Performing Arts
Illuminate - Senior School Major Production
Illuminate, our senior production which premiered last week, was the culmination of several months of our students' and faculty's hard work.
The show was divided into two acts, the first being composed of several musical items (see Music News), a beautiful lyrical dance piece, and a short, drama/comedy performance of Romeo and Juliet Reimagined, which was written, directed and performed by some of our Year 10 students. The second act was a performance of Iolanthe by several Year 12 students and one Year 11 student.
I would like to congratulate the entire Illuminate team of staff and students and a huge thank you to everyone who made this very special event possible.
To the staff team: you are all so very talented and passionate about what you do. Thank you.
To the students: we are truly blessed here at BMGS to have such outstanding students to work with. A big thank you to every student both onstage and behind the scenes for your contributions. The depth of talent is outstanding. Thank you for the courage you all showed, stepping out of your comfort zone and just taking a leap of faith. We achieved what we set out to do – bringing a bit of joy and light into our community.
A special thank you to our Performing Arts and Music Captains; Ellie Shortis, Daisy Levell, Aimee Drummond and Zara Wigan for your exemplary leadership. Another big thank you to all of the Year 12 students who have given so much to the co-curricular Arts programs for the past six years.
A feature of this year's production was Mrs Yukie Evans' Hope Tree. During Intermission, patrons are invited to hang their wishes on our Hope Tree. Hope Trees are a centuries old Japanese celebration (Tanabata) which occurs every year in Japan. It is associated with people of all ages making a wish, writing it on colorful strips of paper (tanzaku) and tying them to a tree. The festivity itself is on 7th July however leading up to it people will write their tanzaku and hang it on a tree, adding to the festive atmosphere. Our Illuminate Hope Tree was a terrific success and, by the end of the show's run, the tree was adorned with dozens of wishes and strung with paper cranes, made by our incredible backstage crew.
There were three full performances and one with a shortened Act 1 for the Buckland Nursing Home which was, quite possibly, the most rewarding performance especially after one of the residents wrote on their tanzaku that seeing us perform was "their wish come true".
At the start of each performance, Music Captain, Aimee, highlighted the importance of the senior production and thanked the drama teachers, Mrs Pecovnik and Ms Evans, and the production team of Mr Burke, Mrs Yukie Evans, Miss Cranna, Mrs Cooney, Mrs Smith and Mrs Airth for doing everything they could to let us have the best production possible; I would like to reiterate that thank you now.
The goal of Illuminate was to bring light and joy into the world, I can certainly say it has achieved that for me!
Ellie Shortis, Year 12
Drama Captain
Annual Youth Theatre Festival
Year 11 Drama students are currently working hard on devising an original piece of Physical Theatre to be performed at the Q Theatre in Penrith. The students are enjoying working with professional theatre maker and director; Mr Aslam abdus Samad.
Mrs Cindy Pecovnik, Miss Danie Evans
Drama Department