In 2008, the Secondary School of Art in Pécs completed its activity structure (music, art and applied arts, dance) with drama training.
The founders and creators of the department were László Bagossy senior and Zoltán Tóth director-drama instructor.
Their goal was not to train actors, but by using drama in teaching the aim was to develop the students’ creativeness and improve their personality in self-thinking, taking action, self-cultivation, cooperation, as well as taking responsibility.
Starting from the traditions of good amateur and student theatricals the basic subjects of the curriculum were drama , saying prose and poetry.These were later supplemented with puppetry, creative music and movement in addition to general knowledge subjects. The teachers of the drama department are art teachers who are performing artists, puppeteers, dancers, musicians or drama instructors and theater educators. The professional lessons are held either in the drama classroom of the school or at the Bóbita Puppet Theater.
As part of this multi-faceted training course, the Escargo’s Boat Theater Education Cooperative and the Imre Eck Basic Arts Education Institute make it possible for our students to participate in workshops, projects, theater festivals and professional competitions – as a result they usually reach gold or silver qualifications and special prizes for their productions.
Drama students can also get a glimpse into the everyday life of professional art institutions: they regularly see theater and puppetry rehearsals and performances not only in Pécs, but also in Budapest, and in some cases they may contribute in some productions.
The grammar school drama training lasts for four school years. To get accepted to the department students have to take an entrance exam. It has a written part and there is a practical part of the exam as well in which teachers are looking at the skills and talent of the applicant. The school ends with a matriculation in general as well as drama subjects.
Some of the students want to learn more in the field of theatrical arts – currently our students study at different faculties of the university of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest learning to become directors or puppeteers. At the Art Academy of Kaposvár they are studying acting.
Students finishing the drama training at our school often decide to become teachers, economists, communication specialists, while others start their adult life abroad, with the help of the foreign language learnt in the school.
All in all they will take a special journey through drama training- gaining social experiences, joy of self-awakening, openness, curiosity, endurance, whatever their fate is ahead.