惠灵顿艺术总监：我们这样做戏剧教育

在国际学校的课程设置中，戏剧是一个重要的组成部分，而每年的年度大戏也往往会收获全校师生关注的目光。国际学校里的戏剧教育如何开展？我们请上海惠灵顿外籍人员子女学校的艺术总监Michael Larsen-Disney介绍了该校的戏剧课程及相关活动。

图 | 学校提供

上海惠灵顿外籍人员子女学校艺术总监Michael Larsen-Disney

在国际学校的课程设置中，戏剧是一个重要的组成部分，而每年的年度大戏也往往会收获全校师生关注的目光。国际学校里的戏剧教育如何开展？我们请上海惠灵顿外籍人员子女学校的艺术总监Michael Larsen-Disney介绍了该校的戏剧课程及相关活动。

请与我们分享一下上海惠灵顿外籍人员子女学校的戏剧课程。有哪些年级的学生参与到了戏剧活动中?

在上海惠灵顿外籍人员子女学校，我们始终相信学习戏剧会在孩子的整个教育过程中发挥积极的作用。我们在学前教育阶段就通过课堂教学传授戏剧元素，从3年级开始，在核心课程中开设戏剧和舞蹈方面的专业课程。这些课程将持续至10年级，学生可以选择学习戏剧作为IGCSE的科目。此外，12年级和13年级的学生可以在剧院深入学习戏剧方面的IB课程。

除了在核心课程内提供的戏剧课程，我们也在各年级的辅助课程教学活动中开设广泛的戏剧学习课程，这些课程将有助于学生扩大他们在戏剧方面的知识储备，引导他们有朝一日可以站上舞台参与演出、音乐会和戏剧表演。

戏剧教学中最具挑战性的是哪个部分?你有什么特殊的教学方法或策略来帮助学生参与到这些项目中吗?

我认为戏剧教学中最具挑战性的部分无外乎鼓励性格内向或害羞的学生参与到这个项目中来，并承担我们所说的“创造性风险”。所有的学生都能从课程所教授的知识中受益，但对于一些学生来说，迈出具有创造性的第一步可能是一个挑战。我们为学生提供一个安全的、不涉及任何评判的环境，并鼓励他们全面参与到其中。因此，我们对学前教育部至8年级的学生都不设立任何的戏剧成绩评估机制，戏剧成绩评估仅仅针对高中部的学生，以便他们在选择IGCSE科目时作为参考。

音乐剧是戏剧的主要流派之一，我从学校网站上了解到惠灵顿经常举办音乐剧表演。你能给我们介绍一下惠灵顿即将上演的音乐剧吗?

在惠灵顿，我们为学生提供演出机会的同时也为他们打造了一个表演所需的专业环境。我们相信音乐剧是学生学习戏剧的一个极好工具，因为它将三种主要的表演技巧结合在了一起。我们的学生需要学习表演、唱歌和跳舞，甚至以一个接近专业水平的年轻人的要求进行表演。惠灵顿目前每年制作3部大型音乐剧。其中一部是3到5年级学生演出，一部是5到8年级学生演出，最后一部为全校或高中部学生演出（取决于节目类型）。

我们目前正在排练高中部学生的音乐剧《绿魔先生》（Little Shop of Horror），这次演出已获得纽约MTI的授权制作。这部音乐剧由大约40名表演者、8名表演乐队成员以及10名教师带领的道具制作团队参与制作。演员和工作人员的年龄从13岁到18岁不等。

作为这部作品的导演，制作《绿魔先生》是我的梦想，因为它将一个美好的娱乐享受之夜所需具备的所有元素，如美妙的音乐、真实的戏剧、喜剧以及展示我们技术能力的机会结合在了一起。

这个故事讲的是一个温顺的花匠，Seymour Krelborn，无意中发现了一种新的植物，将它取名为“Audrey II”——以他的同事Audrey也是他的暗恋对象的名字命名。这个满嘴脏话、唱着R&B歌曲的食肉植物（Audrey II）承诺，只要Krelborn不断地喂它血，就会为他带来无穷无尽的名誉和财富。然而，随着时间的推移，Krelborn发现Audrey II远远超越了它本身的力量，甚至意图统治全世界！

演出将于12月6日、7日和8日晚上7点在我们美轮美奂的惠灵顿剧院上演。

作为一名专业的表演艺术老师，你认为年轻学生将如何从戏剧教育中获益?

戏剧是最重要的科目之一，我认为任何学生都可以学习戏剧，因为它可以培养一个人的前瞻性，并为他在未来的学习和生活中遇到的各种挑战做好准备。戏剧课程的核心技能是创造力、沟通能力和团队合作能力，这三种能力对于任何职业而言，都是成功的必备要素。当我们最年轻的学生在接受他们当前教育的同时，世界也正在发生着未知的变化。我们通过向学生提供上述基本的、可活学活用的技能，使他们能够以一种开放并具有创造性的方式与世界进行不同形式的交流，迎接许多挑战。

Please share with us the drama curricula/programs at Wellington College International Shanghai. What year groups are involved in drama activities?

At Wellington College International Shanghai, we fundamentally believe in the benefits of learning drama throughout a child’s education. We deliver elements of drama in the Early Years and Pre-Prep through classroom teaching and then have specialist lessons in drama and dance from year 3 within our core curriculum. These classes extend up to year 10 when pupils can choose to study an IGCSE in drama and culminate in the ability to take an IB in theatre in years 12&13.

As well as the drama offered within the curriculum, we also have extensive co-curricular activities in drama offered throughout the College, where pupils will have the chance to expand their knowledge and ultimately have the ability to perform in productions, concerts and plays.

What is the most challenging part in teaching drama? Do you have any special teaching methods/strategies to help students engage in the program?

The most challenging part about teaching drama is to initially encourage the more introverted or shy pupils to engage with the subject and take what we call “creative risk”. All pupils benefit from the elements taught within the curriculum but taking the initial step to be creative can be a challenge to some pupils. We provide a safe, non-judgmental environment to encourage full participation. We also do not do comparative assessment of pupils until senior school and at that time only to guide choices in IGCSEs.

Musicals are one of the main genres of drama, and I have learned from the school website that Wellington regularly performs musicals. Can you please give us an introduction of your upcoming musical?

At Wellington we have performance opportunities within a professional environment. We also believe that musicals are very good vehicles for pupil learning as they incorporate the three main performance skills in a performance. Our pupils need to learn to act, sing and dance, and perform to a level as near to professional as a young person can. We currently produce 3 major musicals a year. One is for years 3-5, one for years 5-8 and finally a production which is either whole school or Senior School (depending on the show).

We are currently rehearsing ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ for the Senior School which is produced under license from MTI (Music Theatre International) in New York. The production has approximately 40 performers, 8 show band members and a team of 10 teacher led prop makers who are creating the plants. The cast and crew range in age from 13 to 18.

As Director of the piece, ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is a dream, as it combines all the elements essential to a good night’s entertainment with good music, some real drama, comedy and the chance to flex our technical muscles.

The story is about a meek floral assistant, Seymour Krelborn, who stumbles across a new breed of plant he names “Audrey II” – after his secret love, Audrey, his co-worker. The foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivorous plant (Audrey II) promises unending fame and fortune to the down and out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it, BLOOD. Over time, though, Krelborn discovers Audrey II’s out of this world origins and intent towards global domination!

The show will be performed on December 6, 7 and 8 at 7pm in our incredible College Theatre.

As a professional performing arts teacher, in your opinion, how can young students benefit from drama education?

Drama is one of the most important subjects that any pupil can learn as it can future proof a pupil and prepare them for challenges in both education and life. The core skills learned within a drama curriculum are creativity, communication and team work; skills required to be successful in any career. The future is unknown in terms of what jobs will even exist when our youngest pupils are through their required education. By giving them the essential, transferable skills listed above, we enable them to engage differently with the world and meet the many challenges in an open and creative way.

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