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Berkhamsted Group, Boys, Girls, Sixth Form | 07.01.2025

Why Drama?

Why Drama?

The government estimates that creative industries generated £126bn in gross value added to the economy and employed 2.4 million people in 2022. Despite this, the performing arts are still incorrectly seen as less employable. “There’s a bit of a stigma around drama,” says Miss L Jarvis, Assistant Head of Drama at Berkhamsted School. “People think drama isn’t an academic subject, but that isn’t true.”

Drama, particularly at A Level, encompasses a broad range of social, political and historical topics that students are encouraged to engage with. In devised pieces, students take a practitioner as their starting influence but are then encouraged to explore their chosen topic from all angles. By researching pressing social issues, students see the world from different perspectives, putting themselves in the shoes of people they may not have encountered otherwise.

As with all the arts, the value of drama lies in its expansive portrayal of people from all walks of life. Taking on a role requires total commitment to the character, which means letting go of any biases or opinions students may have towards a certain type. It encourages open-mindedness and a creative, critical approach to the world – highly regarded by universities and employers alike.

Beyond the classroom, participating in any form of performing arts develops crucial soft skills guaranteed to impress employers as interpersonal skills are increasingly sought after. Confidence in communication and self-expression are transferable to any career, whether that be politics, sales, customer service or running a business. The teamwork and leadership skills that are built when putting on a production – from a minimalist duologue to an ensemble cast musical – are vital for learning to work with a variety of people.

Of course, it’s not just on the stage that pupils can develop skills and build confidence. Berkhamsted offers many opportunities for pupils to get involved backstage and learn what it takes to produce a show. In the recent Senior and Sixth production of ‘Legally Blonde’, two Sixth Formers managed a team of pupils, ensuring all the props and scene changes were delivered with timely precision. The leadership and organisational skills required to oversee such a fast-paced production are highly commendable and will no doubt prove useful in whatever career pupils go on to pursue.

Pupils are also given the opportunity to design and operate lighting, run mics, help build sets or even direct and write plays themselves. “If you want to do something,” Miss Jarvis says, “you can do it!”

Nowhere is this independence more prominent than in the Sixth’s own theatre production company, Greeneshoots Theatre Company. Every other year, students take a play to the Edinburgh Festival, performing alongside other professional theatre companies to members of the public. Students market the show by flyering and are also responsible for doing the get-in and get-outs for each of their performances. Last year’s run of the student-written ‘Hungry Like the Future’ was a “fast-paced whirlwind” that saw students balance promoting and performing their own show with watching over 20 other productions.

“The independence they found from that experience, but also the discipline required to be an actor, is so valuable,” Miss Jarvis says. “And in such an incredible cultural environment.”

When it comes to environments, Berkhamsted’s theatre offering goes above and beyond what even professionals dream of. The Centenary Theatre, a 500-seat theatre, boasts professional-standard facilities and is supported by a dedicated theatre team. The theatre is used for school productions across the Prep, Senior and Sixth schools, House Performing Arts competitions, and sometimes for holding lessons. Nothing quite develops confidence like performing to an audience of 500 people! “The drama department and tech team really see it is as the students’ area,” Miss Jarvis says. “We are so privileged to have that space.”

The drama opportunities available to pupils both in and out of academic classes are plentiful, and there truly is something for anyone to get involved with. No matter how big or small a role, the confidence and independence that drama facilitates are essential facets of character that every pupil should aspire to develop.

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