Malthouse Drama Classes
GEt Ready for TErm Two 2025!
Term Two at Malthouse Drama has an improvisation focus. Through spontaneity boosters, pattern games, and theatrical ‘rules’ students will explore and build confidence in generating stories, characters, and dialogue off-the-cuff and on-the-spot. Improvised theatre involves students working together to come up with characters, scenes and stories on the spot. Students will learn the skills associated with improvisation this term, including teamwork, accepting offers, narrative structure and character development. Improvisation develops students’ abilities to have faith in their own ideas, and build on these ideas with the help of their classmates. It is a skill that carries across into scripted performances, as it encourages students to be confident in their ability to take risks and put their own spin on text and characters. At the end of the Term there will be a brief showcase of some of the skills they have been developing being put into action. Whether this is your child’s first term of drama, or whether they are an experienced performer, this term will provide something for everyone! |
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Why are DRAMA CLASSES FOR EVERYONE?The Malthouse is a multi-purpose arts space, housing Canterbury Children’s Theatre, Malthouse Costume Hire, and drama classes at The MALTHOUSE DRAMA SCHOOL. Drama classes are fun. That’s a given, right? And we all have an idea of the kind of student who loves them. Big! Extroverted! Performer! Personality for days! But drama classes aren’t just for these types of students. And they aren’t just for people who want to pursue performance as a career. We say drama classes are for everyone… Because they build critical interpersonal skills that will stay with and help your child for the rest of their life. Skills like:
The Malthouse is the home of Canterbury Children’s Theatre, a full, producing-house theatre company, who build their own props, make their own costumes, and create sound and lighting designs for their school holiday productions. As a student of the Malthouse Drama School, your child won’t just be working on their acting and performance skills – developing all of those bonus life skills – but also being given opportunities throughout the year to experience the full range of disciplines that are required to bring a live stage show to life. |
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What are THE Malthouse Drama Class options?
Currently, we are taking bookings for Term One and Two of 2025. As we evolve into our second year of the Malthouse Drama reboot, we are adjusting class times and days to best meet the needs of our community. Double-check that your class time hasn’t changed!
All classes run for an hour except for Introduction to Drama which is 50 minutes long.
They are:
INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA ONE – For children aged 5 and 6
This class will focus on story-telling, and developing our own characters through game-based learning.
Students will work towards being able to come up with their own short story, or scene, on the spot, following a particular structure and including other classmates as characters in their story.
Intro to Drama is taught by Briar
Runs 8 weeks. Two options available: Wed or Thurs at 4 pm | Starts April 2025 | Cost $135
BOOK YOUR CHILD’S PLACE NOW
JUNIOR DRAMA ONE – For children aged 7 to 9
Students will be introduced to a variety of different games and scene structures, to encourage them to develop their ability to think on the spot and create interesting and unique characters.
They will also explore narrative structure and performance techniques through game-based learning.
Junior Drama is taught by Briar or Josiah
Runs 8 weeks. Four options available, Mon 4:00 or Mon, Wed or Thurs 5pm | Starts April 2025 | Cost $160
BOOK YOUR CHILD’S PLACE NOW
INTERMEDIATE DRAMA ONE – For children aged 10 – 12
Students will be introduced to a variety of different games and scene structures, to encourage them to develop their ability to think on the spot and create interesting and unique characters.
These rules and structures will then be removed, to encourage students to explore a more open style of improvisation.
Students in the 10-12 class are asked to please bring a notebook or exercise book and something to write with to each class this term.
Intermediate Drama is taught by Briar or Josiah
Runs 8 weeks: Two options available: Wed or Thurs 6pm | Starts April 2025 | Cost $160
BOOK YOUR CHILD’S PLACE NOW
Who are the Drama TUTORs at Malthouse Drama School?
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Briar has been involved in the performing arts scene around Canterbury for over a decade, starting her theatre journey in North Canterbury. She has performed onstage with various theatre groups including Showbiz Christchurch, North Canterbury Musicals, Magnitude Productions, and MUSOC. She has worked offstage as a director, pianist, and musical director, again with many theatre groups around Canterbury, and she currently teaches Drama and English at Avonside Girls’ High School. Briar is excited to be working with Malthouse to share her experience and love of story-telling with a new group of rangatahi. |
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Josiah is a writer and performer based in Ōtautahi Christchurch. He is an experienced storyteller and deviser, having written five books and having acted since he was five years old. As a performer, he has worked across Aotearoa and in Australia with groups including Court Theatre Youth Company, THETA, Movement Art Practice, Tiny Fest, The X Collective, Hwyl Theatre, and more. Recently, you may have seen him in the Day One short film Wilbert Wire.
Offstage, he works in schools and alternative educational environments around Aotearoa teaching both drama and writing to people ages 5 to 65. Between 2014 and 2017, Josiah could regularly be seen onstage at The Malthouse with Canterbury Children’s Theatre. He is looking forward to exploring and playing with stories together!
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Anna has been involved in the world of theatre from the age of five when she joined her first theatre group as part of an outreach programme run by a local Art Gallery. From there she joined the Ashburton based Big Little Theatre Company, a young people’s theatre company based at the Ashburton Event Centre and offering training in all aspects of theatre craft. The company produced two full scale shows per year and Anna enjoyed playing a diverse collection of characters ranging from Shakespeare to contemporary absurdist and comedic creations. By the age of 17, Anna had completed the full suite of Trinity College (London) drama examinations to Grade 8. Anna has dedicated the past four years to teaching drama to children aged from 6 to 17, collaborating with the Lyttelton Arts Factory, The Big Little Theatre Company and recently Wildhearts. In doing this she has discovered a love of teaching, writing, and directing which has eclipsed her former love of performing and she wants to develop her career in this direction. She is very excited to be joining The Malthouse creative powerhouse and working alongside another group of amazing young people. |
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Also, Dan Bain is the Head of School.All content and lessons for your child’s classes are co-created, overseen, and approved by veteran theatre industry professional Dan Bain (The Court Theatre, Scared Scriptless, Little Andromeda, Perfuct Storm, CCC Summertimes Outdoor Theatre, Improv Seduction, University of Canterbury Teaching Fellow, etc, etc) who makes sure that the course content isn’t just fun but also is relevant, important, and useful for both those with aspirations to join the industry and those who are just looking for a creative hobby. He can sometimes (very rarely) be convinced into teaching a class as well. |
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Bookings and Enquiries
