A long time ago (in another century) there were two drama teachers team teaching at Armadale Senior HighSchool. They tried many different and innovative approaches including teaching theatre history through practical and hands-on experiences for students. They called the text they developed First Voice.

We wrote First Voice because our students at Armadale Senior High needed to connect with theatre history as part of the curriculum. But we were unhappy with the limited ways that we saw this component of the course being taught around us. There had to be a better way that was engaging students in practical ways with time, continuity and change in drama and theatre.

Since then, we have learnt more about our craft as drama teachers. But the principles of the first text were sound. They have been the founding principles for this revised and expanded version. The organisation has been reviewed; the text has been revised; and the activities have been developed.

Teaching and Learning are works in progress.

First Voice focuses on embodying learning in practical ways. Our purpose is to help you find your own voice in drama through actively engaging with theatre from other times, places and cultures. This book provides parallel journeys.

As a student, you will be asked to reflect on your own experiences and to share them in someway – for example, by acting them out or talking with someone or by writing about them. Alongside those activities you will be asked to think about and respond to the experiences of other people, ideas and information. You will be holding these concepts together in a three dimensional matrix as you learn.

To be published soon.