Senior School Performing Arts

HSC DRAMA SHOWCASE

On Thursday 18th August, the HSC Drama Showcase was held in the newly renovated Performance Theatre. With 5 monologues, 2 group performances and 1 Scriptwriting project on display, the Year 12 Drama students wowed a large audience made up of their Year 12 peers, family, friends and students with an evening showcasing their Individual and Group Major Work Projects. 

First up in the evening was Wheely Good Family Funeral Functions; a Group Performance originally devised by Hannah Richardson, Ben Hoskins-Murphy and Gian Wynn. It follows the story of Mrs Wheely, Mr Wheely and their son Evan as they take on a high-profile funeral. The stakes are high as they try to redeem themselves to the town as their previous services have not been wheely good.

This was followed by an Individual Performance by Saxon Buckley, entitled Not My Cuppa Tee. The piece centres around the struggle of a typical Australian male named Wayne who is desperate to find a way to reignite the interest of his drifting and potentially unfaithful wife. As such, Wayne turns to the dreaded sport (if you can call it that) golf and a pro named Mr Boomer as a way of  saving his crumbling marriage.

After Saxon was an Individual Performance by Ethan Kairaitis entitled A Time to Kill. Inspired by the harrowing racially motivated real crime events of the 1980s Mississippi, and the subsequent cinematised remake “A Time to Kill” the performance revolves around the noble lawyer ‘Jake Tyler Brigance’ as he sets to affirm his beliefs that equality can exist in the legal system, as well as throughout Southern America.

Next was an Individual Performance by Nick Brown entitled Mercy. Adapted from the Verbatim Play The Laramie Project, and based on the true story and murder of 21-year old Matthew Shepherd. Matthew was the victim of a violent, anti-gay hate crime that took place on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming, on the evening of October 6th 1998. This monologue is an adaption of the moving speech delivered by Matthew’s father, Dennis in open court at the conclusion of the trial for one of the accused.

An Individual Performance by Gian Wynn entitled Perish Judah followed. This monologue is a massage Verbatim piece based on the Manchester Black Shirt Rally Speech by the British Union of Fascist’s founder and leader Sir Oswald Mosley. Set in the early 1930’s, Oswald preaches to fellow British elitists about his thoughts regarding Britain’s current Liberal Democracy and his new Fascist movement in the hopes of rallying further support.

Hannah Richardson’s Individual Performance followed. Her dramatic monologue Believe Me encapsulates the abduction and assault of 17-year-old Lisa McVey by serial killer Bobby Joe Long in Tampa, Florida. Lisa battles not only with the murder himself but with the authorities as her story is initially regarded as fabricated and attention seeking. Hannah adapted and crafted the script after watching the film Believe Me and serval interviews of the real Lisa McVey where she states, ‘I chose not to remain the victim, I chose to live.’

The evening concluded with the final original devised group performance by Ethan Kairaitis, Nick Brown and Saxon Buckley entitled Spies in Disguise features two spies who seek to destroy the evil villain Dr Richard Cranium before he manages to kill the Queen. They must adopt a disguise, get past security, infiltrate the ultra-villain ball (filled with all villains from Darth Vader and Putin to Lord Voldemort), track down Cranium and take him out before he succeeds in his plan. Will this oddball pair succeed? Only time will tell.

Not only was it a highly entertaining evening, but it was a wonderful opportunity for the students to showcase their creativity, hard work and dedication in creating their Individual and Group Major Works. It was also an important opportunity for them to receive some additional feedback ahead of their HSC Performance Exam which was held on Tuesday 30th August. 

Well done and bravo to the Year 12 students on what was a phenomenal night!

HSC MUSIC 2 SHOWCASE

The Music 2/Extension Music class will be presenting a recital of their HSC performance programs at Orange Regional Conservatorium this Sunday, 4 September at 3pm.  All welcome! 

HSC MUSIC COMPOSITIONS

Year 12 Music 1 and 2 students’ compositions are almost ready for submission to NESA.  A massive thank you to Mr Key for the hours and hours he has put into recording these compositions.  We are lucky to have a member of staff with this skillset!  Thank you also to Mrs Moxey, Mr Moxey and Stephanie Li, who have played for several compositions.

CITY OF ORANGE EISTEDDFOD

This year’s Eisteddfod has commenced with our choirs competing in Open Choral sections over the weekend.  Congratulations to Koristers – an auditioned choir of students from Years 5 to 8, who placed second in the Open Sacred Song section. This was a competitive section with all other competitors comprised of adults.  Congratulations to Mrs Katie Sinclair who leads this ensemble with musicality and an expectation of excellence.  Congratulations also to Chamber Choir who were awarded a Highly Commended in a competitive field of adult choirs. We are lucky to have Ms Heidi Anthony leading this ensemble.

Congratulations to wonderful Year 11 pianist Kelvin Tang, who has won this year’s Under 18’s Piano Scholarship.  Kelvin is a student of Luke Moxey, one of our wonderful piano staff.

Shubhang Nagar also had huge success at Orange Eisteddfodd this year.

He won a scholarship and highest pointscore in open category in Speech and Drama.

MUSIC LEADER’S LUNCH

Performing Arts Staff recently hosted a farewell lunch for our 2022 Music Leaders to say thank you for their efforts over the past 12 months.  Music Leaders have an important role in the Performing Arts Department – they help set the tone for a positive culture in ensembles, assist in the planning and running of Music Camp and Music Festival and act as MC’s for various events.  Thank you to this lovely group of people:

Music Captain                   Ben Hoskins-Murphy

Vice Music Captain          Sally Carter

Band Leaders                     Will Englund & Ellen Arundell

String Leaders                   Stephanie Wong & Eleanor Vials

Choir Leaders                    Greta Bourne & Isaac Birmili

Drum Major                        Max Bloomfield

SAVE THE DATE

Please note these in your diaries:

Strings Concert  - all string ensembles - Friday 15 September, 5.30pm DPA

Co-Curricular Assembly – concert band - Tuesday 20 September

Grad – orchestra, stage band, chamber choir - Thursday 22 September 8.45am – 2pm

Fundraising event – stage band students - Saturday 19 November, 5pm Swinging Bridge

Nine Lessons & Carols – choirs, orchestra and stage band - Sunday 4 December, Holy Trinity Anglican Church

Speech Day – orchestra, chamber choir - Thursday 8 December