Coming of age: dialogues about" Dramawise" and the elements of drama (original) (raw)

Twenty-one years ago Brad Haseman and John O'Toole sought to provide drama educators and their students with a book and a framework that clearly identified the key building blocks for the artform of drama. In their book Dramawise they presented a model for the elements of drama and proposed that these elements could be found in all dramas -from process drama through to polished theatre pelformances. As Australian educators now face the prospect of a National Curriculum and renewed calls to consider what might be common to our practice across the nation, it is timely to reflect on the impact of a key text such as Dramawise, to trace its development, its impact and relevance for the future. In this article, the author reflects on this issue and interviews she conducted with Haseman and O'Toole and other drama educators who have engaged with their work. Limited on (02) 93947600 (ph) or 93947601 (fax) 60 Sue Davis