Teacher information
Teacher information
Embedded Files
Exciting for 2025! 🎭
Exciting for 2025! 🎭
We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of the Southern Tablelands Drama Festival, now featuring two incredible performance venues! Schools can now select the location that best suits their needs:
📍 Goulburn Showcase – Goulburn Performing Arts Centre
📍 Wollondilly Showcase – Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre
This annual festival is a celebration of creativity, storytelling, and collaboration, bringing together public school students from Kindergarten to Year 12.
With separate primary and secondary showcases, students have the opportunity to perform alongside their peers, ensuring that items are tailored to their age group and ability level. This structure allows each performance to be celebrated in an environment that fosters confidence, skill development, and artistic growth.
Whether students are stepping onto the stage for the first time or are seasoned performers, the Southern Tablelands Drama Festival offers a positive, inclusive, and unforgettable experience for all.
We can’t wait to see the stories that will come to life in 2025!
The festival aims to:
🎭 Inspire and support drama education – Encouraging the development of rich, engaging drama programs at a school level and fostering confidence, creativity, and communication skills in students
🎭 Provide professional performance opportunities – Giving students the chance to rehearse and perform in state-of-the-art venues, enhancing their stagecraft and performance experience.
🎭 Foster collaboration and creativity – Creating a platform where students and teachers work together towards a shared artistic vision, exploring storytelling, movement, and theatrical expression.
🎭 Showcase student talent at every stage – By offering separate primary and secondary showcases, students perform alongside peers of a similar age and experience level. This ensures a supportive and age-appropriate environment where younger performers can shine, and older students can take on more advanced theatrical challenges.
🎭 Celebrate public education and the arts – Showcasing the exceptional talent within NSW public schools and reinforcing the value of the arts as a vital part of the curriculum.
Stay Informed with our Google site
Stay Informed with our Google site
To make participation as smooth as possible, this site serves as a one-stop space for all festival information, key details, and expectations. Here, you’ll find:
✅ Performance schedules and key dates
✅ Venue details and technical specifications
✅ Guidelines for teachers and students
✅ Costuming, props, and staging requirements
✅ Contacts and updates
Enquiries
Enquiries
Please contact Sue Dawson - Arts Coordination Officer should you have any further questions or concerns:
Email: susan.i.dawson@det.nsw.edu.au
Phone: 0402 992 897
Need some support?
Need some support?
Schools requiring assistance with their drama works should contact Sue Dawson (0402 992 897) to have a mentor assigned to the school to assist with preparations.
Important information
Important information
Goulburn Showcase
Goulburn Showcase
Festival dates
Festival dates
📅 Primary Drama Festival - Monday 11 August (Term 3 Week 4)
📅 Secondary Drama Festival - Tuesday 12 August (Term 3 Week 4)
Performance time
Performance time
5:30 pm start
Venue
Venue
Goulburn Performing Arts Centre
163 Auburn Street Goulburn NSW 2580
Ph: 02 4823 4999
Ticketing
Ticketing
Tickets will be available to purchase from the performance venue from Term 3 Week 1:
$20 per adult
$12.50 child, concession and seniors.
Cost
Cost
There is no cost for schools to participate in the festival. Ticket sales and local arts funding will cover festival costs.
Schools are responsible for costs associated with costumes, teacher relief and transport to the festival.
Wollondilly Showcase
Wollondilly Showcase
Festival dates
Festival dates
📅 Primary Drama Festival - Monday 18 August (Term 3 Week 5)
📅 Secondary Drama Festival - Tuesday 19 August (Term 3 Week 5)
Performance times
Performance times
5:30 pm start
Venue
Venue
Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre
66 Menangle Street Picton NSW 2571
Ph: 02 4677 8222
Ticketing
Ticketing
Tickets will be available to purchase from the performance venue from Term 2 Week 2:
$20 per adult
$12.50 child, concession and seniors.
Cost
Cost
There is no cost for schools to participate in the festival. Ticket sales and local arts funding will cover festival costs.
Schools are responsible for costs associated with costumes, teacher relief and transport to the festival.
How to apply
How to apply
School participation form
School participation form
Please submit your STDrF 2025 - School participation form - to nominate the number of items you wish to participate in the festival.
This form is required to be submitted by Friday 5 July 2025 (Term 2 Week 10).
Schedule of day
Schedule of day
Technical rehearsals will take place during the day at:
Tech rehearsal timeslot 1: 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Tech rehearsal timeslot 2: 10:30 am to 12:00 noon
Tech rehearsal timeslot 3: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Tech rehearsal timeslot 4: 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Evening show: 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Schools are encouraged to watch some or all of the other technical rehearsals on the day.
Staffing
Staffing
Students will, at all times, be under the duty of care of their teacher/s throughout the festival.
A maximum of 2 parent volunteers (if required) per school will be allowed backstage and must be named on the student and staff roll submitted. Parent volunteers cannot be swapped throughout the day.
Principals will be required to sign off on all staff, aides and parent volunteers attending the festival to ensure they meet Department guidelines for WWCC and mandatory training.
Risk management plans
Risk management plans
RMP documentation has been provided for use by schools when preparing their excursion RMPs for the festival.
Festival structure
Festival structure
Style of drama
Style of drama
Item/s can be drawn from any genre, including circus, comedy, Commedia dell’ arte, puppetry, scripted drama, play-built piece, movement, mime, documentary drama, musical theatre, mask theatre ... and more!
We will also accept choir and music items using repertoire from a musical or movie!
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups exploring First Nation stories are actively encouraged to participate.
Content guideline
Content guideline
All drama pieces must be devised with the festival guidelines in mind and should be appropriate for young audiences.
✅ Successful performances have a clear theme and are appropriate to the age and ability of the students.
✅ Clearly define your concept or intent. Reflect on the message you want to communicate and how best to convey it to your audience.
⚠️ Sensitive themes
Themes such as romantic relationships, mental health, racism, sexism, drug and alcohol use should be handled with sensitivity. If explored, these themes should be represented in an abstract manner rather than in a literal or graphic way.
❌ Unsuitable content
Performances that include disturbing, violent, or culturally inappropriate content or costuming are not permitted and are unsuitable for a public school drama festival.
As there is no audition process, all performances must be viewed in full by the school principal prior to the festival and receive their endorsement of the content before being presented.
Number of items
Number of items
Each school may nominate a maximum of 2 items for the festival. All items submitted will be included in the festival. Should you wish to submit more than 2 items, please contact Sue Dawson. These items will only be considered if the program has available space.
Number of students
Number of students
Each item should have a minimum of 6 performers and a maximum of 30 performers. An exception will be made for small schools and SSP schools where numbers may need to be adapted to suit their students' needs and/or numbers.
Length of items
Length of items
Primary - recommended time of 5 to 6 minutes with a maximum of 10 minutes.
Secondary - recommended time of 7 to 8 minutes with a maximum of 10 minutes. Items should not be HSC major works.
Short, dynamic performance items are encouraged for all schools!
Performance time must include set and strike time of the item.
Inclusivity
Inclusivity
We actively encourage the inclusion of students with a disability and will work collaboratively with schools to ensure that any necessary modifications or special provisions are in place to support their participation..
Student behaviour
Student behaviour
The STDrF is a Department of Education event and as such, like at school, all students are expected to abide by the Department’s Behaviour Code for Students. Students are representing themselves, their families and their school whilst at the festival.
Video, photography and publicity consent
Video, photography and publicity consent
Publicity consent
Publicity consent
All students must complete a Festival publicity consent form prior to the festival.
This form is to be collected and held by the coordinating teacher at the school.
A Word document version of this form is available in the STDrF 2025 - Teacher drive folder if you wish to amend this form to add to your school excursion permission note.
Unless otherwise advised, the festival will still film and photograph items with a student without consent. It will be at the discretion of the school principal how this footage is used.
Video
Video
The festival will be filmed and a copy of each school's item supplied to the coordinating teacher. This video cannot be sold to families due to copyright. School items with students who do not have publicity consent will still be filmed and a copy of the performance provided to the principal for use at a school level at the discretion of the principal. Schools will also have permission to video their own item during rehearsals.
Photography
Photography
A professional photographer will be available at the festival. Photos will be available for sale to schools and families following the festival.
Please note: Audience members will NOT be able to take photos or videos during the performances due to copyright and child protection. Please ensure your families are aware of this.
Select the photography and video button to access more detailed information.
Other student opportunities at the festival
Other student opportunities at the festival
Comperes
Comperes
Each school is to provide a compere to announce their item/s.
This student may be a performer in the item or another student from the school.
If the student is not a performer, the compere is asked to wear their school uniform. If the student is a performer they can make the introduction in costume.
VET Entertainment students
VET Entertainment students
An opportunity is available for selected students in Years 11 and 12 studying VET Entertainment to complete a work placement as a crew member of the production team for the Festival.
VET Crew would be required to attend on both days at either showcase from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm and will work in roles such as assistant stage manager, film crew, backstage crew, sound and lighting. This opportunity will provide 22 hours of industry workplacement for the VET Entertainment course.
Please email Sue Dawson - susan.i.dawson@det.nsw.edu.au if you have students you wish to nominate for a work placement.
Copyright guidelines
Copyright guidelines
Copyright
Copyright
The Southern Tablelands Drama Festival adheres to all copyright laws.
Before including any aspect of a scripted drama piece or text (including children's picture books or novels), visual images or graphics, please ensure you have secured the right to perform the piece or use the visual images and graphics for a public audience. This may involve having to purchase additional licenses to perform the dramatic work in public.
If using music as part of your drama piece, schools should choose commercially available sound recordings. Music must be legally purchased on behalf of the school with your principal’s acknowledgment of the purchase.
Each school must ensure the correct policies are followed for copyright clearance of all music and/or sound effects used in their soundtrack.
To assist you in understanding and meeting copyright requirements refer to:
Please also note that in your application form you will be required to provide the details (title, artist, composer, publisher/record company) of each music track and sound effect used.
Music
Music
Music
Music
Music and song lyrics can help communicate the intent of an item. Care should be taken to ensure that the music and lyrics utilised are appropriate to the theme of the work.
Music should be selected and screened carefully with the school principal endorsing both song choice and song lyrics.
Songs with inappropriate lyrics or intent will not be accepted.
Music must be legally purchased on behalf of the school with your principal’s acknowledgment of the purchase.
When selecting your music or creating your soundtrack from multiple songs, try to avoid variation in sound levels or any audible clicks or pops on your soundtrack.
Ensure your music stays within the time allocations.
It is recommended that you bring a backup thumb drive to the rehearsal and performances.
Costumes and props
Costumes and props
Costumes
Costumes
Drama items can be performed in 'drama blacks' (black pants/shorts and black t-shirt) or costume appropriate to your performance.
Costumes should:
support your item concept and complement the movement intention.
be appropriate to the performer’s age, gender and a range of body shapes. The dignity of students should be respected at all times.
Props
Props
If using props, they should appear as an integral part of the item, complementing, not dominating it.
Please consider:
there is a Work Safe limit of 25 kgs on all props
they should be able to be safely carried by a maximum of 2 students
free-standing props must be secure and weighted at the bottom if necessary
props on wheels must have safety locks
coordinating teachers and choreographers will be directed by the stage management team on the safest most logical way that props are set and removed from the stage
keep in mind there is limited time to set up props and often limited light.
Staging and lighting
Staging and lighting
Staging
Staging
The stage space is approximately 14 m wide x 5 m deep. The mid-curtain will be in place.
The stage is a traditional proscenium-style setup.
All schools will enter the wings from stage left. Students entering from stage right can cross behind the black curtain under the direction of the stage manager.
All schools must leave the stage from stage right.
Stage diagram
Stage diagram
Stage space and mid-curtain use
Stage space and mid-curtain use
To create the best performance environment, the mid curtain (black) will be closed, keeping the performance space more contained and ensuring students remain towards the front of the stage. This adjustment will:
🎭 Enhance acoustics, allowing for clearer sound projection.
🎭 Support student voice projection, making it easier for performers to be heard.
🎭 Create a more intimate performance space, helping students feel more comfortable and engaged.
Please note that the black mid-curtain limits the effectiveness of using projection elements.
If a performance requires a larger stage space, there is capacity to open the mid curtain, which can be negotiated in advance based on the staging needs of the item.
Lighting
Lighting
Schools will be supported during their rehearsal by the venue lighting technician to design a lighting plan for your item/s.
Please download the lighting design plan/s proforma to use and place the completed plan in the STDrF 2024 teacher drive - lighting plan folder
Additional resources
Additional resources
You might like to explore the following Creative Teacher resources developed by The Arts Unit to assist in your preparations for the festival.
Third-party content attributions
Third-party content attributions
No third-party attributions.
Southern Tablelands Drama Festival
https://artsunit.nsw.edu.au/local-arts-programs/far-south-coast-drama-festival
The Arts Unit
artsunit.nsw.edu.au
Produced by The Arts Unit © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2024.The copyright material published on this website is subject to the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), and is owned by the NSW Department of Education or, where indicated, by a party other than the NSW Department of Education.
[WARNING]Some of this material may have been copied [and communicated to you] in accordance with the statutory licence in section 113P of the Copyright Act. Any further reproduction or communication of this material by you may be the subject of copyright protection under the Act.
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