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Course Outline

DRA204 Theatre Production

Course Coordinator:Joanne Loth (jloth@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2026Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

In this course you will develop the knowledge and skills to prepare and present a Theatrical Production. You will develop knowledge of Theatre Industry Standards and Practices and skills in ensemble work, adhering to a production schedule, creative problem solving and maintaining a professional workbook. You can choose to focus on acting and develop knowledge of role preparation, skills in acting/performance and skills in working with a professional director or you can choose to focus on Production and develop knowledge and skills within one production area.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – In-class tutorial 5hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

-  Developing an ensemble 

-  Working within a  Production Schedule 

-  Working within a Director’s Vision

-  Acting/ Production / Design techniques 

- Script analysis techniques

- Rehearsal techniques 

 

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Identify Theatre Industry Standards and Practices and relate these to your role in performance Empowered
2 Demonstrate an ability to work as part of an ensemble Engaged
3 Demonstrate an ability to work to a Production Schedule. Engaged
4 Develop and synthesise practical skills in either acting or one production area to contribute to a public performance. Empowered

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

It is recommended that students have completed at least one Theatre and Performance course and/or have had some external experience of Theatrical Production.

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Limited Grading (PNP)

Pass (PU), Fail (UF). All assessment tasks are required to be passed for successful completion of the course.

Details of early feedback on progress

You will receive feedback on your progress within this course during rehearsals and meetings. Feedback on your professional journal will be provided in class in Week 5 of the course. Actors will receive feedback via "notes sessions" from the director during rehearsals (as per standard industry practice). Students undertaking a backstage/ design role will provide feedback during regular production meetings (as per standard industry practice).

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Oral Group 
10 minutes
 Week 4 In Class
All 2 Journal Individual 
Approximately 2000 words.
 Week 13 Online Submission
All 3 Creative Performance Individual 
60 - 90 minutes
 Week 12 In Class
All - Assessment Task 1:Oral research presentation
Goal: 
Communicate knowledge and application to a production process.
Product: Oral
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
In pairs you will select a production aspect to research. You will apply your information literacy skills to source and analyse information on your chosen aspect. You will present your research to your peers in tutorial.  You will present your research in a 10-minute oral and visual presentation using presentation software before uploading your presentation to Blackboard.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Evidence of research to demonstrate knowledge
 1
2 
Identify and analyse application to a specific production
 1
3 
Effective oral, written and visual communication
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2:Professional Journal
Goal: 
The purpose of this task is for you to document and clarify your industry knowledge and relate this to the theatre industry standards and practice as you develop through this course. This document will provide you with a valuable record for future reference.
Product: Journal
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
This journal will be in Industry Format. A key practice in the Theatre Industry is the generation of a Professional Workbook for each Theatrical Production. Each role within a Theatrical Production has a specialized form of Workbook. During the rehearsal process you will be required to generate and maintain a Professional Workbook. The format of this will be dictated by your role within the project. A template for your workbook will be provided to you by your workshop leader/director. This workbook will be checked half way through the process and will be submitted after the final performance.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Documentation of rehearsal processes.
 2
2 
Description of preparatory processes.
 1 3
3 
Demonstrated knowledge of Industry practices for role preparation/a specific production area.
 1
4 
Synthesis between general industry practices and personal role within a specific production.
 1 2
Generic Skills: 
Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 3:Public Performance
Goal: 
The purpose of this task is for you to demonstrate your developing professional skills in one area of theatre practice.
Product: Creative Performance
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Individual. Your performance will be assessed according to Industry standards and expectations. Your rehearsal process will culminate in a series of public performances.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Ability to work as part of an ensemble.
 2
2 
Ability to work within a defined Production Schedule.
 3
3 
Skills in Acting (Role Preparation, acting/performance skills and working with a director) or production (skills in one specific area)
 4
Generic Skills: 

                        

                    

                

        

    

    

        

            

                
Directed study hours

                
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

            

        

    


    

        

            

                
What resources do I need to undertake this course?

                

                    Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
                

            


            

                
Prescribed text(s) or course reader

                    
There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

            

        


        

            

                
Specific requirements

                    
Nil.

            

        

    


    

        

            
How are risks managed in this course?

            
Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

        

    


    

        
What administrative information is relevant to this course?


        

            

                
Assessment: Academic Integrity

                
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Additional Requirements

                This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Institutional Operating Policy of the USC.

In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.
            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Submission penalties

                Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
            

        


        

            

                
Links to relevant University policy and procedures

                
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

            

        


        

            

                
Student Charter

                
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful.  The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

            

        


        

            

                
General Enquiries

                
  • In person: 
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au

            

        

    







    

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