Drama

Drama & Performance Workshops

Performance skills are transferrable across many aspects of life and can help with self‑confidence, imagination, empathy, co-operation, concentration, communication and memory. The arts are also a great way to have fun, and a fantastic creative, emotional and social outlet for Young People.

At Shopfront we offer a safe space, where everyone is welcome and supported to express themselves free from judgement, among friends!

Start out in a workshop, progress to an ensemble, take a technical theatre workshop to learn how to do things behind the scenes, and one day you can be a Shopfront emerging artist!

Drama, ages 8-11 (Group 1) – Wednesday 4:30-5:30pm
Drama, ages 8-11 (Group 2) – Saturday 10:45-11:45am
Drama, ages 12-14 – Saturday 11:45am – 1:15pm
Young Company, ages 18+ – Wednesday 5:30-7:30pm
All the above workshops are held at Shopfront Arts Co-Op, 86-88 Carlton Pde, Carlton

Our Drama Workshops

Drama, ages 8–11

No experience necessary.
Make friends, build confidence and develop skills performing, creating and speaking in public. In this workshop you’ll play drama games, and make your own short works to premiere at our end of term performance.

We run two group times for Drama 8-11
Group 1 – Wednesdays 4:30 – 5:30pm
Group 2 – Saturday 10:45 -11:45am

Drama, ages 12–14

Develop and strengthen skills in performance-making, communication, and critical thinking
through performance techniques and drama games. You’ll work with traditional and non-traditional methods of theatre making, and develop your own short works for our end of term performance.

Saturdays, 11:45am – 1:15pm

Make a Show!

Not only do we offer the chance to grow your skills, but we actively create opportunities for you to show them off to the public. Through our workshop program, we stage two shows per year, created by our Junior and Senior Ensembles. Try your hand at creating a full-length stage show!

Enrolment cost covers termly workshops, an intensive rehearsal period during the school holidays, and the performance week.

Enrolments for Senior Ensemble are open now! Senior Ensemble will run Terms 1 and 2, and Junior Ensemble enrolments will open mid year for Term 3 and 4

Junior Ensemble, ages 10–14

Junior Ensemble offers the chance to create a show in collaboration with practising emerging and established artists. Develop a work while strengthening your performance skills and making friends along the way! Junior Ensemble is open to all Young People who are serious about performing. This year you’ll be working with Lana Filies and Lucy Heffernan.

Saturdays, 2:30pm–5:30pm in Terms 3 & 4

Senior Ensemble, ages 15-17

Create a new performance work in collaboration with emerging and professional artists. This will be your work and will contain your ideas, values and you, the performer! In 2023 Shopfront’s Senior Ensemble will be working with Hayden Tonazzi through a challenging and fast-paced rehearsal schedule to create a brand new work.

Saturdays, 2:30pm–5:30pm in Terms 1 & 2

Young Company, ages 18-26

This progressive route from our workshop program allows young artists the opportunity to develop their creative practice in a nurturing space. Putting you in the drivers’ seat, Young Company offers a space to take creative risks, create dynamic performances and make new friends.
Working towards an end of year showcase, Young Company requires attendance at additional rehearsal and development days throughout the year.

Wednesdays, 5:30 – 7:30pm

Behind the Scenes

Technical Theatre, ages 12–17

Gain hands-on experience as a technical operator as you work on Shopfront shows! Learn the crafts of designing sound, lighting and sets for theatrical productions, and apply them in shows attended by the public.

Saturdays, 2 – 4pm

Photo credit: Joshua Morris