Drama is an integral part of the curriculum at Markham. It is a compulsory course beginning with our youngest learners in Early Years all the way through to our Middle School pupils in Secondary 1.

In Secondary 2, pupils may choose to study Drama as an option with the possibility to continue on to IGCSE Drama in Secondary 3 and Secondary 4 in the Upper School.

Sixth Form students may also continue on to study Theatre Arts in either the Programa Nacional or the IB Programme. The coursework for our older students covers a rich variety of historical and global theatre traditions and practices including those from Peru.

Every year throughout the College, the Drama department produces a number of plays reflecting the diversity of our bilingual pupils and their emerging talent as actors, directors and writers. We aim to provide enriching, challenging and rewarding opportunities in the Arts for all our pupils throughout their school life with us. 

Middle School Classroom

In Middle School students learn the building blocks of drama practice exploring areas such as performance, directing, improvisation, and set design through a variety of stimulus and theatrical conventions. An essential part of the programme in Middle School is developing social skills and we are keen to focus on collaboration and teamwork throughout each unit. Students have access to our extensive props and costume stock to enhance their creative work.

Upper School Classroom

Markham offers IGCSE, IB and National Programme. All students have access to extensive facilities and work in a state of the Art Black Box studio where they can utilise light and sound technology in their productions. Students explore working with text, devising theatre and researching practitioners. Families are regularly invited to the school to share student’s work.

Workshops and Theatre Visits

We strive to ensure students experience is as authentic as possible.  Theatre professionals from the industry are invited regularly throughout the year to work with our students.  Likewise, we work with prestigious theatres such as La Plaza and Britanico offering students a first-hand experience of how a professional theatre company operates. We also promote trips to see live theatre and bring productions to the campus.  

Activities

We offer a diverse array of activities to all our students including drama club, acting for camera and stage management team as well as our Spanish, English and student-led productions.

Recent school productions include:

• Matilda (Lower School)
• The Imaginarium, a creative devised piece (Middle School )

• The Apple, based on a play by Jimmy Brunelle (Middle School Production)

• No hay ladron que por bien no venga (Upper School)
• Romeo y Julieta (Upper School)
• Grease, The Musical (Upper School)

• "Survival of the Fittest", a comedy (Upper School)

• Bugsy Malone... the Musical (2017) 
• A Festival of Theatre (2018)

Pizza & Performance

Each bimester a year group is selected to showcase their class work in a Pizza & Performance event.  Students are invited to come along to the Black Box at lunchtime, eat pizza and watch their peers' fantastic work!