Top Class Drama 

On Wednesday 12th March the VCE Drama class travelled to Melbourne for a jam packed itinerary of Performing Arts experiences. 

The day started with the VCAA Top Class Drama Concert at the beautiful Melbourne Recital Centre. This performance showcases the A+ scoring Performance exam pieces from 2024. Students were amazed by the skill level of the performers and were able to gain valuable insights into the various ways solo performance tasks can be adapted in Drama. Favourites included: 

• a depiction of the Lorax that spoke on behalf of the trees, combining features from the Dr. Suess classic with more a more contemporary conservation message. 

• The Drama teacher who was “threatening to walk” that clearly drew on some Summer Heights High inspiration. 

• Two different interpretations of ‘Rosie of the North’ exposing the history of women’s fight for equality in the workplace. 

Students then walked from the recital centre to take a tour of Melbourne Theatre Company Headquarters to see the many performing arts pathways behind the curtain. Rehearsals were underway for the production of the musical ‘Bloom’ which is about to tour Sydney. Parts of the set and costume could be seen in various rooms, preparing each piece to be carefully loaded on to trucks bound for the Sydney Season. 

Students were fascinated by the wig and hat room, the storage of many fascinating costumes and the workstation of the prop making team, who clearly enjoy their days crafting mysterious and realistic looking objects. 

Finally, after dinner students returned to the Lawler theatre at Melbourne Theatre Company’s Theatre precinct for a performance of ‘Robot Dog’.  This was a touching story of a young girl faced with clearing out her Mum’s belongings after her passing. Only being set in the year 2042, the meddling AI systems within the house interfere with her and her boyfriend’s lives.  

There were bleary eyes on the train journey home but all in all it was a wholesome day full of fun and inspiration.