SCHOOL PRODUCTION

Congratulations to our 2022 Production Cast! After a long two-weeks of singing, dancing and acting, we are extremely grateful to every student who gave their production audition a go this year.  From Years 7 to 12, we cannot wait to showcase ALL students dedication, commitment and talent of performing arts in their chorus, featured chorus and lead roles on stage. 

With rehearsals having just begun, we look forward to seeing all students onstage and off-stage in the production this August, delighting us all with their Abba tunes!

Auditions

95 students from Years 7 to 12 took part in auditions for our 2022 Production at Lilydale High School. Our excited students first took part in our dance audition (run by Tiffany Couacaud and Em Artis our choreography team assisted by ex-students Caity Serong and Bec Clark). 

Students in Years 7 to 9 first took to the stage busting moves to Voulez-Vous, followed by the cohort of Year 10 to VCE which was amazing to see. 

A few days later we saw our Lead Role auditionees. in Group auditions sing (led by Musical Director Ms Wells) and act (led by Directors Jesse Hone and Ms Cumming) for the part they desired. 

We were impressed with students who took time to research their character and the songs listed. We always encourage students to attempt for a lead role and were pleasantly surprised with the students who took time to ensure they were well researched and ready. 

Chorus auditions occurred later in the week with groups of students singing the title song of the show and completing various directed actions.

We were so grateful to all students who auditioned and gave their best to support each other. The respect for each and every member auditioning in the room was heart-warming for us to see as a production team. 

Whilst we would love to have all students cast onstage, we are subject to numbers for safety of students in the show. Thank you to the students for their understanding and we were impressed to see such high resilience from those not cast reaching out to ask for advice for next time – all of us in the Production team know this process and how it can be hard to take the kick-back, however Performing Arts it’s all about understanding that, if not this role, maybe the next is the right one (onstage or off). 

Thank you to students for being so kind throughout the casting process, as a team we appreciate how accepting and understanding all students have been of the casting/roles and supportive of each other.

Thank you to all parents and guardians who’ve been patient and supportive of all students during the casting process – we very much appreciate the emails, excitement and kindness shown by all, regarding the students participation in the auditions.

1st Rehearsal

“Money, Money, Money… Must be funny in a rich man’s world”

Kicking off rehearsal learning the name game and after a dance move lesson on “turns” – we delved straight into the first all cast singing number; Money, Money Money.  Students learnt two-part harmony in groups of high and low pitch singing as guided by Ms Cumming (pulling out her old Musical Direction chops) alongside Jonah Phillips (Cl.2019) who we welcome to the production team as Assistant Musical Director. 

Ms Wells will return in coming rehearsals to work with our leads on their vocals and continue our full cast numbers. 

The students received their production folders with their first schedule, ready to go for the coming weeks (learning the opening songs and scenes including “Honey, Honey” and “I Have a Dream”. 

We’re very excited having locked in staging ideas for the show as well as our sound and lighting ideas (directed by production team member Josh Daly). 

Here we go…. Again! Production 2022 – stay tuned for more exciting announcements soon.

Amy Cumming