Year 4 Production review

If you were in the auditorium at Phoenix Theatre, Elwood SC, on Tuesday or Wednesday evening this week, you will have watched our Year 4 students raise the roof (almost!) with their performance of “It’s a Jungle Out There”. I am sure you will join me in congratulating all performers on presenting this dynamic and entertaining show. Interesting, topical and close to the hearts of us all is the question of whether we belong and are good enough, and the theme was developed through superb acting, singing and dancing that was well-rehearsed and presented with confidence. 

I am SOOOOOOO PROUD of each and every student who participated. From week one, the commitment of students and staff to this show has been evident, and all our efforts culminated this week in a warm, colourful performance season this week. Each student experienced their own personal journey as they learned the songs, dances and dialogue in eleven weeks. Then they transferred all that learning to the theatre environment where they pulled it together to tell a cohesive story, complete with sets, costumes, make-up and small props. 

The support offered by our parent community in a myriad of ways from small to huge tasks undertaken, has been essential to the show. My grateful thanks to all who have typed, sewn, cut, glued, nailed, hammered, driven, purchased, photographed, emailed, soothed, collected, organised, sung, spoken lines, wiped away tears, celebrated, teamed up, bought a ticket or other items and more. (This list is not exhaustive, just exhausting!) My grateful thanks to you all for your generosity of time, skill and financial support. 

Year 4 Students, I’m in awe of your determination to go 1% better every time you rehearsed as you honoured your commitment to excellence! It’s been a joy to travel this road with you and watch you grow into the amazing performers that you are!

Year 4 Teachers: your shared ownership of the show encouraged students to value it and started performance momentum early in our term of rehearsals. This gave us time to build up to an amazing performance, and I’m immensely proud of our teamwork. THANK-YOU!

In closing, I’m sure I’m misquoting someone very wise here, but … It takes a community to ‘raise’ a production. Port Melbourne Primary School Community, you do this incredibly well, and I’m Proud to be at Port! THANK-YOU!

Student reflections 

 … in their own words!

The production journey

• Ryan A – practising for a long time
• Maisie – 1% better every time
• Elmira – experiencing it all
• Lucia – keep going when its tough and you’re tired
• Phoebe – getting ready and practising and building up to performing
• Mabel – building your strength and stamina and learning to manage the nerves

What did you enjoy most about doing the production?

• Mabel - being a different character and creating a new world for a while instead of being present - and I liked bowing at the end. 
• Ira - having a go and being on stage lots
• Elsa - singing in front of lots of people and the nerves building up, which everyone gets. It wasn’t scary after getting through the nerves. 
• Andy: Having makeup on! 
• Kiaan: Performing it - The song Now or Never was my favourite

What are you the most proud of?

• Inez - Learning every single dance move in the whole production, even if it was not my song
• Ryan - performing in front of a lot of people
• Blake - helping backstage with the plants
• Thomas - having an extra responsibility as a dance captain
• Hanna - how I learnt so many moves and perfected them so quickly even though I only had 2 weeks.

What benefits do you think you got from doing the show, or what have you learned about yourself that you didn’t know before?

• Harrison - I’m capable of experiencing new things and just know you aren’t alone. 
• Jack H - you are capable of doing whatever you want to do depending on how hard you work for it and how focused you are. 
• Ivy - being able to memorise whole paragraphs if I set my mind to it.
• Avery - I learnt that since I've always had stage fright, being a lead singer made me get through that. 
• Lara - you can do anything even if people don’t think you can. 
• Elmira - you don’t always get the role you’re looking for but you can still try and make the best of it. 
• Amelia - don’t give up because you are creating lifetime memories. 
• Lucia - you can find talent in the deepest hole you can see. 
• Maisie - I went for a lead role and didn’t get it so I went for the dance and singing captain role and got both and I now think I can try again in high school. 
• Charlie - I can now trust in myself and don’t have to worry as much. 
• Lola - there will always be something for you, I didn’t think I would get something else but then I did. 
• Laura - after the play I feel like if I set a goal I can achieve it if I try hard. 
• Franzi - don’t give up because you don’t want to miss this opportunity because you might not get another. 
• Sumeya - I had 2 weeks to practise but I still tried and I did really well. 
• Mabel - I am proud of how I didn’t let the nerves get the better of me, without the rain there wouldn’t be a rainbow. 
• Charlotte - I was scared of being scared on stage but then when I got up there for some reason I didn’t feel as nervous as I did on the side stage.
• Phoebe - to believe in myself and that if you mess up people in the crowd wouldn't even notice. 
• Lola - even if it isn't the big role it doesn't mean the role is less important. 
• Maisie - even if you don’t get a role, you still have an important one. 
• Ira - stepping out of your shell
• Lucia - the experience of living through the excitement and the nerves. 
• Jim - when I did the acknowledgement of country I realised I can speak in front of big crowds. 
• Harrison - don't worry things will come your way and it will all work well. 
• Jack H - your effort is your success
• Lara - if you don’t give it a try you won’t succeed. 
• Heath - if you never go you never know!