Drama News
9/10 The Girl Who Cried Wolf
9/10 Drama are currently beginning work on a play for public performance called Girl Who Cried Wolf by Australian Playwright, Angela Betzien.
Based around two Grade 6 girls, the play is a gothic morality tale that explores many issues including fear, conformity, isolation, fantasy, celebrity and the role that the media plays in all of this.
While these are some pretty serious themes, it is a very funny play with many laugh-out-loud moments.
The play uses heightened realism, comedy, audio, visual, and lighting effects to create a fast-paced and engaging performance.
There will be an evening performance for family and the school community on Tuesday 21st September. This will be a ticketed (free) event. More information regarding this will be released closer to the time.
As there was no production this year due to the uncertainty created by the pandemic, this is an important opportunity for the Grade 10s who otherwise would not have the opportunity to prepare for a full-length performance.
A BIG thank you to the staff who have already given and offered their help and support and everyone else who has chatted with the students and supported them as they begin preparations. Getting up a show in 10 weeks will be a challenge, so we really appreciate it!
Please check out our WANTED section to see if you can help with some needed items.
8 Storytelling
Students in the Grade 8 Drama class are currently looking at different forms of storytelling.
Last term ended Children’s Theatre where the class wrote and performed their own fractured fairy tales based on Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs and The Princess and the Pauper. Being Children’s Theatre, the students were encouraged to make the most of its features: lights, sound, costume, fast-paced scenes, comedy, and even cross-dressing. This led to some very funny moments and terrific costuming! I don’t think that I will ever think of Mr and Mrs Wolf or Prince (Ribbit!) Charming the same way again!
At the moment the class are working on developing Reader’s Theatre performances based on Roald Dahl’s poetry. Being Reader’s Theatre, the students have to really focus on script interpretation and manipulating voice, posture, gesture, and expression to engage and communicate ideas without relying on set, props, costume, lighting, and sound. I am really looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
7 Character Creation
Students in Grade 7 Drama are working on creating characters – developing voice and movement to convey information about them to an audience. The students then have to insert these characters into a scene and work with others to develop a story based on prompts: what will happen when all of the characters meet? Do they know each other? Do they share a secret past? Will one of them die?! Scenes so far range from hospital waiting rooms to time-travelling on the cat-walk. It is wonderful seeing what the students come up with.
The Spongebob Musical!
A big “GOOD LUCK!” (or should we say, ‘break a leg!’) to Jamisen in Grade 8 who will soon be performing in Stage Right Youth Theatre’s production The Spongebob Musical. Featuring 60 students from Grade 2 - Grade 12 the show will be performed at the Princess Theatre from 10th - 12th August and will show us how ‘The power of optimism really can save the world!’. Sounds like a lot of fun – ticket information from Theatre North.
Excursions
Launceston College and Newstead College are presenting their school productions over the next two weeks.
Grade 9/10 students in Music and Drama and Grade 8 students in Dance and Drama will travel to the Princess Theatre on Thursday 5th to view a performance of Grease, while Grade 8 and 10 students in Drama will also travel to Newstead College to view Legally Blonde on Wednesday 11th.
Information letters have gone home to parents regarding these excursions – please contact the office if you require more information.
