Year 3 to Year 5 and Year 2 private/duo/trios) are a National Examining Board and can be taken in performance or communication. After completion of Grade 8, students have the opportunity to sit for the Certificate of Communication a professional qualification where students may use the initials Cert. Comm. (ASCA) after their name.
Trinity College of London exams (Year 6 to Year 11) are an International Examining Board offered in the below areas. Students can choose which exam stream they are interested in and this can vary from year to year.
Exam streams include:
- Speech and Drama
- Acting
- Performance Arts
- Performing Text
- Communication Skills
- Performance Certificates
Students who have completed Grade 8 in Trinity College of London Examinations have the opportunity to complete the Advanced Certificate in Performing Arts.
Eisteddfods
Speech and Drama students have the opportunity to represent MLC School and perform in the following Eisteddfods:
- Inner West Eisteddfod
- Parramatta Eisteddfod
- Ryde Eisteddfod
- Penrith Eisteddfod
- Northern Beaches Eisteddfod
- Sydney Eisteddfod
Sections include:
- Character recital in costume
- Improvisation/public speaking/character recital in costume
- Duologue in costume
- Shakespeare solo, duologue, scene
- Verse speaking
- Prose reading
- Public speaking
- Impromptu telephone conversation
- Acting championships
Eisteddfods provide students with a wonderful performance opportunity in a fun and supportive environment and are an arena for students to put their skills into practice and gain confidence performing in front of an audience.
Timetable
DAYTIME ROTATIONAL TIMETABLE (YEAR 3 TO YEAR 12)
Rotational daytime classes are scheduled on a different day/time each week.
JUNIOR private and duo students may do rotational lessons through the school day or after school.
SENIOR private, duo, trio or groups may do rotational lessons through the school day or after school.
AFTER SCHOOL TIMETABLES
Year 3 to Year 12 Group Classes
Year 3: Tuesday 3.45pm–4.15pm
Year 4: Tuesday 3.45pm–4.15pm
Year 5: Tuesday 4.20pm–4.50pm
Year 6: Tuesday 4.20pm–4.50pm
Year 7 to Year 9: Contact coordinator for lesson day/time
Year 10 to Year 12:Contact coordinator for lesson day/time
Other days/times may be available for group classes upon parent/carer request.
Year 3 to Year 12 Private/Duo/Trio Classes
Monday 4.05pm–4.35pm onwards
Tuesday 4.50pm–5.20pm onwards
Wednesday 4.05pm–4.35pm onwards
Thursday 4.05pm–4.35pm onwards
Friday 3.40pm–4.10pm onwards
SATURDAY CLASSES
Speech and Drama lessons are available on Saturdays for all year levels.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Time: See Timetable section above
Location: Speech and Drama demountable
Cost: Group Classes (Year 3 to Year 5): $341 per term
Group Classes (Year 6 to Year 12): $363 per term
Individual: $473 per term
Duo: $429 per term
Trio: $396 per term
Fees are inclusive of GST
A 5% discount is included when paid annually. Lessons can be done on a yearly or term by term basis.
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. You daughter’s $100 Creative Kids voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Script Writing Club is for students interested in exploring and developing the techniques of script writing. Students examine writing and staging with concepts of directions, sets, scenes and continuity, and proper script formatting. They will learn about different genres and styles, the importance of characters and their voices and objectives, themes and super objectives. Students will examine how to target the audience on an emotional level and deliver a message through the use of dialogue, employing various poetic devices and literary techniques and actions. Students will utilise the skills developed and have fun writing their own scripts.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Time: Tuesday lunchtime
Location: The Speech and Drama demountable
Cost: $320 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Theatresports is a form of improvisational theatre that uses the format of a competition for dramatic effect. Theatresports is for all levels of experience.
Each term students work through the Theatresports handbook in addition to improvisational activities focused on increasing the student’s confidence in performing and devising. Improvisation is such a fun way to strengthen their communication skills while exercising their imagination and storytelling abilities. Most importantly, we have fun and lots of laughs!
MLC School participates annually in the Theatresports Schools Challenge, run by Impro Australia in which they compete in teams of three to five against other schools, creating one-, two- and three-minute improvised scenes live on stage, judged and scored by improvisation professionals. Eisteddfod opportunities are also available. Our lessons are focused on embracing mistakes, nurturing confidence and highlighting the importance of working together as a team. Oh, and of course lots of laughter.
Coordinator: Monica Brian,
The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 20
Time: Tuesday 3.30pm–5pm
Location: G33
Cost: $253 per term (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
The Writer’s Club is designed for girls who love literature and exhibit higher language abilities with a passion for drama and creative pursuits. Members will explore various genres of writing, expand their vocabularies, learn the art of and engage in conversation and deliberation and be introduced to philosophical discussion.
This will be achieved through the examination of literature and other types of writing. Club members will analyse a range of texts from poetry to novel, and from scripts to newspapers. The club members will enhance and expand their own creative aptitude through the evaluation of themes and issues, through concentrating on the rich and intricate language of literature, and by studying and reflecting on how diverse writers develop plot, character, place, as well as use poetic language.
The participants will learn about language conventions and ways to analyse text. They will further expand their capacity for comprehension and explore concepts of continuity and chronology. Students will use their critical thinking skills to investigate facts. They will utilise their problem-solving talents, their reasoning, critical reflection and creative thinking as they apply pre-existing knowledge. Finally, the members will improve their social skills as they work together and evaluate the best approaches to communicate ideas clearly and effectively in an engaging and dynamic way.
Coordinator: Monica Brian,
The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Time: Year 6 to Year 8: Thursday lunchtime
Year 9 to Year 11: Friday lunchtime
Location: The Speech and Drama demountable
Cost: $320 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
Cast: Kindergarten to Year 6
Crew: Year 7 to Year 12
The Speech and Drama Studio produces five holiday productions each year. These are open to MLC School and external students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6. Year 7 to Year 12 students form the Production crew gain experience in directing, choreography, stage management, costume and set design, lighting and sound design, musical directing, and mentoring the younger students.
Students gain confidence and have lots of fun as they are taken through a rehearsal process including acting, singing, movement and dance to produce a production in five days. Students experience what it is like to be a part of a production team whether it be on or off the stage from start to finish. At the end of the five days students perform the production to family and friends.
An enormous increase in confidence and performance skills can be seen throughout the week. The productions provide a wonderful opportunity for students to form friendships with students in different year levels and allow every student to feel like a star.
Coordinator: Monica Brian,
The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 25
2021 Production dates:
January holidays: 17–20 January 2022
April holidays: 25–29 April 2022
July holidays: 11–15 July 2022
September holidays: 19–25 September 2022
December holidays: 9–14 December 2022
Location: MLC School Drama Theatre
Cost: Cast: $480 (5 days) / $420 (4 days)
Crew: $290 (5 days) / $250 (4 days)
Fees are inclusive of GST
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.
In addition to our Holiday Productions The Speech and Drama Studio offer online Holiday Programs.
Strike in Fairyland (Online Junior Production for Year 3 to Year 5)
This program is designed for group sessions.
What happens when Prince Charming happens to be a chicken and Snow White cannot cook? And how about the Wolf becoming a vegetarian? What if Peter Pan hates flying and has a phobia of heights? Captain Hook gets motion sickness even in his bathtub? Or… Well, you get the picture… These characters seem to have had no say in their lives, until now… Today, they are standing up and choosing their stories. Are you ready to help them, ready to tell their tales…?
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 10
Course duration: 5 x 1-hour sessions Monday to Friday
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $160 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Act Now! (Online Senior Production for Year 6 to Year 11)
Desperately seeking characters! Thespians needed! We have scripts galore and roles aplenty, so step right up and get a part. Act now! Herald in the new New Theatre while exploring concepts of Epic Theatre and Theatre of the Absurd.
Based on numbers and the age of participants a short one-act play will be rehearsed and performed on Zoom.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 10
Course duration: 90-minute session, 5 days Monday to Friday, with a 30-minute break in the middle
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $160 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Just Fooling Around! (Kindergarten to Year 2)
Rudolf isn’t the only one who rocks the red nose! So, grab yours and see where it leads you.
The clowns are coming to town! The clown convention is about to start. With dozens of buffoons on parade, what could possibly go right? Clowns, fools, court jesters and buffoons have been played a role in our culture for centuries. They are an integral part of our society. Clowns function as mirrors, or magnifying glass that reflect and highlight our shortcomings and virtues. They represent the best and the worst in us. Today, we will unleash our inner clown. We shall find what makes our creation tick. We will explore how they stand, walk, sit, dance, how they interact with the world. We shall discover what makes laugh or cry. We will build our clowns and give each a unique character. We shall be challenged as we work on our final skit with twists and turns and pie-in-the-face routines. This is a workshop full of revelry and gentle anarchy, which pushes students to explore their imaginative and physical limits. They will learn that making mistakes is not only all right, but also highly appreciated.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 8
Course duration: 60-minute interactive workshop
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $40 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Operation Rescue Fantasia! (Kindergarten to Year 2)
What happens when Prince Charming happens to be a chicken and Snow White cannot cook? And how about the Wolf becoming a vegetarian? What if Peter Pan hates flying and has a phobia of heights? What if Captain Hook gets motion sickness even in his bathtub? Or… Well, you get the picture… These characters seem to have had no say in their lives, until now… Now, they are standing up and choosing their stories. Are you ready to help them, ready to tell their tales…?
Using a number of predetermined fairy tales, we’ll spend an exciting session learning all about creating a play, characters and their points of view and objectives.
Program Outcomes
- Making and responding to drama independently and collaboratively with their classmates and teachers.
- Learning about how stories can represent the world and that we can make dramatic narratives to represent our ideas about the world.
- Improvement of personal and social competence while working with others.
- Exploring narrative perspectives of fairy-tale characters and how we can put themselves in someone else’s shoes.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 8
Course duration: 60-minute interactive workshop
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $40 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
In Search of the Missing Hero (Year 3 to Year 5)
Calling all bibliophiles and lovers of yarns! Your help is required. A famous literary character has gone missing. The cheeky voyager has jumped books and is exploring the entire literary universe. We must find and return him where he belongs before he wracks textual havoc. Luckily, he is leaving a trail of clues and evidence. Do you have what it takes to analyse evidence, crack passcodes and cyphers, solve riddles and puzzles and discern between facts and opinions to find our elusive hero and take him home? You may even have to go undercover. Can you act the part of a Queen’s guard or a guest at the Mad Hatter’s Party?
Join us as we embark on the most amazing adventure ever! Spanning realms beyond imagination and meeting some peculiar characters along the way this will be one marvellous expedition.
Skills/Knowledge Acquired:
- Language conventions and Textual analyses
- Ability to work with, adapt and expand an existing idea/concept/story
- Selective listening and comprehension – interviews/speeches, facts versus opinions
- Social & Communication skills.
- Improved reasoning, critical reflection, and creative thinking.
- Critical thinking approach.
- Problem-solving skills (define, generate, evaluate & implement)
- Dynamic communication of ideas
Ideal for students in Year 3 and Year 4 who like reading and solving puzzles and riddles, as well as using their imagination.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 8
Course duration: 2-hour interactive workshop with short break in the middle
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $80 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
A Night at the Museum (Year 3 to Year 5)
Welcome to the museum of Whimsy, where art comes alive! Step right in. There will be DRAMA galore.
Unleash your inner artist. Give voice to each canvas. But beware there is a sinister plot to confine you within the frames. The clock is ticking; you must make it to the last picture or become a work of art. ACT now! Your guide will provide instruments of the trade. You’ll explore the 5 “ation” words – Imagination, Exploration, Inspiration, Collaboration and Creation.
You may become performers in a surreal carnival, clowns in a bizarre circus, knights on quests, and entities unknown as you explore the hidden worlds of visual arts. You’ll discover who inhabits each realm and you will pit your skill against the masters in a final showdown. Using dramatic tools such as tableaux and the Augusto Boal technique, you’ll create a story from a famous piece of art. Inspired by the works’ colours, textures, and tones, you’ll experiment with setting, time, and plot. Who will you meet, where will you find yourself and what strange and wonderful things will transpire around you? If a simple picture can tell a thousand words, then a magnificent painting can tell a thousand stories! You can free-style, wing, write, scribe, draft it, craft it, sketch it, or embody it as long as you create “it”. Can you out-perform and out-create the grandest Maestro of them all, the elusive X?
Skills/Knowledge Acquired:
- Impromptu/Improvisation
- Storyline and structure, parallel non-linear narrative
- Manipulation of sound (soundscape) to create meaning
- Verbal and non-verbal dialogue
- Multidisciplinary and multi-genre creative skills
- Augusto Boal, Forum Theatre & Image Theatre
- Creating believability within a fictional realm
- Ability to work with, adapt and expand an existing idea/concept/story
- Communication via the lens of a camera/online audience engagement
- Creative collaboration
Ideal for students who like reading and writing as well as using their imagination to create characters and narratives.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 8
Course duration: 2-hour interactive workshop with short break in the middle
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $80 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
The Wonderful World of Shakespeare! (Year 7 to Year 12)
Students will be introduced to all that is Shakespeare. Through character and scene work, students will learn to breakdown text and gain an understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare’s plays. This interactive workshop is encouraged for Senior students who will study Shakespearean texts in the English curriculum.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 6
Course duration: 3 x 45-minute sessions
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $120 for 3 sessions (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Acting for Camera: Scene Work (Year 6 to Year 8 and Year 9 to Year 12)
This is a 5-session online program where students will learn screen acting techniques as they discover their casting types and work on film and television scripted scenes and monologues. Students will learn techniques for self-taping and auditioning and gain an understanding of the film industry. They will be given and tips for creating acting profiles and gaining professional acting work.
NOTE: All ‘self-tapes’ can be filmed via a mobile phone, no additional equipment is required.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 6
Course duration: 6 x 60-minute sessions
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $275 for 3 sessions (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Self-Taping 101: Monologues (Year 4 to Year 12)
This is a 6-session online program where students will develop a greater understanding as to what a self-tape entails while strengthening their acting and characterisation abilities. This is done through the presentation and workshopping of a monologue (where a single character is speaking). A self-tape is imperative knowledge for all performers as it is a way of promoting their work and an essential item in their acting portfolio.
NOTE: All ‘self-tapes’ can be filmed via a mobile phone, no additional equipment is required.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: Private coaching
Course duration: 6 x 30-minute sessions
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $330 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Shakespeare Monologues (Year 7 to Year 12)
Discover witches, kings, queens and fools. Learn how to understand and perform Shakespeare. Whether you just want a better understanding for your English classes or you want to be able to perform Shakespeare’s words on stage this is the class for you!
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: Private coaching
Course duration: 3 x 30-minute sessions
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $165 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Learn, Refresh, Extend Skills in Speech, Poetry, Prose or Monologue (Kindergarten to Year 12)
Over 1 to 3 sessions learn how to analyse and perform text in the form of speech, poetry, prose or monologue. Whether you are a beginner or looking to refresh your skills you can bring along speeches or poems you are already working on or discover brand new works.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: Private coaching
Course duration: 1 x 30-minute session
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $55 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Individualised Lessons (Kindergarten to Year 12)
Sessions are tailored to the individual needs and interests of the student/s and focused on strengthening their speech, public speaking and acting skills.
Coordinator: Monica Brian, The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: Private coaching
Course duration: 1 x 30-minute sessions
Delivery: Online via Zoom
Cost: $55 (incl. GST)
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Lessons can be done as face to face lessons or via Zoom
The Speech and Drama Studio offer one-off individualised lessons taught by our team of Industry professionals if you require a one-off coaching session for a specific purpose. You can book one or several lessons or join us every week.
Get in touch if you:
- Need some assistance with presentation skills for a speech
- Have an audition coming up for a school production, external production, TV show or film
- Want to develop English speaking skills, pronunciation and vocal training
- Want to explore screen acting technique, self-taping skills and industry mentoring
- Would like to book in for a few lessons to address one specific area without committing to a whole term
- Prefer online lessons if your busy schedule doesn’t suit face to face lessons.
Coordinator: Monica Brian,
The Speech and Drama Studio Director
Places available: 20
Time: By appointment
Location: The Speech and Drama Studio demountable
Cost: 30-min coaching session: $66
2 x 30-min coaching sessions: $120
Full 8-week term: $473
Fees are inclusive of GST
Enrolment: Contact the coordinator
Download the Enrolment Form
The Speech and Drama Studio is a registered Provider of the NSW Government Creative Kids Program. Your daughter’s $100 Creative Kids Voucher can be used towards tuition fees.