Extended Diploma in Performing

and Production Arts Project

proposal template
Candidate Name
Robyn Langford

Candidate Number 544855

Pathway Level 3 Performing Arts

Project Title
Variations – Katie Himms

Section 1: Rationale
(approx. 150 words) When starting this course I wanted to improve on my techniques with professional practitioners and
widen my abilities as a performer. One of my fears coming into the course was of my struggles with
anxiety and written work but I feel as though my relationship with my work has improved a lot since
coming onto this course. I think an area that I have also improved in is my confidence, I am sharing
ideas and volunteering to do things I wouldn’t even dream of doing before this course. I have really
enjoyed my skill sessions with different practitioners as that has given me the chance to open up my
skillset that would equip me better for future projects and they are a lot of fun to learn. One of my
favourites was the class on Fosse as I was already a fan of his style of movement so to learn about
it was a really fun and interesting experience. I have found ensemble work to be very challenging
since I find it quite difficult to work in a group. This is because I often find my voice to be drowned
out and I find it hard to rely on people however through the units I have found ensemble work to be
very rewarding and I am excited to work in a group in future projects. Through the Scratch piece I
have a newfound love of devising, I had found it difficult in previous projects but giving a group
almost complete creative freedom really helped with my confidence. I feel more creative with these
types of projects and I can’t wait to see where my newfound skills will take me in the future.

Section 2: Project
Concept For the Final Major Project we are doing a play called Variations. The concept of this play
(approx. 200 words) is the idea of parallel universes and themes of family, acceptance and kindness. I am very
excited for this as it gives us a chance to do more scripted work that we haven’t had much
of a chance to do yet. I am anticipating doing a lot of research for this script as parallel
universes are not something that I’ve heavily researched into as well as the year 1983
because there’s a scene in the play that’s set in 1983. I’m hoping I will be able to keep on
top of theory work, to do this I will aim to do one piece of theory work a week, I’m hoping
to use the college library for recourses like books on psychology and history. I also think
having extra work in studios could be useful for things like movement and blocking. I will
also make use of peer feedback to help my website be accessible and easy to use. I am
aiming to finish everything apart from the final reflection by the start of Easter so I can
give myself a good break before intensive rehearsals start but, failing that, by the end of
the first week of Easter because that gives me ample time to have a rest before intensives
start and I won’t have too much anxiety in intensive rehearsals.

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 Extended Diploma in Performing
and Production Arts Project
proposal template
Section 3: Evaluation
(approx. 150 words) Every single session I will note down everything we did that day so that even if I
don’t do a reflection right away I will still have the notes so I can remember what we
did that session. I think recording the weekly reflection videos will help because that
gives me a lot of time to think of how I can improve. I will try and note down
everything that I have done so I can see when ideas formed and when they were
used. This is also useful for the final reflection at the end of the unit as I can include
many details that would’ve have been lost if not noted down. I think working
collaboratively with other people will be very useful because there are so many
ideas that are thrown out that even if they aren’t used in the final piece we can still
jump off of them. However it could be negative because as a group we can
distracted very easily so we need to find a way to concentrate like for instance
bringing fidget toys to a session so people can get out their extra energy without
distracting anyone.

Proposed Research
Sources and Anon, (No Date) https://feminist.org/resources/feminist-chronicles/the-feminist-
Bibliography (Harvard chronicles-2/part-ii-1983/ [Online] Feminist Majority Foundation [Accessed 29th
Format)
March

Anon, (No Date) https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers

[Online] Gov.UK [Accessed 31st March]

Anon, (No Date) https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/history/modern-

britain/1983-general-election/ [Online] StudySmarter [Accessed 31st March]

Anon, (15 December 2020)

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/online-harms-white-paper/online-
harms-white-paper [Online] Gov.uk [Accessed 31st March]

Anay, Katal (December 18th 2018) https://www.insider.com/most-popular-foods-

grubhub-2018-12 [Online] Insider [Accessed 29th March]

Braggs, Steven (February 2021)

https://www.retrowow.co.uk/social_history/80s/cost_1983.php [Online]
RetroWow [Accessed 29th March]

Cain, Sian (Wednesday 30th October 2019)

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/oct/30/uk-was-primed-for-nuclear-
war-in-the-uk-taras-young-interview [Online] The Guardian [Accessed 30th
March]

Copsey, Rob (3rd January 2019) https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-

official-top-40-biggest-songs-of-2018__22432/ [Online] Official Charts
[Accessed 31st March]

Hollingham, Richard (9th November 2018)

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181108-the-wargame-that-could-have-
ended-the-world [Online] BBC [Accessed 31st March]
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Kashtan, Paula (September 21st 2016) https://mom.com/momlife/35496-most-
popular-food-trends-year-you-were-born [Online] Mom.com [Accessed 29th
March]

Malacoff, Julia (December 17th 2018) https://bestlifeonline.com/best-fashion-

trends-2018/ [Online] BestLife [Acessed 17th March]

Onion, Amanda Et Al (December 6th 2018) https://www.history.com/topics/21st-

century/2018-events [Online] History [Accessed 29th March]

Orta, Emily (August 10th 2022) https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1983/ [Online]

Fashion History Timeline [Accessed 17th March]

R, Phil (January 3rd 2023) https://www.anniversaryideas.co.uk/gift-ideas/1983-

what-happened-40-years-ago-a-visual-history/ [Online] Anniversary Ideas
[Accessed 30th March]

Roy, Abhery (1st June 2019)

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/2018-the-year-
when-metoo-shook-india/2018-the-year-of-metoo-in-india/slideshow/
66346583.cms [Online] The Economic Times [Accessed 31st March]

Sandford, Alasdair (30th January 2020)

https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/30/brexit-timeline-2016-2020-key-events-
in-the-uk-s-path-from-referendum-to-eu-exit [Online] Euronews [Accessed 30th
March]

Uenuma, Francine (April 27th 2022)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1983-military-drill-that-nearly-
sparked-nuclear-war-with-the-soviets-180979980/ [Online] Smithsonian
[Accessed 30th March]

Whittingham, Kat (1st November 2021)

https://www.historic-newspapers.co.uk/blog/1983-timeline/ [Online] Historic
Newspapers [Accessed 17th March]

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Project Action Plan and Timetable
Week Date week beginning
1 20/02/23
2 27/03/23
3 06/03/23
4 13/03/23
5 20/03/23
6 27/03/23
Activity/what are you intending
to do – including independent Resources/what you will
study need to do it
Monday: My Script
We introduced the play and the met everyone who was in the Any session notes
class, we also did a warm up including learning the warm up Google Classroom
dance. We also did some chains in a circle to improve
ensemble work. We then did an improv game where we walk
around in the space and we needed to shout instructions at
each other and then we had to do them. We did some
choreography by going through our morning routines and
stylizing them, we then combined routines with some other cast
member and showed them with different styles of music as
potential choreography and music ideas. After lunch we did our
first read through as a cast, we just assigned characters
randomly to help bring the play alive
Independent study:
I did my weekly reflection and reread the script to get to grips
with the play.
Monday: My Script
We warmed up again and did the improv and chain game. This Any Session Notes
week our task was to try and devise scene transitions as those
are one of the most important things in the play. Then we split
into pairs and did some character analysis so that we could get
to know the characters more. We presented these to the class.
After that we did a recorded discussion about parallel
universes.
Independent study:
This was the week we started the initial presentation. My
specific question was ‘What was the difference between the
1980s and 2018.’ So I started researching for that presentation. I
did my weekly reflection
Monday: My Script
We warmed up again and did the chain game. Instead of doing Any Session Notes
the improv game, we did some shoaling. We were in three
groups and had three minute music pieces, we had to keep
moving for the entire song in a shoaling formation. We then
split into partners and did a lead and follow technique. This is
where one person has their hand out, that person is the leader,
and another person follows that hand, that person is the
follower. We did this for ideas for choreography. We also did
some dance improv where we were given the words; glitch and
identity to improv to.
Independent study:
I continued my research for the initial research presentation I
then did my weekly reflection
Monday: My Script
We warmed up again and did the chain game. We did some Research Presentation
storyboarding for each scene of the play to get to grips with it. Any session Notes
After that we split up into groups and wrote down some ideas
for transitions and presented them. Then we were kept in our
groups and we performed some spoken word pieces so we
could have some ideas for certain scenes
Independent study:
I had my PowerPoint presentation this week so I prepared for
that by preparing flashcards. I did my weekly reflection
Monday: My Script
Any Session Notes
We warmed up again and did the chain game then we did the
ensemble improv game. In the morning we split into three
groups and devised the opening to the play and showed it to
the group. Then in the afternoon we stayed in those groups and
devised the closing scenes to the play.
Independent study:
I researched 1983 for some context homework and started
adding songs to a playlist that represented certain mood
changes in the script. I did my weekly reflection
Monday: My Script
Any Session Notes
We did a cast warm up and the chain game. Then we took some
lines from the script and walked around the room delivering the
lines to work on projection. Then, because we got our casting,
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 we did an official cast read through with everyone as their
characters. Then after lunch we split into groups according to
our scene partners and created a manifesto for what we wanted
to achieve as a group. Then we sat in a circle and talked about
what we were planning on doing for the intensives.

Tuesday:

We worked with our movement choreographer to devise our

first scene transition of the play.

Independent study:
I started on working on my character analysis and creative
writing because I had gotten my character. Then I did my
reflection videos.
Monday: My Script
7 17/04/23 My Notebook
We saw the concept for set design and costume design first
and then we listened to the song ‘Safety Dance’ this was so we
could choreograph some movement to it. We were split into
groups and choreographed different sections of the dance for
us to learn. Then the Alice Ensemble split off into a different
group and while the rest of the cast was focused on blocking
and creating the first scene, the Alice Ensemble worked on the
first transition. Then after lunch we worked on the second
transition while the cast worked on the second scene.

Tuesday:

In the morning we all worked on the safety dance, then while

the cast worked on scene three, the Alice Ensemble worked on
transition 3 with lightsabers and then after lunch while the rest
of the cast was working on scene four the Alice Ensemble
worked on the 4th transition. Then our movement director came
in and we reworked the first and second transition with him.

Wednesday:

In the morning we worked on the safety dance and then we

worked on Scene 7. This meant that the Alice Ensemble was
assigned lines as we are all in Scene 7. We then worked
through the monologue that all Alices say. Then we reworked
the third and fourth transition with our movement director

Thursday:

On Thursday we were only in for the afternoon, so in the

afternoon while the Alice Ensemble was working on the 5 th and
6th transitions the cast worked on Scene 7. Then everyone
started working on the Scene 7 transition as the entire cast is
in the transition. We also went through the opening scene with
all the packages.

Friday:

On Friday morning we went through the Safety Dance and then

we all worked on the Closing Scene. We also kept on
reworking the transitions in the morning. Then in the afternoon
we did a stagger through and went through notes with the
director.
Monday: Script
8 24/04/23 Notebook
In the morning the Alice Ensemble went through and reworked
transitions 6 and 7. In the afternoon the sound technician came
in and we all recorded lines to be used for transitions and
phone monologues. After that the Alice Ensemble showed the
sound technician all of the transitions so that he could fit the
music to the transitions better.

Tuesday:

In the morning we went through the Safety Dance multiple

times with different directions to see the best version of it.
Then everyone went through transitions including the liminal
spacers. Then we went through scenes 4 and 5 but with Alices
included in the scene to make it more abstract and confusing.
In the afternoon everyone went through all of the scenes
without the transitions. Then after that the Alice Ensemble
worked on transition 5.

Wednesday:

Today our movement director was in all day so we were

focused on transitions all day. In the morning we went through

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 transitions 1-6 and we rerigged transitions 3, 4 and 5. Then we
updated transition 7. We also had the wooden prop boxes
come in and so we had to figure out how to rerig certain
transitions to fit the boxes in instead of the regular stools we
were using.

Thursday:

Today was a costume fitting and it was really fun. We did a run
through so we could include props. Then after lunch we did
another run through.

Friday:

We did a run through today and focused on notes on how to

improve on it.

Tuesday: Script
9 02/05/23 Notebook
In the morning we refined transition 5 before our tech session.
Then in tech week we got up to scene 6. We also did fight calls.
We also looked over the set and which props are in the right
place.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday we mostly went through scenes making sure

the actors were asking questions and listens to their
castmates. Then we went through transition 2 because it just
wasn’t working on the stage. Then after lunch we went through
the Safety Dance to make sure we had the right amount of
energy.

Thursday:

Today we finished Tech for the play and we did a run through,
we also figured out the finale. We also fixed a couple things for
the next few days:

Friday:

In the morning we went through the Safety Dance and Scene 7

again. Then after lunch we watched The Buckets dress run and
then we did a dress run ourselves. Then we had a quick dinner
break and we had our first run through.

Saturday:

We were in at 4:30 so we did a warm up and then we did our

last show.

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