Extended Diploma in Performing

and Production Arts

Project proposal template
Candidate Name
Sophie Pearce

Candidate Number
544860

Pathway
Performing and Production arts Level 3: Acting

Project Title
Final Major Project: Variations

Section 1: Rationale
Starting the course, I knew that I wanted to improve my skills within performing arts, learn new
(approx. 150 words)
techniques and find out what part of creating theatre suits me best. I was so excited to meet many
different practioners from all different backgrounds, who have so many different skills and experiences
so that I could learn from them and understand more about the career I wish to pursue. I don’t live very
close and going into it I knew I was going to have to create a new friends, and I have found myself
surrounded with amazing different groups of people. Everyone is as passionate as me about theatre and
performing and they all have their own parts of it which they find more enjoyable, meaning we can work
as a group and all do something we enjoy as well as learn from one and other. I think it’s also great
being surrounded by so many performers and creators because it means in the future I’ll have
connections to people, who I know from experience, are passionate and dedicated workers. The course
has given me experience and so many opportunities to try out lots of different things, and it’s really
helped me discover more about myself and the kind of performer and theatre maker I want to be. I love
that we get given the privilege to go out and see so many different types of performances, which I
wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Though some of the shows I have preferred compared to others, each
one I’ve watched has made me think and given me ideas, inspiration and made me think outside the
box. Overall the choice of taking this course was one of the best choices I could’ve made, I learn so
much everyday just by walking into the classroom, all the practioners are also so helpful with advice and
being surrounded with so many creative minds makes each day so exciting. Even though I’m still not
entirely sure about what career within performing and production arts I wish to pursue, I know I have so
much more knowledge, confidence and support to go for whichever pathway I choose.

Section 2: Project The piece we have been given is called Variations, written by Katie Hims and our
Concept director is Sophie Cottle. Our concept behind our piece is to create and perform a
(approx. 200 words)
piece of theatre that is entertaining and highlights themes of family and makes people
think about ideas of multiple universes and time. The script Variations was written in
2019 so is very modern and has many things us as a company can relate too, and the
fact it’s based in 2018 and the characters are around the age of 13 means we can
relate to the script more as many of us were that age at that time as well, so we can
all have a more in-depth understanding of how the characters would act and know
what things at that time in society would affect them. The script also touches on
identity and how the body your born in can sometimes not feel like how you wish to
identify as, and in our company I believe it’s something people can relate to and if not
that have questioned their identity at least once. Everyone in our company did their
own research on one aspect of the script to them present to the rest of the group, from
doing this it gave everyone a good understanding of what we’re working with and what
historical events as well as other ideas within the script which we may have not initially
picked up on. All our research will hopefully make the construction of our piece so
much easier and even when designing set and costumes give more reason behind
each choice. I think this play shows a really good understanding of what it’s like to be
a teen in our modern world and raises awareness in a subtle way as well, which could
affect our audience in a positive way.
Page 3
 Extended Diploma in Performing
and Production Arts
Project proposal template
Section 3: Evaluation
(approx. 150 words) To reflect all my work I have done, each week I will be filming a reflection video up
to about 5 minutes long, it will include information about what we did in lesson, as
well as how I think it went and how it is helping creating out performance, the
most important things about creating these videos is making sure my opinions
and feeling are clear as just saying what happened doesn’t give much detail about
how successful each day was. In these videos I will also mention what I will
personally do going forward in the creating process and how I want to help myself
and the group. Another way I’ll be reflecting is putting everything onto my website,
this being my reflection videos and all of my work, be it research as well as
context. All this being on my website means that I know as well as others the
process I have gone through to help create my piece as well as it showing my
journey and how I felt about each stage of creation.

Proposed Research
Sources and Amelia Gentleman, 24 November 2022, An explosion, What is behind the rise of
Bibliography (Harvard girls questioning their gender identity?, Available at: ‘An explosion’: what is
Format)
behind the rise in girls questioning their gender identity? | Transgender | The
Guardian [Accessed 11 March 2023]

History.com editors, 6 December 2018, 2018 Events, Available at: 2018 Events -
HISTORY [Accessed 21 March 2023]

James M. Lindsay, 20 December 2018, Ten most significant world events in

2018, Available at: Ten Most Significant World Events in 2018 | Council on
Foreign Relations (cfr.org) [Accessed 21 March 2023]

Kat Whittingham, 1 November 2023, A Year in History: Timeline of 1983 Events,

Site Blocked (historic-newspapers.co.uk) [Accessed 22 March 2023]

National, 14 March 2023, 1983, Available at: 1983 - Wikipedia [Accessed 21

March 2023]

NHS, 28 May 2020, Gender Dysphoria, Available at: Gender dysphoria - NHS
(www.nhs.uk) [Accessed 11 March 2023]

The people history, What happened in 1983?, Available at: What Happened in
1983 - Significant Events, Prices, 1983 Top Movies, TV and Music
(thepeoplehistory.com) [Accessed 22 March 2023]

Page 3
 Project Action Plan and Timetable
Week Date Week Activity / What you are Resources / What you will
Beginning intending to do - including
independent study

1 20/02/23 Learn what our show is and who Script

our director is. Do a warm up, with Pens
some games, read through the Poster paper
script and research each Speaker
character.
2 27/02/23 Warm up, try out movements linked to Script
identity and glitching. Then come Pens
together with other groups to make a
mini performance focused on these Speaker
ideas and add some stage directions.

3 06/03/23 Warm up, play group games. Put Script

into chosen groups and do a Pens
movement flocking exercise with
Speaker
music. Try out more movements
with glitching an identity.

4 13/03/23 Warm up, focus on transitions, Script Instruments

write out poems and words that link Pens
to the song, our director was Poster Paper
playing, then create our own music
Speaker
in groups.

5 20/03/23 Warm up, play games. Look at the Script

opening of the show in groups and Speaker
focus on the postman. Later look at Stand in props
the ending of the show in the same
groups and how that could look.
6 27/03/23 Warm up, do a read through with the Script
casting and make notes of how the
ensemble can be included in the script. Speaker
Work in groups to create manifestos on Notebooks
how we want to work, and start thinking Pens
ideas for transitions
7 17/04/23 Warm up each day, focus on Script Pens
transitions, blocking out scenes with
director and movement director. Start
Speaker Directors Notes
working with props in scenes and Props
transitions. Do a full run through of our Notebook
performance and take notes, to work
on for the next week.
Warm up every day, start working on
8 24/04/23 what characters we are and our
Script Pens
intentions for each transition. Go over Speaker Microphone
transitions with props to make them Props
more precise and make sure each Notebook
transition was on the same level of
quality. Voice record parks of the script.
Do a final stagger through with all
added changes.
9 01/05/23 Warm up, go over the last notes before Props Script
going into tech. Get into our costumes and
start working with tech. Repeat scenes
Costumes
that need more tech. Do a full run through Sound
with tech. Watch Buckets dress run. Do Lights
fight call. Take notes from our tech run
and apply them to our dress run. Prepare
for first performance, and perform and Page 4
then prepare for second performance with
final notes.