Schools on Stage

Can Expanded Wakakirri fill the gap left by Rock Eisteddfod?

Wakakirri, formerly a primary school only event, is now offering itself as the logical replacement for Rock Eisteddfod as Australia's largest annual performing arts event for secondary schools.

With the Rock Eisteddfod cancelling all shows due to dwindling participation rates and subsequent funding constraints, Wakakirri aims to fill its impressive dance shoes. For the first time, in 2013 Wakakirri will invite all secondary school students to participate, having previously been open only to primary school-aged students.

Hairspray

Book by Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan. Music by Marc Shaiman. Lyrics by Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman. Ringwood Secondary College (Vic). Director: Benjamin Moody.  Producer: Michael Phillips. Set Design and Construction: Kevin Lewis. Musical Director: Lachlan Mackay. Costume Design Denise Rash. 9th – 17th August, 2013.

2013 Victorian State Schools Spectacular

The 2013 Victorian State Schools SpectacularThere’s No Place Like Home, is a huge concert-style extravaganza of high-energy dance routines, vocals and circus tricks featuring Victoria’s most talented young performers, in two shows only, Saturday 27 July, 11am and 5pm at Hisense Arena.

A cast of over 3000 from more than 300 State Schools from across Victoria will take part in this three-hour Spectacular.

Hart Theatre Company Wins Major Guild Awards

The Hart Theatre Company, auspiced by St Leonard’s College in Brighton East, Melbourne, won two of the major awards in the Junior Category of the 2012 Musical Theatre Guild Awards. The prestigious award ceremony at Costa Hall is Victoria’s equivalent of the Tony Awards.

The theatre production of Barnum was performed under a Big Top in the grounds of St Leonard’s College in August. Students performed a number from the show and then accepted awards for Best Junior Musical and Best Direction.

Cruisin’ the Musical

St Mary’s Catholic College, Cairns

It seems all of Cairns was abuzz when Cruisin’ – the Musical came to life at the Cairns Civic Theatre in April.

The school doesn’t do musicals by half. It hired the 700 seat venue for four nights, built a large spectacular set and was excited when word of mouth saw the house full sign going up on closing night.

The Great Australian Rock Musical

Sandgate High School QLD

High School Spoofical

By Tim Bain and Adrian Szondy

Lameroo Regional Community School (SA)

Montrose Bay High School (Tas)

Welcome to Sweet Valley High - a perfect world of perfect Disney-type teens. High School Spoofical is a parody of all those Hollywood teen movies you love to hate, featuring a large cast full of every clique imaginable – jocks, cheerleaders, eggheads, emos, homies - but is easy to costume and simple to stage.

 

 

Lameroo Regional Community School said:

Arts Centre Melbourne Launches 2013 Education Program

It’s wearing, particularly as a Drama teacher, to listen to an Education Minister talk about ‘The Arts’ in an all encompassing way that infers a limited understanding of Theatre, Dance, live performance or performance making.  However that was only a small part of this launch and surely State Education Minister Martin Dixon’s presence is a sign of the Government’s endorsement of the rich and interesting Education Program that Arts Centre Melbourne have been strengthening and enhancing under the strong and vibrant leadership of Judith Isherwood.

Cats at Oakhill College (NSW)

Oakhill College – all boys in Year 7 – 10 and co-ed in Years 11 & 12, is a College with a strong reputation and history of performance work with productions of two plays per year and a musical, alternating between a major full school musical and a junior musical. 2012 saw the Performing Arts Faculty wanting to challenge and excite the student body with a different sort of production. Cats was a perfect choice!

Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards Junior Section Winners 2012

Winners of the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards for 2012 were announced at the Costa Hall, Geelong on December 8.

Winners of Bruce Awards for Excellence in the Junior Section of the 26th Annual Awards are listed below.

Image: Kim Anderson (award-winning Director) surrounded by the cast of Barnum, St Leonard’s College's Junior Production of the Year

 

 

The Awards