Diploma in

Performing &
Production Arts
Unit 8 Project Proposal

Candidate Timothy Dawson

Name
Candidate 371398
Number
Pathway Performing and Production Arts Level 3: Acting

Project Title Final Major Project – The Sad Club

Section 1: Review
I started this course wanting to explore the differing roles in the theater industry and discover what I wasn’t to do,
I also wanted to gain experience whilst working with people who have similar interests in theater as me because in
secondary school there was a lack of care for the performing arts, we didn’t even have a drama department. I also
really wanted the experience of performing in front of people as frequently as I am on this course, it has helped me
gain confidence and grow as a performer who works well as a part of an ensemble. My biggest fear before joining
the course was having to do a lot of stylized movements but this course has helped me grow into loving and
wanting to do more of it in our FMP. I as of right now still want to pursue acting as I have a love of performing on
stage and entertaining, I think that is one of my strong points. I have worked on TV /Film in the past as school
projects I do enjoy editing and also the creating process such as working behind the camera, but I am unsure if I
would want to act as it is very repetitive.

Section 2: Project Concept.

"The Sad Club" is a play written by Luke Barnes and music by Adam Pleeth. It explores themes of
mental health, friendship, and resilience. The play follows a group of young people who form a club to
cope with their struggles and challenges. It deals with issues such as anxiety, depression, and self-harm,
portraying the characters' experiences with sensitivity and authenticity. "The Sad Club" has been praised
for its honest portrayal of mental health issues and its ability to spark important conversations about
mental well-being. To develop my understanding of the text I have researched the writer and musician
behind the text. I found that they both have an interest in conveying important messages in their work
which is shown through the detail in this play. I hope that the performance I give conveys those key
messages about sadness and accepting that not everyone is happy all the time. I hope we can use the
stylized movement to make the scene look good. It excites me to be able to sing in this piece because I
enjoy singing and through this process, I will enjoy making it sound good with the 4-part harmonies.

Section 3: Evaluation

To keep track of how I'm doing each week, I make a detailed action plan. It shows what I've done and
what I want to do in the coming weeks. This helps me stay on top of my work and remember feedback
that my practitioners have given me. I will make a video log every week to track my decisions, any
changes in my ideas, and how my characters are developing in the play. Every week I will mention what
I did in every session to help me remember when I am writing my action plan. These also give me time
to process what we do in our sessions and what works well. Working with others has its positives and
negatives. Getting criticized or having an idea rejected can be tough. But I believe in helping others learn
by supporting and challenging their ideas, just like I'd want them to do for me. In the end, we'll all
improve because of it. And I do enjoy the friendships that I have built, and it helps me have confidence
in the rehearsal room because we feel like a family.

Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)

IMDb. (n.d.). Luke Barnes | Actor, Writer, Editor. [online]

Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4430828/ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].
‌
Pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com. (n.d.). NT Connections: The Sad Club & Back in the Day |
Pitlochry Festival Theatre. [online]
Available at: https://pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com/whats-on/nt-connections-the-sad-club-
back-in-the-day/ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Finding Your Voice with Luke Barnes. [online]

Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3t-4mxKotk [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].

lukebarnes. (n.d.). Works. [online]

Available at: https://www.lukeedwardbarnes.com/about [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].
‌
Adam Pleeth. (n.d.). Adam Pleeth - Home. [online]
Available at: https://www.adampleeth.com/ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].

IMDb. (n.d.). Adam Pleeth | Actor, Composer, Music Department. [online]

Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4301785/ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].
‌
www.broadwayworld.com. (n.d.). Adam Pleeth Videos on BroadwayWorld. [online]
Available at: https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/videos/Adam-Pleeth/ [Accessed 26
Feb. 2024].
‌

National Theatre (2018). National Theatre |. [online] Nationaltheatre.org.uk.

Available at: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].
‌
Wikipedia (2021). COVID-19. [online] Wikipedia.
Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].

Bell, I.H., Nicholas, J., Broomhall, A., Bailey, E., Bendall, S., Boland, A., Robinson, J., Adams,
S., McGorry, P. and Thompson, A. (2023). The Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Mental Health:
A Mixed Methods Survey. Psychiatry Research, [online] 321.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115082. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].
‌
McDowell, A. (2019). ‘What young people want from Boris Johnson is a general election’.
[online] The Mirror.
Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/what-young-people-want-boris-
18770567 [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].

Allegretti, A. (2023). Partygate defence dossier: how Boris Johnson tried to contain a
scandal. The Guardian. [online] 21 Mar.
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/21/partygate-defence-
dossier-reveals-how-johnson-tried-to-contain-scandal. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].
‌
Capaldi .L (n.d.). Spotify. [online] Available at:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7qEHsqek33rTcFNT9PFqLf?si=0dce1506541d467c [Accessed
28 Mar. 2024].

Jennings, R. (2019). What is a VSCO girl? The VSCO girl meme, explained. [online] Vox.
Available at: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/9/24/20881656/vsco-girl-meme-what-
is-a-vsco-girl. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].

‌ itschel, C. (2019). VSCO girl: What is the trend taking over Instagram and TikTok? The
R
Independent. [online] 18 Oct. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/vsco-
girl-what-mean-stand-for-wear-trend-scrunchie-instagram-tiktok-a9121556.html. [Accessed
28 Mar. 2024].

uk.embassy.gov.au. (2020). Australian High Commission in. [online] Available at:

https://uk.embassy.gov.au/lhlh/bushfirerecovery.html. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].
‌
UN environment programme (2020). Ten impacts of the Australian bushfires. [online] UN
Environment. Available at: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ten-impacts-
australian-bushfires. [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].

Wikipedia Contributors (2019). Brexit negotiations in 2019. [online] Wikipedia. Available at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit_negotiations_in_2019 [Accessed 28 Mar. 2024].

aliceb (2021). BREXIT: Impact on Young Europeans. [online] Youth for Europe. Available at:
https://youthforeurope.eu/brexit-impact-on-young-european-people/. [Accessed 28 Mar.
2024].

Week Date Week Activity / What you are intending to do - Resources / What you will need to do it -
Beginning including independent study including access to workshops

1 We started by playing a couple of fun group I will need to be equipped with a pen
19th Feb bonding activities to get to know our group. and highlight to help me make notes for
The first game we played was Bomb and the text. My script. Appropriate
Shields, which I'm very familiar with. The movement clothes
next game we played involved being
divided into groups of eight and given a
piece of paper each. We were then
instructed that it was like musical chairs.
When the music played, we had to stand on
our piece of paper, and each round, one
piece of paper was removed. As a team, we
had to figure out how to fit all the remaining
pieces onto one piece of paper. We had our
first script read which went very well. After
that, we picked a bit of the script that we
were interested in and that we would like to
perform a section of for the rest of the
group. I chose Michael's scene because I
liked his character.
2 We were given sections of the piece to I will need to be equipped with a pen
26th Feb read and act out to generate ideas for and highlight to help me make notes for
casting and scene progression. I was the text. My script. Appropriate
assigned the first scene, featuring Craig. movement clothes. Water bottle to help
However, I struggled with it. My mind sing
seemed unable to grasp the words, and it
took me a long time to comprehend what
was happening. We played an improv
game where we were given sections of
the text and asked to act out what came
before or a part of it. For example,
someone got the swimming scene and
had to demonstrate how they would
perform it. I was assigned the task of
portraying David sculpting the jelly.
We met our musical director, did some
warm-ups, and then dove straight into
practicing the first song. We were all
thrilled and excited. Which has a four-
part harmony.

We played a game called The I will need to be equipped with a pen

4th March Impossible Game, which helped sharpen and highlight to help me make notes for
our focus. In the game, we had to say a the text. My script. Appropriate
name while walking to another position, movement clothes. Water bottle to help
simultaneously throwing a ball and sing
saying a number. It was initially
overwhelming, but once we all focused
and understood the importance of
concentration, it became an excellent
team-building exercise. We were
divided into small groups and assigned
scenes to work on. Our tasks included
brainstorming ideas for costumes, and
settings, and understanding the
dynamics and relationships between the
characters, as well as exploring the
themes of the scenes. We learned the
remainder of the first song and then
tackled a challenging part in one of the
scenes. There's a song called "Ahs"
where we simply had to sing "ahh" in
harmony, which was tough because of
the complex layering of voices. We went
over how to do lifts safely and it went so
well. We then worked on ideas for a
synchronized swimming scene.
 We played some improv games. In the I will need to be equipped with a pen
11th March first one, two people would stand up and and highlight to help me make notes for
be given a scenario, their relationship to the text. My script. Appropriate
each other, and they had to speak in movement clothes. Water bottle to help
gibberish. Then, two other people would sing
act as translators. We can use this to
express our emotions using other people,
not just relying on our actions and
expressions. We were given small
sections of the text to act out as scenes. I
was assigned David's part, while my
friend Daisy played Dee. It went well,
and I came up with some great ideas for
how to portray the character. We learned
our third song called Things I Do When
I'm Upset. We worked on a piece of
stylized movement for Michael's scene
involving sitting on people and repeating
actions. We then did some more work
on the swimming scene.
We were divided into two groups and I will need to be equipped with a pen
18th March presented with the same scenario. One and highlight to help me make notes for
group featured Mia as Sarah, while the the text. My script. Appropriate
other included Georgia or Sarah. Our movement clothes. Water bottle to help
task was to embody these characters and sing.
devise scenes and concepts for
portraying the scenario. In my group, I
took on the role of a football-playing
boy. We learned the song we're like
gods. On Wednesday we started work on
uh Michael's scene. We engaged in an
exercise known as "Eight squeezes,"
where we were tasked with contacting
someone eight times and then crafting a
brief movement sequence.

25th March We worked on Michael's scene, and we
did like a bit for when he's getting in the
car. We went over all the songs that we
had previously done. We did Cassie
scene and the transition from uh we
started off with like the Britney Spears I
think it's Toxic music video.
I will need to be equipped with a pen
and highlight to help me make notes for
the text. My script. Appropriate
movement clothes. Water bottle to help
sing.

I will need to be equipped with a pen

th
15 April
This was the start of our intensive and highlight to help me make notes for
 rehearsals.
Monday – We start the day with a focus
warmup to calm our minds. We worked
on the opening song and were told we
need to have more energy. We then
worked on Stacey’s scene where I
entered with gorgia halfway through the
scene. Lastly, we did song lyric writing
for the songs we didn’t like the current
words.
the text. My script. Appropriate
movement clothes. Water bottle to help
sing. A lot of sleep to keep energy up in
scenes. Books for everyone as a prop
Practice the movement with AJ to make
it look nice. Food so I don’t buy out
every day

Tuesday – We started by working on

Shara’s scene and I as a football player
had to stretch to impress Stacey. We
then worked on Emma’s scene in which
I must slide books onto the stage.

Wednesday – Early in the day we had a

design presentation from our designer
she showed us her ideas for set and
costume this was also the day that I got
told and had to try on my costume which
I loved and was very me outfit we then
refined the first scene working on timing
and pacing of the movements. After
lunch we had a session sing and we
finessed all of the songs then learnt the
final song.

Thursday – I started the day with a 1 on

1 session with our director and she
helped me refine my perception of craig,
after this we join the rest of the class and
worked on the movement in my scene
which was hard as the movements were
quite hard to do with my monologue
lapping over it.

Friday – We started the day with

physical warm up. Then we finished
work on Emma’s scene adding a lift at
the end adding some freeze frames of to
make it seem like a party.

22nd April Monday – We began with a I will need to be equipped with a pen
concentration game which went well, we and highlight to help me make notes for
set movement to the ‘were like gods’ the text. My script. Appropriate
 which was so fun because it had lifts and movement clothes. Water bottle to help
a lot of fast-paced movement. sing. A lot of sleep to keep energy up in
scenes. Books for everyone as a prop
Tuesday – We did a small warm to wake Practice the movement with AJ to make
us up. We then worked on my scene and it look nice. Food so I don’t buy out
tidied up the movement and made it look every day.
nicer. We decided that my character
should not be singing because it looked
silly. We then went over the songs.

Wednesday – We started working on the

transition between the scenes to make it
smoother and faster between scenes.

Thursday – Today we did a more intense

warm up today to build our stamina. We
then did a run-through our feedback was
to get faster on the transitions and be a
lot louder. We came up with an idea for
the final song, but our director didn’t
like it that much.

Friday – We did another intense warmup

then did another run through which went
a lot smoother. We were then given
notes to think about over the weekend.

29th April Monday – We did another run through
of the song then began work with our
movement director for the final scene
and creating the show backwards in
small scenes during the songs. We then
finalized the choreography for ‘were like
gods’.
Tuesday – We finalized a few things
then and sang over each song whilst
doing the movements after that we
moved the instruments to the egg
theatre. We then worked on Davids’s
scene where I have to brush the stuff
into the wings.
I will need to be equipped with a pen
and highlight to help me make notes for
the text. My script. Appropriate
movement clothes. Water bottle to help
sing. A lot of sleep to keep energy up in
scenes. Books for everyone as a prop
Practice the movement with AJ to make
it look nice. Food so I don’t buy out
every day.

Wednesday – This was our tech day. We

worked through the play whilst the
people in the tech team used lights and
sound effects to make the vision of the
play clear. We had to adjust because of a
lack of space so I was on stage for the
book sliding and had to throw it over the
lip of the stage.

Thursday - This was our dress run day,

so we got into costumes and warmup. I
also had gel put in my hair to simulate a
wet hair look. The dress run went well,
and the audience seemed to love it. We
were then given notes after.

Friday – This was our first performance

day. We started with a dress run to get
our minds into the space to perform we
needed to work on our prop placement
and then were given notes. We then
performed to an audience, and it went
well.

Saturday – Came in early to work on

some stuff before our final show then
had a big break. Before notes and
getting ready for the show, then we
performed.