Senior School Drama students at Concordia enjoyed the unique experience of learning firsthand from professional theatremaker Ashton Malcolm of State Theatre Company, who became the College’s inaugural Drama Artist-in-Residence in Term 3, 2026.
Across three worskhops with each of the Year 10, 11 and 12 Drama classes, Ashton provided invaluable insights and mentoring to students, who drew on her extensive experience in the Arts industry as they created new self-devised film and theatre works. With a combined focus on facilitating idea exploration and development as well as offering practical tips and creative suggestions, Ashton’s residency was an incredible learning experience for the students involved, helping them extend their creativity and further hone their craft.
When considering the impact of the residency across the term, Zoe (Year 12) commented, “… our Artist-in-Residence gave me the opportunity to explore and develop complex and creative theatrical ideas.” Meanwhile, Year 10 student Ava reflected on the way that Ashton’s practical advice had helped her to approach a fast-paced creative task with greater confidence, “The Artist in Residence, Ashton Malcolm, joined us on the morning of shooting for the 48 Hour Film Project. Ashton helped me learn how to break down my character, understand her physicality and differentiate a filmed performance and stage performance. I had to make creative decisions quickly, strengthening my confidence in trusting my instincts when creating in Drama.”
As part of its strategic goals in the area of learning, Concordia College is committed to embedding authentic industry and community connections into the curriculum across ELC to Year 12. From a teaching and learning perspective, Drama Key Teacher Daniel Lynch said the Artist-in-Residence program perfectly aligns with this strategic priority, helping to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional practice, “The Artist in Residence program was a critical connection for my students between classroom learning and the industry practices. Ashton’s experience and expertise meant my students learned from arts professionals and they appreciated the ongoing connection with a working theatremaker as they created their own products in class.”
At the conclusion of her residency, Ashton also reflected positively on the opportunity to help guide the next generation of theatre professionals, “I've loved collaborating with Dan and his students as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence. It has been invaluable to work with each class multiple times over the term, as it fosters genuine relationship building and allows me to see their confidence and skills grow from one workshop to the next. I am so impressed by the skill and creative intelligence of these students, and hope to work with them again out in the professional arts industry.”
Concordia has a long and rich history in producing high-quality drama and musical theatre, and it is wonderful to see this continuing today as the College seeks to equip students with the knowledge and experience needed to create with confidence.
