Drama & Theatre
Drama at St Mary's College: classroom drama from Prep to Year 10, VCE Drama and Theatre Studies, the Junior and Senior Drama Clubs, Theatre Sports, the Term 2 Senior production, House Arts and the College Musical.
Drama at St Mary's is about far more than the annual musical. Every student from Prep to Year 8 has drama as part of their timetable, students in Years 9–12 can pursue it as an elective and a VCE subject, and two lunchtime and after-school clubs give students a low-pressure place to play, improvise and perform. Our home is the Drama Studio, a black-box theatre in Building D seating 90, with its own lighting rig, costume store and workshop.
Staff
- Mr Julian Ashby, Head of Drama — Senior classes, VCE, Senior Drama Club and director of the College Musical (drama@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au)
- Ms Tessa Morgan, Junior performing arts teacher — Prep–Year 6 classroom drama and the Junior Drama Club
Classroom drama
| Years | What students do |
|---|---|
| Prep–Year 2 | Weekly drama and movement with Ms Morgan: story dramatisation, mime, puppets and the Nativity tableau for Carols on the Green |
| Years 3–6 | Weekly drama: improvisation, scripted scenes, a Year 5 radio play project and the Year 6 item that opens the Junior Christmas Concert |
| Years 7–8 | One semester each year: ensemble skills, Greek chorus, melodrama, a devised piece performed for parents in the Drama Studio |
| Years 9–10 | Elective Drama (semester): physical theatre, non-naturalism, playbuilding, the Year 9–10 Theatre Sports competition; students may also take Media |
| Years 11–12 | VCE Drama (devised, ensemble and solo performance) and VCE Theatre Studies (interpreting scripts, production roles, attending professional theatre — usually three excursions per year at approximately $45 each) |
VCE students perform their Unit 3 ensemble work for the public in the Drama Studio each August, and Theatre Studies students produce a full play with student-led design. Subject details are in the VCE Handbook and Year 10 students choose electives during Subject Selection.
Drama Clubs
| Club | Years | Day & time | Venue | Teacher | How to join |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Drama Club | 3–6 | Thursday 1:15–2:00pm (lunchtime) | Drama Studio | Ms Tessa Morgan | Open; sign up via Parent Portal > Forms > Co-curricular Clubs |
| Senior Drama Club / Theatre Sports | 7–12 | Monday 3:30–4:45pm | Drama Studio | Mr Julian Ashby | Open; just turn up on a Monday |
Both clubs are free. Junior Drama Club students eat their lunch during the first ten minutes then play games, improvise and rehearse a short piece to perform at a Friday assembly each term. Senior Drama Club combines improvisation and Theatre Sports training with scene work; students collected from the Drama Studio door at 4:45pm, or they walk to the Senior Gate for Kiss-and-Drop.
Theatre Sports
Our Years 9–10 Theatre Sports teams compete in an interschool improvisation competition in Term 3, and the College runs its own Theatre Sports Cup for Years 7–12 on the last Monday of Term 3 (Monday 14 September 2026, 3:30pm, Drama Studio — parents welcome, gold coin entry for Vinnies). Houses field teams, and the winner earns House Arts points.
Senior production
Each Term 2 the Drama department stages a play in the Drama Studio, giving Senior students who prefer straight theatre to musicals a chance to perform. In 2026 it was The Government Inspector, performed over three nights, Wednesday 10 – Friday 12 June 2026. Auditions for the 2027 play will be held in Term 1, Week 7 (from Monday 8 March 2027); the play title is announced at the start of the year. Cast are Years 9–12; crew Years 8–12.
House Arts
The House Arts festival on Friday 19 June 2026 saw all four Houses present a choir item, a dance and a short drama piece written and directed by Year 11 and 12 students. Congratulations to Romero on winning House Arts 2026. Drama Club students often lead their House's drama entry. House Arts sits alongside carnivals, service and House Spirit as one of the four ways Houses earn points — see Our Houses.
College Musical
The musical is the year's biggest collaboration between Drama and Music. Oliver! has just closed after five sold-out shows; the 2027 title is announced at the Spring Concert and auditions run in Term 1 Weeks 3–4. Everything you need is on the College Musical page.
Practical matters
- Attending performances: student productions are ticketed through Parent Portal > Events. Drama Studio performances seat 90, so book early. Most are free or $5–$10 to cover rights.
- Costumes: for classroom and club performances, students are asked only for black clothing and simple items from home. The Drama Studio costume store supplies the rest.
- Excursions: VCE theatre excursions are notified at least three weeks ahead with permission via the Portal; see the Excursions & Camps Policy.
- Rehearsals after school: Junior students taking part in after-school rehearsals are supervised until 4:45pm; students not collected by 5:00pm are taken to OSHC and a casual session is charged — see OSHC.
Contact
Mr Julian Ashby, Head of Drama — drama@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au or via the College office on (03) 9555 0100.