“So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye” to The Sound of Music

After a successful four evening run, The Sound of Music wrapped up on Friday, 16th August.

Thank you to everyone who came to see the show and congratulations to our 174 students involved, as Cast, Chorus, Crew and Orchestra, making MGC “come alive, with the sound of music”.

It has been a wonderful journey, “climbing every mountain” as we spent lunchtimes and afterschool rehearsing, finding joy in our "favourite things".

A big shout out to everyone for their commitment as evident at our Tech Rehearsal on Friday, 9th August, even though it was a student free day. Additionally, to the students who shared their birthday with their Sound of Music family: Audrey Taylor, Rania Courtney, Grace Appleby, Clara and Nora Dandurand and Eve Wheeler. And of course, Ms Mumme, who had a milestone birthday on the 10th August!

Our Arts Captains, led by Meg Chapman, Nora Dandurand and Sammy Webber, did a fantastic job working with our Drama, Visual Arts, Music and Dance Captains, to complete the program, the poster, the displays, the cast bios, costume, hair and makeup briefs and many other jobs, meeting every Tuesday lunchtime to ensure the show ran smoothly.

A huge thank you to our amazing student crew, led by stage manager Sammi Sastradipradja Pollack who called the show and our backstage manager Piper Day who ensured our scene changes were slick. Our student lighting team, led by Eliza Borg-Cardona and Pip Castaldo, with Ayla Garret and Ellie Fazakerley on spotlights, ensured our students were seen and our student sound team- Alyssia Blair (radio mics) and Max Cooper, (SFX) ensured our students were heard. Thank you to Ms Mumme’s Year 10 Event Management and Drama students for all their work setting up the show.

The Sound Of Music Program

It would not be The Sound of Music without music, so a huge thank you to our 47 MGC student musicians in the Orchestra who rehearsed every Wednesday morning before school and knew all the music before we had even finished auditions!

Thank you to our amazing Musical Director, Tony Hicks for rehearsing and conducting the orchestra, supported by Andy Clarke and to Ellyce Calder, our vocal coach for the heavenly singing.

MGC has a long tradition of student choreographers, so a huge thank you to Siobhan Dockray and Erin Hardaker for their work with the Year 7 Chorus for The Sound of Music and to Elodie Mumme for The Lonely Goatherd. Brooke Marsland not only took on a lead role, but was swing and choreographer for the big classic numbers such as "Do Ray Mi", "So Long, Farewell" and "16 Going on 17." Our student choreographers were supported by Siobhan Judge. Thank you to Siobhan and our Specialist Dancers for bringing “The Landler” to life.

Lastly, a huge thank you Lindy Mumme , our Technical Director and co-director.

Congratulations – we are so proud of you all and we look forward to our upcoming red-carpet screenings.

Anne Corry

Producer and Co-Director.

Year 12 Roll Call

Congratulations to our 25 year 12 students involved in The Sound of Music and thank you to the Year 12 team, Kate Nicholls, Tonia Douglas- Scarfe and Leigh Hanley for their support.

They were presented with their MGC bears, in “white dresses with blue satin sashes”.

Thanks to Carol Busetti for making their memento and to Rosie Harris for the “brown paper packages tied up with string”, I am sure they will become their “favourite things”.

Crew: Eliza Borg-Cardona (Lighting Desk), Piper Day (Backstage Manager) & Sammi Sastradipradja Pollock (Stage manager)

Orchestra: Adelaide Ahearn, (Violin) Alia Fritschy-O'Connor, (Saxophone) Olivia Hall, (Saxophone) Eva Harasymiw, (Clarinet) Elita Hemley, (Saxophone) Leanne Leong, (Double Bass) Imogen Silver, (Piano) Irene Tetaz, (Viola) and Sienna Virtuoso (Bass Clarinet)

Cast: Anna Byrne (Elsa) Meg Chapman (Maria!) Charlotte Gilbo, (Luisa Von Trapp) Sara Lay (Baron Elberfeld) Sophie Moutray-Read, (Liesl) Violet Peake, (Maria!) Freya Roudavski-Young (Baroness Elberfield) Gabby Stojanovic, (Friedrich Von Trapp) Brooke Marsland (Frau Schmidt) Macy Tyrrell (Franz the Butler) Emily Higgins (Max) Paris Vagias (Max) Eve Wheeler (Captain Von Trapp!)

Acknowledgements

Tamy Stubley, Principal Team & Staff of MGC

Nancy Sandilands and ES staff

Glen Holland and Dave O’Callaghan

Nick Young from Origin for copyright.

Lisa and Ruth from Bocca Foods for preshow and interval refreshments and staff meals

Nora Dandurand and Arts Captains for “telegrams”.

Rami and Alex from “Your Show” for sound.

Stage School for set and costumes

Beth Barrass for Humantix Ticket Sales

Matthew Bass from Musical T-Shirts

Amanda Duerden and Susan Xie for T-Shirt sales and Production Levy.

JB for covering classes and organizing room changes

Staff Front of House volunteers: Kate Nicholls, James Puls_Welsh, Claire Tudor & Andrew Doyle

Staff Afterschool Supervisors volunteers: Kate Nicholls, Jo Jepsen, Katharine Seyler

Dressing Room Supervisors volunteers: Sophie Briggs, Lucy Chen & Leigh Hanley

Kay & Burton Real Estate for Fete Boards, organised by Rebecca Oosterhof

Phoenix Keech and Visual Arts Captains for Poster design

Arts Captains for Program & Displays, led by Meg Chapman, Nora Dandurand and Sammy Webber.

Nora Dandurand for handmade Cast roses

Clara Dandurand and Drama Captains for Cast Bios

Milan Howell for photocopying programs and student souvenir programs.

Carol Busetti for Year 12 Momentos

Derek McAlpin from Proof Photo graphics for photography

Cheryl Di Pasquale for her generous loan of sets and props and vintage wedding dress.

Dandaurands for bed and birthday cakes

Rudd-Hansens for bike

Cathy Clarke for guitar

Lucinda Buckle for promotional trailer

Corry Fitzwilliams’ for props

Jordan Evans as Performing Arts Domain Assistant

Sound of Music Thank You Speech - Meg Chapman: Arts Captain

Hi all, my names Meg Chapman and I’m the 2024 Arts Captain. You may also recognise me just before when I stole another woman’s man just over there. I first want to say thank you all so much for coming to support the musical, everyone here is here to see someone involved whether that be in the orchestra, stage crew, in the cast or have helping out in some way and if you don’t know anyone here welcome to MGC I hope you enjoyed the show.

I could rave on about how much the musical means to everyone here, and I will. Over the past months I've been fortunate enough to see this musical develop and flourish with people’s creativity, talent and dedication. The musical is such an important part of our arts program because it allows student from all year levels to build friendships that might not have been. Everyone involved has a passion for the arts in some way and I’m so grateful to be able to see that passion and involvement evolve into an amazing production.

I will always stress on the importance of an environment such as this one, anyone from the school can be involved and it allows for a space to foster talent and expression like no other. I, myself would not have been able to build enough confidence without being a part of our school musicals to sing, act and attempt to dance. You all have been able to see the end production but what isn’t seen is the majority of the process and the part that makes everyone continue to want to be a part of something like this. We are all so thankful to Melbourne Girls' College for allowing this environment to be possible and of course our arts team who helped make these 4 nights possible.

All of this would not be even possible without the relentless ongoing effort of our Arts teachers, Ms Corry, Ms Mumme, Ms Judge, Mr Hicks and Ms Calder. The support you have all given the students and the effort you put into the musical always astounds me – I know everyone here is so incredibly grateful to have such supportive and passionate teachers that despite not having to organise another musical, after the last two, have.

Ms Mumme/Ms Mum – you have an unmatched spirit and vision that brings this musical to an different level – we love you loads. Ms Corry, you give so much of your time and energy for us all to be able to do what we love, our schools Arts program would not be complete without you. No MGC musical would be complete without you. Thank for dealing with us lingering in your arts office 24/7. Thank you. The orchestra thank you for getting up on those early mornings and making the musical sound so beautiful. Your efforts are never not noticed! Backstage crew, lighting crew thank you for helping this musical become a well-lit one, our very real thunder, lightning that scares me and sets moving on and off would not be complete without you all. To my lovely cast and our other cast – I will miss you so incredibly much – I feel as though I've adopted 7 kids of my own. And of course, to my year 12s cast, backstage crew, orchestra – I love you all. And of course, you audience, thank you so much for coming and supporting our lovely production we are ever so grateful for your presence and money.

Thank you.

International Friendship Day