Drama News
There are many opportunities to add some Drama to your life – either as a participant or spectator, there is something for everyone!
Griffin Theatre Ambassador
Congratulations to Felicity Dayhew (Year 11) who has been selected to be a Griffin Young Ambassador in 2020. She will attend performances and workshops by the company and participate in conversations with other young theatre fans. Well done Felicity!
Ladies in Black Auditions
It was very exciting to welcome 67 keen students to the Orientation afternoon for our 2020 musical. Interested students met the creative team of Chloe Dallimore, Tim Cunniffe, Anna Gardiner and Jodine Wolman. They also learned of the expectations being involved in a production.
This week auditionees have participated in singing, dancing and acting assessment to find the cast for the show. Casting for Ladies in Black will be announced on Monday February 24.
It is an exciting time for the auditionees and I trust they have enjoyed the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and to participate in a stimulating and enjoyable exercise. However, the cast can only accommodate so many and there will be disappointed students should casting not go their way. I remind students that there are many considerations that inform the casting process. Be proud that you have presented yourself in the best manner of which you have been able. If the show hasn’t happened for you this time, then look to the next opportunity. We will be staging a play, Pretty.Strange, in November.
The School Production – an active and responsible participation
With the rehearsal period about to commence for Ladies in Black, I felt it timely to reflect on why we present a School Production – and the commitment required to make it a truly satisfying experience for all involved.
School productions offer a co-curricular experience in which students enter an opportunity to expand their drama and theatre skills. They are also stimulated by an investigation into other worlds and times. It as an opportunity to work with staff and creatives in a parallel environment that is nurturing, collaborative and a recognition and appreciation of shared interest and objectives.
The School Production also requires a great deal of passion, challenge and commitment to achieve the inevitable reward – cohesive and shared excellence. The production certainly provides a social experience and the opportunity to meet and work with students from other year levels and schools; but participation in a school production should chiefly be driven by a desire to embrace the art, tell stories and excel in a product that has been crafted though collaboration in pursuit of the best art possible.
The success of a production, like any sports team, choir, orchestra, ensemble; requires an unseen “contract” that is acknowledged by the individual to confirm absolute support of the project for the duration of its rehearsal and production period. It is not acceptable for a participant to check in and out as they please. Or to assume that their role is insignificant. Every role (on-stage and behind-the-scenes) is vital in the construction of a play or musical.
Communication too is paramount in these experiences. Staff are very mindful of the busy times in the school calendar and will amend rehearsal expectations as necessary. Participation in a production experience is great grounding/preparation for dealing with those times in life when we feel overwhelmed but with forethought, organisation and self-discipline we can achieve. Staff are always mindful of student commitments and will not place unnecessary expectations on workloads. We are all here to support each other and achieve the most successful theatre of which we are capable.
There is no doubt that the memory of our school arts experiences linger long – music concerts, drama productions, musicals, dance shows and so on occupy fond recall for a lifetime. What is it that each of these experiences have in common? Part of the positive memory is tied to the discipline, practice and training that precedes the performance and contributes to the satisfaction of working towards performance standard and being stage worthy. Best practice in the performing arts is hard fun. And that is what creates those lifelong memories.
I ask you to consider carefully your desire to contribute to a school play or musical. Participation does come with expectations of continuity, rehearsal, communication and commitment. It is a family consideration also. We depend on our parents to get us to rehearsal and to collect us, to sacrifice occasional functions because rehearsal is called. The various parts of production cannot function completely unless we are all present.
I hope you will one day experience the great reward of being in a school production – but also realise that it is hard fun!
The theatre is a spiritual and social X-ray of its time.
Stella Adler
Peter Eyers
Head of Drama
