Firstly, the Redlands Young Actors Group hold three-hourly Drama Workshop once a month. There are many advantages to holding a three-hourly Drama Workshop as opposed to attending an hourly lesson. For parents, a once monthly commitment appears to be far easier than a weekly obligation.
For the children, there are untold benefits. Rather than attending a weekly drama class, students know on arrival that they have an afternoon ahead of them, socialising and performing with like-minded friends.
From a learning point of view, having three hours to work on the various genres of performance gives students far more time to evaluate, understand, investigate, discover and then have the courage to try out something new. There is no doubt, at the end of three hours of presentation work, the children’s creativity is at a peak, they are relaxed about performing, eager to participate and keen to volunteer and display their original ideas on stage in front of the group.
WHAT WILL YOUR CHILD LEARN AT RYAG?
The program is designed for children who love to perform. They will be on stage during every Drama Workshop: they will present a Show to parents and friends twice a year at the end of each semester. During the year all students have the opportunity to perform in Eisteddfods.
Children will gain confidence and self-esteem through participating in various speech and drama activities. Whilst these are designed for enjoyment, they are in fact teaching them how to present themselves on stage, in front of a group. They will learn how to hold the attention of an audience.
They will improve their voice projection, vocal clarity and the way in which they deliver, whether it is through performance, reading aloud or making a formal speech. Through mime they will learn skills in body movement and facial expression. Apart from the skills of personal presentation, RYAG students will gain skills in observation, quick-thinking and problem solving through mastering the art of improvisation. All these things will assist in their senior schooling with oral presentations, debating and public speaking. They will also be involved with speakers’ theatre and learn the effective use of a microphone.
Apart from the opportunity to perform in Eisteddfods, Redlands Young Actors Group students will perform a mini show for parents, family and friends at the end of each semester.
Redlands Young Actors Group is very much skill-based. Throughout the year we cover all genres of Speech and Drama; poetry, plays, mime, radio, improvisation, puppetry, mixed media, announcing, public speaking, TV commercials, impromptu reading, prepared prose. With the growing concern regarding screen-time and the effect technology is having upon interaction and communication, we can rest assured that children involved in Speech and Drama will have the best of both worlds. RYAG students will be the ones to face the future as confident communicators.
