The Challenge Issue
Drama Matters Magazine is a valuable resource for educators, offering a deep dive into the practice, pedagogy and impact of drama education.
Issue Three: Aug 2025
Issue Two: Mar 2024
Issue One: Sep 2023
ISSUE TWO
highlights
ISSUE TWO
highlights
The Death of Creativity in School
TRACY DORRINGTON
Tracy delves into the challenges faced by creative subjects, particularly drama, in the educational system. The piece highlights declining interest and funding for the arts, emphasising the essential role of creativity in education. She discusses the impact of the EBacc, declining arts subject entries, and the broader implications for creativity and diversity in the arts. The article concludes by urging for collective action and advocacy to address the challenges faced by drama and creative subjects in education.
Reigniting a Sense of Play
LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES
Les Enfants Terribles discusses the significance of play within the devising process in drama education. It highlights the challenges of immediacy in digital environments, the trend towards scripting over spontaneous play, and the impact on creative development. The piece emphasises the importance of play as a foundational aspect of the creative process and explores strategies for reintroducing playfulness into the devising process. It also suggests the benefits of a spiral curriculum model for devising and encourages teachers to prioritise active, playful engagement in the classroom.
A Carousel of Challenges: Innovation in Curriculum Models
LIAM GREENALL
Liam discusses the innovative Arts Carousel curriculum model at ICHK Secondary in Hong Kong. This model aims to provide students with varied and enriched exposure to different creative domains, fostering creativity, risk-taking, and collaboration. The article also highlights the school's commitment to encouraging students to work outside their comfort zones and in their Zone of Proximal Development, as well as its vision for providing an immersive and interdisciplinary arts education.
Drama Challenges Today: in the Classroom and Beyond
NINA LEMON
Nina provides a comprehensive examination of the challenges faced by drama and theatre in today's educational settings. She discusses the impact of the mental health crisis on young people, the perceived devaluation of drama in the curriculum, and shifts in audience behaviour. Nina’s insights shed light on the multifaceted and complex challenges that drama and theatre encounter in contemporary educational environments.
Which Shakespeare Book to Choose?
MEGAN DONNACHIE
Megan discusses the challenges of choosing the most suitable edition of Shakespeare's Macbeth for a drama classroom. She compares and contrasts various editions, evaluating their layout, glossing, use of colour and images, as well as practical considerations related to the physical book. The article ultimately examines the practicality and relevance of each edition for a drama classroom.
School Show Spotlight: After Juliet
GEORGIA SIDELL
Georgia provides an in-depth look into the school production of the play After Juliet. She discusses the play's themes, the process of preparing and staging the production, as well as the challenges and successes encountered. The article highlights the creative and technical aspects of the production, including insights into set design, costumes, and the integration of music and lighting. Georgia also shares the highs and lows experienced during the production and concludes with a summary of the play by Sharman MacDonald.
MEET THE FOUNDER
Tracy Dorrington
Tracy did her degree in Performing Arts with Theatre at Hitchin College linked with Middlesex University and gained her BA Hons in 2006 only a few marks off a first but being a single parent of two boys while doing her degree was proud of her result. Tracy had always been involved with theatre performing at the London Palladium and The Theatre Royal Drury Lane and also at the Mermaid Theatre. After gaining her degree she then worked in a secondary school in Bedfordshire working as a Teaching Assistant then Cover Supervisor and then Head of PSHE leaving in 2010. Tracy then attended Middlesex University under the amazing Ken Taylor where she completed her PGCE gaining outstanding in her placements. Tracy then worked in Milton Keynes as a teacher of Drama and Head of House, then after five years moving to Enfield where she was a Head of Year and Head of Drama and Performing Arts for ten years. Now working in Bishops Stortford at a school where they value every aspect of the arts The Hertfordshire and Essex High School. Tracy knows what it is to be a one person department and working in schools where the subject was not valued which is what led to the start up of Drama Matters.
Outside of school Tracy has two sons, Bradley and Lewis both of whom she is extremely proud. Bradley owns his own business in Bury St Edmunds The Wine Cellar and has a gorgeous wife and two children. Lewis a Bar Manager at The Whisky Cafe in St Ives and has a gorgeous partner Emily. Both boys know what it is to work hard and most importantly be good humans and try and make a positive difference in the world.
Tracy loves all things theatre, music and art and is also a singer/songwriter.
Tracy hopes and knows that Drama can change the world by challenging wrongs, providing escapism, cathartic and giving every young person the transferable skills to enable them to become the best version of themselves.
Tracy knows that Drama as a subject and Drama teachers have to fight for their subject and to be seen in so many schools in the country and indeed worldwide and she hopes that by creating a space where all can come together to support each other it enables all to rise up not only themselves but also their subject.
Peace, love and understanding.
Want to keep up with the latest happenings in the world of drama education? Eager to be the first to access new issues of Drama Matters Magazine? Then we have just the thing for you!
Click below and view the latest issues!
Learn more