Modules 1-5 introduced you to each domain of school production work in isolation. The capstone is where you put it all together: a single coherent plan for a real production, produced using the tools and frameworks from the course, that someone else could pick up and execute from your documents alone.
This isn't a quiz. It's the bit of evidence you take to your Drama HOD, your principal, or your next school, to demonstrate that you can run a production end-to-end. Done well, the portfolio you produce here will be the most useful artefact in your professional folder for the next decade.
If you're sitting the certificated tier of this course (A$249), the portfolio you submit is what we assess. If you're at the standard tier (A$149), you'll still produce it — you just get peer feedback in the course community rather than a CPD-hours certificate.
You are the Production Manager. You report to a Director (drama teacher) and a Musical Director (music teacher). You inherit a Stage Manager (Year 12) and four Heads of Department (Lighting, Sound, Scenic, Wardrobe — all Year 11/12).
Production details:
Read the scenario twice before you start. The numbers matter — the assessment rubric specifically checks whether your plan is internally consistent with the constraints you've been given.
Six artefacts. All produced using the Suite tools. All exported as PDFs into a single portfolio.
Using EasyRisk, produce:
Reference: Module 4. Use the hazard library in EasyRisk to start; you'll add at least 5 production-specific hazards on top.
Using EasyScheduler, produce:
Reference: Module 5. The schedule must show the 70% buffer rule applied. Hard-stop the bump-in by 5pm Saturday — anything not done by then is deferred to Sunday or cut.
Using EasyOrchestra, produce a pit layout for the 14-piece orchestra in the apron pit. Pit dimensions: 9m wide × 2.5m deep. Conductor must be visible from centre-stage at standing height.
The orchestration (from MTI's reduced score): Flute/Picc, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Trumpet, Trombone, Horn, Violin 1 (2 desks), Violin 2 (1 desk), Viola (1 desk), Cello (1 desk), Double Bass, Keys/Piano, Percussion (1 player covering kit + perc).
Use string DESKS where appropriate. Account for stand and chair clearance. Label every position with a shortcode. Export PDF + DXF (so the MD can sanity-check against the score).
Reference: Module 2 (Lighting Fundamentals — sightlines), and EasyOrchestra's built-in real-world footprints.
Using EasyInventory, produce a pull-list covering all sets, props, costumes, and consumables required for the production. The list must distinguish between: items you already own (stock), items you'll need to source (purchase/loan), and items needing custom build.
Cross-check against the script. Identify the top 5 risk items (most likely to cause a problem if missed) and flag them.
Reference: Module 1 (Stage Management Foundations). EasyInventory's templated tag categories handle the data structure; your job is the editorial judgment about what to include.
Produce the first 10 minutes of the calling-the-show cue book for Act 1. Standard format: time, dialogue cue, action, who calls/who executes.
Must include at least: 5 lighting cues, 3 sound cues (including 1 radio-mic-on, 1 radio-mic-off), 2 flying cues, 2 scene-change cues, 1 standby for an actor entrance.
Reference: Module 3 (Sound Fundamentals — radio-mic discipline) + Module 1 (Calling The Show).
For the principal / business manager / chair of the school board. A single A4 page that explains: what the show is, key dates, total cost, the risk profile and how you've controlled it, the names of your paid contractors, and what they're being asked to approve.
This is the most important page in your portfolio. Most school productions die in the approval phase, not the execution. Get good at this and you'll never have a show cancelled by a risk-averse principal again.
Your portfolio is scored across six dimensions, each out of 10. Pass mark: 36/60. Distinction: 50/60. The rubric is published so you know exactly what we're looking for.
| Dimension | What we check | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Risk literacy | Are hazards correctly classified? Are matrix scores defensible? Are controls in the right order (hierarchy, not just PPE everywhere)? | /10 |
| Schedule realism | 70% buffer rule applied? Dependencies between departments named? Crew calls actionable? Hard stops respected? | /10 |
| Technical accuracy | Pit layout fits in dimensions? Sightlines respected? Cue book uses correct vocabulary + structure? | /10 |
| Internal consistency | Decisions traceable across documents? Budget, schedule, and risk profile aligned? | /10 |
| Communication | Principal-facing summary clear, succinct, defensible? Crew calls usable as-is? | /10 |
| Pedagogical reflection (~500 words) | What aspects of this you'll bring back to your school? What would you do differently? | /10 |
Bundle all six PDFs + the reflection essay into a single ZIP. Name it YOURNAME-ESC-Capstone-2026.zip. Upload via the course sidebar.
Turnaround: portfolios are reviewed within 14 days. You'll receive a marked rubric + written feedback + (if passing) your certificate PDF with CPD-hours documentation suitable for AITSL / VIT / NESA / QCT registration renewals.
The model answer portfolio is in the course resource library. We recommend you DON'T look at it until you've at least drafted Steps 1-3 yourself — the value comes from doing the work and then comparing, not from copying.
What separates a distinction portfolio from a pass: distinction portfolios show that the candidate thought about the production. They don't just fill in templates — they make judgment calls visible. A distinction risk register flags the hazard that the scenario doesn't explicitly mention (parents bringing siblings backstage; the audience member with a wheelchair access need). A distinction schedule includes contingency rows: "If LX behind by 11:30, defer focus to 13:00 and pull dress run forward 30 min."
The course doesn't expect perfection. It expects evidence that you've internalised the framework and are ready to apply it to your school's actual next production.
Submitting this capstone closes Tier 1A. You can now:
If you produce a Wizard of Oz capstone that ends up actually running at your school, send us photos. We collect them.