Performing Arts

Class of Cabaret

Last Saturday, Year 12 student Holly took to the stage as part of the 2026 Class of Cabaret program, delivering a wonderful and highly successful performance. Holly was selected for this competitive program earlier this year, earning one of just sixteen places from an application pool of more than one hundred aspiring performers. Her cabaret set charmingly explored her childhood love of rabbits, weaving together storytelling, humour and music to create an engaging and memorable performance. Throughout the show, Holly showcased the creativity, confidence and stage presence that earned her a place in the program, making the College community incredibly proud.

Eisteddfod Success

Congratulations to Year 3 student, Aria, and Year 9 student, Faith, who participated in the Adelaide Eisteddfod last week.

Aria won first place and second place in categories competing with students much older than her. Aria's results were: 

• 1st Place: 8 Years Old, Own Choice, Piano Solo 
• 1st Place: Chinese Composition Grade 6 Above, Open Age, Piano Solo 
• 2nd Place: 15 Years and Under, Sonatina Piano Solo 
• 3rd Place: Grade 6 Piano Solo

We congratulate Aria for her truly remarkable achievements. It is clear that Aria’s dedication, talent and commitment to her music are paying off.

Following her performance at the Eisteddfod, Faith was awarded an honourable mention. We congratulate Faith for this achievement and on her wonderful representation of Loreto values in this prestigious event. 

Dance

Spotlight On Co-Curricular Staff: Bec Schembri

Our College is fortunate to have a strong network of co-curricular tutors who provide regular tutelage to students in a variety of disciplines. Over the coming months, we will spotlight these wonderful tutors who do so much for our community.

We are proud to announce our connection with Rebecca Schembri, a well-known and highly regarded choreographer whose work has influenced and guided hundreds of professional performers across Adelaide. Rebecca joins us this year as the Choreographer for our Senior School production of Matilda. 

Rebecca is a dedicated and accomplished dance and theatre professional with more than thirty years’ experience as a performer across live theatre, theatre restaurant, television and screen productions, both nationally and internationally. Her extensive performance credits include major productions for Disney, Warner Bros, Essential Talent and Ding Productions, along with choreography for large-scale television and live events. One of the highlights of her performing career was spending many years on air as Humphrey B. Bear.

An experienced dance teacher, choreographer and director, Rebecca has produced and staged large ensemble works under demanding timeframes, including international productions and touring performances. Having choreographed more than one hundred musical theatre productions locally and abroad, she is deeply passionate about the stage and the collaborative creative process.

Throughout her career, Rebecca has worked closely with respected Australian performers and creative teams, bringing strong musicality, storytelling and stagecraft to every project. She is passionate about creating engaging, high-energy performances that showcase performers’ strengths while upholding professional standards. Rebecca brings deep industry knowledge, adaptability and a collaborative approach, shaped by decades of hands-on experience within professional performing arts environments. We are delighted to welcome her to the Loreto community and look forward to the care, commitment and creative spirit she will bring to Matilda. 

Drama

A view from the stalls

There’s going to be a new Australian face mingling with the students in Oxford. Cate Blanchett is the latest actor to become the Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre. An annual appointment attached to St. Catherine’s College, the post, which was inaugurated in 1990, has been occupied by some well-known names from Trevor Nunn to Diana Rigg and Arthur Miller. The very first recipient was theatre great, Stephen Sondheim, who led workshops, hosted a series of talks by West End actors and took students to see rehearsals of Sunday in the Park with George at the National Theatre.

News of Cate Blanchett’s appointment was greeted with less-than-enthusiastic responses. ‘I struggle to see how anyone can teach talent,’ said one commenter I saw online, ‘I would have thought you’ve either got it or you haven’t.’

Which misses the point, surely, as well as being incorrect. Much of the work in co-curricular theatre studies at school and university is not about ‘teaching talent’ and more about nurturing what’s there, providing deep knowledge, refining skill in performance, guiding positive collaboration with others and passing on experience and insights. And it goes without saying that it’s not just Oxford students who can benefit from programs of this kind. Co-curricular theatre is integral to a balanced education. In fact, I wish we could cast the net much wider to help break down any barriers which lead people to think theatre is not for them.

Theatre is not exclusive. It is not a space where you need to have prior experience in order to step onto the stage.

Our Year 10 Drama students recently accompanied me on an evening theatre excursion which was not for an assessment, nor was it to form the basis of any learning in lesson time. I offered to take the girls so they could see an excellent example of SACE Drama standards and experience the value of seeing theatre for theatre’s sake. They came away with so many insights into the outstanding execution of a student theatre production and an appreciation of the pure joy of live performance.

The Stage columnist Lyn Gardner observes, ‘Opera, ballet and theatre can feel like a club to which not everyone is invited.’ I say, throw the doors open wide. At Loreto, everyone is welcome to join our co-curricular Arts program, in any capacity.

Paula Little

Director of Performing Arts

Who or what was your introduction to the magic of theatre? We would like to hear about it. Reminisce about student productions you may have been in at school, discuss them with your daughter, and feel free to share your stories and photos with us at performingarts@loreto.sa.edu.au