Schools on Stage

Sport For Jove

Image: Romeo & Juliet. Photographer: Seiya Taguchi

Damien Ryan, the Artistic Director of Sport for Jove, outlines his company’s 2024 educational program.

Hail all NSW teachers, we herald and congratulate you for another outstanding year of leadership and inspiration – in your classrooms, at your marking centres, with your preparations, your results and through your guidance.

HSC Theatre at Actors Centre Australia

The ACA Company has unveiled a specially crafted program for high school audiences featuring talented graduates of Actors Centre Australia.

This builds upon the success of the ACA Company’s inaugural 2023 season. Pictured above is a scene from The Laramie Project.  

Zen Zen Zo’s The Tempest

By William Shakespeare, adapted by Lynne. Bradley. Directed by Josh Lang. Marist Theatre, Newman College, Churchlands, WA. April 22-24, 2024

Newman College’s production of Zen Zen Zo’s The Tempest was selected as it is one of this year’s set texts for Year 12 ATAR students. Featuring a cast and crew with students from Year 8 to 12, it was an immersive production that was well produced and performed. 

Spamalot - School Edition

Book & Lyrics by Eric Idle. Music by John du Prez & Eric Idle. Perth Youth Theatre. Venue 360. Friday, 12th April 2024

The Devil of the Second Stairs

Presbyterian Ladies' College, Perth. 

By George Herman. Directed by Carli Edwards. Hazel Day Drama Centre, Presbyterian Ladies' College, Perth. Mar 21-23. 2024

Horror is an unusual genre for theatre, especially for youth theatre, and even more for a girls’ school, but this young cast from Presbyterian Ladies' College appeared to be relishing the opportunity to perform The Devil of the Second Stairs, set in an isolated convent in the United States during the 1960s. 

Betty Blue Eyes

Perth College

Book by Ron Cowan and Daniel Lipman, Music by George Styles, Lyrics by Anthony Drewe. Directed by Tyler Jones. Judith Cottier Theatre, Perth College, My Lawley, WA. Mar 14-16, 2024

Perth College presented the WA Premiere of the very British musical, Betty Blue Eyes. Beautifully presented, with excellent production values, it was enthusiastically received by capacity audiences in this large auditorium.

Shrek The Musical Jr

By David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori. Excelsior Primary School. Directed by Tara Oorjitham. City of Gosnells, Don Russell Performing Arts Centre, Thornlie, WA. September 20, 2023

The Laramie Project

By Moisés Kaufman and the Members of the Tectonic Theatre. Directed by Stefan Brand. Willetton Senior High School, WA. Sep 13, 2023

The Laramie Project as presented by Willetton Senior High School’s Year 11 Drama Students in a Brechtian style ensemble production, with cohesion and outstanding teamwork. Although I had the pleasure of viewing a preview evening, the production itself featured food supplied by Certificate 2 Hospitality Students, who always supply outstanding quality fare.

Disney Frozen Jr

By Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, and Jennifer Lee. Kalamunda Senior High School. Directed by Anna Head. Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre, WA. September 1-2, 2023

Kalamunda Senior High School’s production of Frozen Jr was a mammoth show, with over 100 Year 8-10 students in the cast and crew. With huge production numbers that filled every inch of the Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre stage, this production was very warmly received by its capacity audiences – despite its icy themes.

Disney High School Musical On Stage

By David Simpatico. Holy Cross College, Ellenbrook, WA. Directed by Shelly Miller. Aug 10-12, 2023

Holy Cross College’s Disney High School Musical on Stage is the biggest production staged by the college to date, with over 60 students in the cast, and another 20 or so on the crew. Attracting very healthy audiences over its short season, it was a wonderful celebration of collaboration and talent.