Welcome to the Drama Department

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
William Shakespeare (As you like it, Act 2, Scene 7)

Create!
Perform!
Express yourself!

St Mungo’s Drama Department offers every pupil the chance to explore and experience drama through a variety of imaginative and engaging lessons and units.

Whether intend to be a professional  and entertain millions with your acting skills or you cringe at the thought of speaking in front of an audience, drama will present the opportunity to develop your own God given skills to the best of your ability.

The Department

The drama department is located on the ground floor directly of the main street area of the school and is made up of a classroom and drama studio fully equipped with theatre lighting. In addition there is also a well stocked costume and props room and access to  the schools main stage in the street area.

Presently there are two members of staff in the Drama Department, Mrs Birchard, Faculty Head of Performing Arts and Mr Turner.

The Courses

All pupils will have drama classes in the first part of their time at St Mungo’s Many will continue to study at National 4, National 5 and the New Higher level as they progress through the school.

During that time you will experience a variety of dramatic activities. Many that you will recognise as ‘acting’ and many that you may have not considered being part of drama at all.

Activities such as;

• Script reading and writing,
• devising your own drama,
• looking at voice and movement,
• developing characters,
• mime,
• slapstick and dance-drama,
• directing,
• using lights, sound, costume and makeup
• and much more….

Why Drama?

Why does everyone participate in drama at St Mungo’s? What use is drama?

Of course drama will help you discover and learn about all things dramatic and should you want to act or perform, either as an amateur or a professional, drama at school will give you lots of experience and a good foundation for your future exploits.

…but I’m not going to be an actor!

Drama also allows you to develop a number of skills that will be very useful in life, highly desirable in a great range of careers and occupations and also in all your other subjects while you are still at school. Skills such as;

• Creativity
• Confidence
• Cooperation
• Teamwork
• Public speaking

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Extra Curricular/ Production

The Department has a long successful history of competing in the Bridgeton Burns Competition. This is an annual opportunity for the young people in St Mungo’s to develop their public speaking skills and to appreciate and enjoy an important part of their heritage, Robert Burns poetry.

All pupils from 1^st Year to 6^th Year are invited to participate. Many of our pupils also assist with the actual organisation and running of this huge event which involves about 800 competitors from all over the East End of Glasgow

The Department also has had recent success with the ‘Fifteen Minute Shakespeare Competition’ which is staged at  the  world famous ‘Citizens Theatre’ in Glasgow. Our first project with senior pupils was ‘Coriolanus’ and Mr Turner is now directing ‘ A Midsummer Nights  Dream’ with S3 Drama.

The other Third Year Drama class have created and performed a Drama called ‘Moving On Up’ which explores the transition from P7 to S1. It was performed successfully to visiting Primaries during their induction week.

Higher Drama students have had the benefit this year of a great partnership with The Citizens Theatre and the Princes Trust Foundation. At the amazingly low cost of £1 a ticket the students have been the audience to great productions such as ‘Men Should Weep’ ‘A Day in the Death of Joe Egg’ and ‘King Lear’ As well as seeing the play they have participated in related workshops and question and answer sessions with actors, technicians and Directors. All of these activities contribute to their skills for life and skills for work.

We also enjoy a great partnership with the Conservatoire of Scotland……..

Many of our students go on to study Drama………………….