Case Study No. 18 - Performance Projects, Central School of Speech and Drama

Elements addressed by study

Special Features:

Assessment points are the group ‘productions’ and each student is graded individually.

Description of Key Aspects:

From Term 1 the learning outcome “open professional interaction with other students/actors” appears in both the acting units and performance project units, of which there are 6 in the first two years.

Analysis

The first performance project introduces the student to the idea of professional and rehearsal conduct. The process is easier to assess for the tutor when it is divided into learning stages so that the student can be seen to have moved through each stage. A group process class is scheduled once per week for the first term, in which theatre games and improvisation are used and, which is non-text based. These emphasise the notion of the actor being in relation to the ensemble as integral to the actor’s process - acting as a response to another. The student needs to be made aware when s/he is passive, disengaging from the work or group by mentally/physically/emotionally ‘migrating’ and offering no support to others who are  working. The actor needs to be generous.

This session is balanced with an  individual  process class and a text-based session later in the week.  The student prepares work independently and works both individually and as part of a group. Where appropriate the Working Journal, used to reflect upon progress in the unit, will be drawn from.

The final showing is process based and the text work is performed in groups and repeated until the allotted time is used, with tutors and other students visiting each group at any point in the showing time. This formative assessment is not graded and the ‘crit’ at the end of term provides individual evaluative oral feedback including how the student has worked with others in the rehearsal context. The student also receives a written diagnostic report.

From Term 2 the Performance Project is graded and once again for all acting class and rehearsal-based contexts the student is required to demonstrate professional attitude, approach and interaction as well as active contribution to the rehearsal process. The student has to undertake a short research project involving group collaboration. The student is also expected to undertake individual and /or group set exercise work and /or improvisations outside of the taught class in accordance with instructions given by the tutor.

The mark awarded after the performance is individual and is for the student's acting skills and given by the tutor/director, second marked by an internal examiner with consideration of feedback from resident core staff. The External Examiner may be asked to see the showings as well as any retrievals which provide an equivalent context for the student to achieve required learning outcomes, not achieved the first time round. Criteria for each of the 6 assessments are set for the specific level and project.

From the second term the marks are broken down in the following way: Continuous/diagnostic 60%, Performance 30% and Research Project 10% and by end of term 6 are Continuous/diagnostic 20%, Performance 70% and Research Project 10%.  (Currently the Research Project, which is seen as a preparation for the performance project is not marked).

During third year the performance projects are public.  Marks are broken down in the following way:

Performance: 80% of total assessed by performance director, course leader, taking into consideration the voice and movement production support staff feedback and sample moderated by the External Examiner, who will see a sample of these public performances. The Performance Examination Viva: 20% of the total. This is designed to assess the student's intellectual understanding of his/her performance achievement in relation to the unit achievement. 

Evaluation:

The process is considered to be that which occurs in the rehearsal room with the director and this should be manifested in the performance itself. In the past it has been important to differentiate between 'working hard' and a good acting process.  A good process for an actor is one that produces the acting moment effectively. This includes dealing with the challenge of working with other actors, whose processes are less developed, in both a constructive and a professional manner. If a student's professional interaction and rehearsal conduct has been unsatisfactory this will be reflected in the individual mark given.