Performance Exams

Performance Exams Build Confidence & Presence

Performance exams from New Era Academy offer a broad range of disciplines and performing examinations for aspiring learners and actors. Learners can begin their journey toward different performing art disciplines. The performing art courses offer eight subjects, including some disciplines like Mime, Acting, Musical theatre, Creative Movement, and Shakespeare. The Performance Exams syllabus for each discipline covers the broadest range of contemporary performance and theatre-making.
Performance Exams can be taken as Solo, Duologue, or Group examinations. 

Our group musical theatre syllabus helps learners develop their creative and artistic skills with New Era Academy performance exams.

Acting

Learning how to develop a role by discovering what has gone before in the play and even imagining what the character was doing before the play is essential. Sight reading is always a useful skill whatever the future holds, mime and improvisation are introduced gradually as the Learner moves up the grades.

Progression through the grades takes in the important periods of drama and the higher grades carry UCAS points. There is a degree of intellectual involvement as the reading of the plays is a must for grade four and above.

Solo, Duologue, and Groups can take these exams and there is a Diploma for those wishing to continue into a career in the theatre.

Student Learning Objectives:

NEA’s Acting examinations allow candidates to develop technical, interpretation and communication skills as set out in the NEA Syllabus through:

  • Imagination and creativity
  • Stagecraft
  • Sight Reading
  • Vocal Techniques
  • Spatial Awareness
  • Physicality
  • Characterisation
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Musical Theatre

Musical Theatre is deeply rooted in the acting discipline, requiring clear thought and storytelling within the presented songs, putting the ‘theatre’ in Musical Theatre. Encompassing natural and appropriate delivery styles, and personal interpretation. Learners’ choice of suitable key selection is of paramount importance.

Learners will study good breath control, voice warm-up pre-performance, and the importance of warming down post-performance, ensuring understanding in this area is covered in these examinations because of the vocal range and flexibility required.

As the grades progress, and the necessary technique becomes more challenging, Learners will be expected to tackle a variety of musical styles and genres to give them a broad spectrum of knowledge and abilities. The theory for these grades includes not only vocal technique but also the progression of acting styles required to perform the set composers/lyricists; contrasting modern vocal performance styles with traditional musical theatre performance. Pitch, accurate tuning, musical phrasing, and vocal support will be learned, alongside strong and clear characterisation and storytelling.

Student Learning Objectives:

NEA’s Musical Theatre examinations allow candidates to develop vocal skills, physicality, and characterisation as set out in the NEA Syllabus through:

  • Vocal Techniques
  • Self Confidence
  • Characterisation
  • Imagination and creativity
  • Stagecraft
  • Spatial Awareness
  • Physicality
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Mime

Mime enables Learners to portray feelings, emotions and stories through movement and expression. This helps all aspects of acting. By taking away speech Learners work to use their bodies and faces to show what is happening. Learn to create episodes and scenes using facial and body expression. It’s great fun, builds confidence and self-awareness and also equips Learners with the skills of movement, observation and concentration. Learners can also acquire knowledge of the roots of this important medium.

The New Era Academy Mime Syllabus encourages Learners to build their technique through the grades from basic understanding and simple exercise, developing an understanding and enjoyment of mime, until they are proficient, poised and confident in using this enjoyable and valuable skill.

In a Mime examination Learners will be asked to perform a narrative and occupational mime, examinations 6, 7 and 8 will include a discussion with the Examiner. These examinations sit well alongside ActingRecitalDevised Drama, and other performance-based exams.

Entries are welcome from learners who may be hard of hearing, deaf, or have oral communication difficulties.

Student Learning Objectives:

NEA’s Mime examinations encourage Learners to develop body language, and physicality, spatial awareness, and how to show inner feelings through facial expression, develop imagination and creativity and increase self confidence, through:

  • Observation of life and objects, and attention to detail
  • Feeling of weight, size and texture
  • Conveying a story without words
  • Physical stage techniques
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Shakespeare

For all lovers of Shakespeare, history, and all those wanting to understand his plays this exam is a must. As well as increasing self-confidence and developing stage techniques, vocal techniques and spatial awareness these exams will introduce Learners to a vast imaginary world. Developing the skills to speak the language with fluency and meaning as well as learning about Elizabethan playhouses and the development of theatre in Shakespeare’s lifetime will encourage a lifelong love of the bard. Anyone wishing to study English or Theatre Studies at University will benefit from these exciting exams as well as those hoping to pursue a career in the theatre.

These exams can be interesting for learners who have a passion for theatre, and for those studying GCSE and A Level English.

Exams will cover at least one scene from a Shakespearian play and discussion with the examiner.

Student Learning Objectives:

NEA’s Shakespeare examinations allow Learners to develop self confidence, stretch their imagination and creativity and understanding of Shakespeare as set out in the NEA Syllabus through:

  • Characterisation
  • Stage Craft
  • Creative and Interpretative techniques
  • Understanding of dramatic structure and narrative used by Shakespeare
  • Vocal Techniques
  • Physicality
  • History
  • Love of literature
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Verse Speaking

Verse speaking is a melodious, poetic, engaging, and enjoyable art form, working individually to explore the speaking of poetry.

Develop the effective use of light and shade of your voice to build atmosphere, humour, and tension to entertain your audience. Learners will learn to create a recital of poetry, creatively linking them through the introduction, middle, and end.

In Verse Speaking examinations Learners will be asked to speak poems from memory, with clear speech using imagination and creativity.

These examinations are an excellent accompaniment to Speech and Drama and Recital Examinations.

Student Learning Objectives:

Through NEA’s Verse Speaking syllabus Learners will develop a love of poetry, clear speech, and understanding of diverse forms of poetry, confidence and self enrichment as well as developing research, imagination and creative skills through:

  • Research
  • Studying the different forms of poetry
  • The practice of clear speaking
  • Performing the art of verse speaking
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Recital

Recital explores a blend of verse, prose and acting, sometimes with appropriate musical accompaniment, to provide satisfying and enjoyable entertainment.

As well as being a discipline in its own right, Recital exams sit well alongside those taking Acting and Speech & Drama exams.

Learners will learn to create a themed programme demonstrating a variety of skills across multi-disciplines. The choice for themes is boundless. Once chosen, the search is on to find suitable and entertaining material for the programme. The material needs putting in order so that it is balanced in mood and content. An introduction informs the audience of the programme. Linking comments are added to move the programme from item to item to make a complete recital which is performed mainly from memory. Typically in an exam Learners may speak a poem and a piece of prose as well as perform an acting scene. Other skills are introduced as the grades progress e.g. mime, reading aloud and devised work. Devising a recital programme challenges performers to read widely and increases literary knowledge.

Student Learning Objectives:

NEA’s Recital examinations allow Learners to develop technical, interpretation and communication skills as set out in the NEA Syllabus through:

  • Planning and research
  • Audience communication
  • Speaking of poetry and prose
  • Acting
  • An appreciation of literature
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Devised Drama​

Developing creativity, Learners will be able to let their imaginations spread wide and broaden their performance proficiency from the source material. Taking the theme, story, fable or picture as a starting point only, the Learners can use all their acting techniques, spatial awareness and vocal skills to build their own piece of theatre. The inclusion of soundscapes, physical theatre, music and movement are all allowed in these exams. Great for building confidence.

There is no right or wrong in this exam, the stimulus is simply there to allow the Learners imaginations to run with their own ideas. When working with more than three Learners, developing group cohesion through a sharing of ideas and dramatic structure and working as a team are all part of the challenge.

The group exam is also useful “practice” for GCSE Drama, A level Drama and Theatre Studies. Higher grades, carry UCAS points.

Exams cover the devised scheme and discussion in character, becoming more involved as the learner moves through the grades.

Student Learning Objectives:

NEA’s Devised Drama examinations allow Learners to develop self confidence, stretch their imagination, creativity and spontaneity as set out in the NEA Syllabus through:

  • Stage Craft
  • Creative and Interpretive techniques
  • Understanding of dramatic structure and narrative
  • Vocal Techniques
  • Physicality
  • Characterisation
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Creative Movement

For Learners who enjoy performing using a range of disciplines, such as acting, singing and dancing. Creative Movement is an expression of the Learner’s inner feelings connecting to music and rhythm. Combining acting and dancing, with the option of singing into a complete performance. Similar to devised drama using music and movement, inspiring Learner’s creativity through expression of the three performing arts. An uplifting and all encompassing learning sensation.

Aimed at Learners who enjoy all aspects of performing arts, an exciting introduction to movement for Theatre.

Learners will connect with their inner feelings, develop characterisations, discover the creative process linking movement and words, which can be spoken or sung, by devised ensemble.

These are progressive exams where Learners will be asked to perform movement pieces that reflect mood, emotion and characterisation. At higher grades Learners will be expected to have knowledge of technical skills and demonstrate different styles of Musical Theatre encompassing dance movement.

Student Learning Objectives:

NNEA’s Creative Movement examinations allow candidates to develop vocal skills, physicality and characterisation as set out in the NEA Syllabus through:

  • Movement and Rhythm
  • Vocal Techniques
  • Self Confidence
  • Characterisation
  • Imagination and creativity
  • Stagecraft
  • Spatial Awareness
  • Physicality
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS

Choral Speaking

Choral Speaking is a melodious and poetic engaging and enjoyable art form, working as a group to form a choir (of at least 6 people) and to explore unison speaking of poetry. Developing the effective use of light and shade of different voices to build atmosphere, humour, tension, by blending voices together to entertain your audience and yourselves. Learners will learn to create a recital of poems and or prose, creatively linking them through introduction, middle and end. Visual presentation with accompanying movement and background music may enhance the performance. In Choral Speaking examinations Learners will be asked to present poems. As they progress through examinations they will include poetry and prose or a combination of both, set themes will challenge learners to explore their creativity and imagination. Groups should consider Choral Speaking as an alternative to acting and drama based examinations such as ActingDevised DramaMimeMusical Theatre and Recital Examinations.

Student Learning Objectives:

NEA’s Choral Speaking examinations allow Learners to develop an appreciation and interpretation of poetry and prose, they will learn to develop their voices creatively and as a choir using their imagination and creativity. Individuals will develop their communication skills as they work as a group, through:

  • Working as a team
  • Learning to speak in unison
  • Use of voices within a choir
  • Planning and research of poetry and prose
  • Speaking of poetry and prose
  • Audience communication
  • Delivering a performance
PERFORMER CATEGORIES
EXAMINATIONS GRADES
MEDAL GRADES
(Awarded for Solo | Duologue ONLY)
DIPLOMA LEVELS
UCAS TARIFF POINTS