Theatre Arts at ISD provides opportunities for students and the wider school community to learn and develop through collaboratively creating, playing, improvising, and performing. In addition to offering a full IB Theatre Arts curriculum within the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP), we also produce four large-scale productions each school year; two middle school performance and two upper school performances.
We currently offer MYP Theatre in grades 7 to 10. Each year, students explore a specific performance style (like physical theatre, improvisation or mask work) and a world theatre tradition (such as Greek Chorus, Commedia dell’Arte, or Brechtian Epic Theatre). At ISD, we place great importance on the value of ensemble work and the development of effective performance skills.
“MYP engages students in an active relationship with theatre and encourages autonomous learning and exploration. It encourages the growth of creative, reflective and communication skills through practical work. Emphasis is placed on the artistic process and the students’ understanding of this process as an essential component to their artistic development through continuous investigation, planning, goal setting, rehearsing, performing, reflection and evaluation.” (MYP Arts Guide)
Our students may choose to take either higher level (HL) or standard level (SL) in the two-year DP Theatre Arts class. The syllabus is designed to reflect the dynamic nature of theatre and theatre-making. Depending on the personal interests of the students in each class, we can select the plays, playwrights, theorists and theatre practices we study. Those include theatrical forms, movements, styles, genres and traditions. Students also may choose the plays, theatre traditions, starting points and theatre theorists which interest and excite them for their final assessment tasks.
“The IB Diploma Programme theatre course is a multifaceted theatre-making course of study. It gives students the opportunity to make theatre as creators, designers, directors and performers. It emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process, transforming ideas into action as inquisitive and productive artists.” (DP Theatre Guide)
Our main stage, the Dahms Theatre, seats 350.
Our small black box theatre, The Studio, offers flexible seating and staging options.
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