NEWSLETTER

The Musical 

Dear Warrnambool College Community,

 

It is with great regret and disappointment that the Directorial Team announce the postponement of Priscilla for February 2021. Despite our best efforts, the challenges of remote rehearsals will beat us for this year. We have endured remote rehearsals for over two months, but we find that we cannot hope to complete the schedule in the face to face time remaining. Indeed, the Lighthouse Theatre cannot guarantee full houses in February, but less than one third capacity. Priscilla is a show to be seen, and it will be seen, if fortunes favour us moving forward.

Running lines online
A typical Tuesday afternoon for us in our Google Classroom rehearsals of song and dance.
Running lines online
A typical Tuesday afternoon for us in our Google Classroom rehearsals of song and dance.

The directorial team thanks all cast and band members for their camaraderie, their enthusiasm, their high aspiration, their resilience and their mutual respect. This years' cast, more than any other has shown true grit and determination, and have made us extremely proud to be part of THEIR team.

 

The cast enjoyed a new world of rehearsal with a two-hour livestream choreography session from Melbourne.
The cast enjoyed a new world of rehearsal with a two-hour livestream choreography session from Melbourne.

We thank the parents who have worked beside us tirelessly creating costumes, preparing production schedules, designing sets and supporting us with piano and vocal accompaniment.  We thank our broader staff community for practical help with make –up and for their positive wishes throughout. One of our parents has described our Priscilla as ambitious, and ambitious it certainly is.

 

But, despair not, we have retained our August 2021 dates and we will take a break, park Priscilla, and all being well we will make it happen. There are too many memories to lose, 

too much of an achievement for it to be lost. The Warrnambool College Priscilla story makes for great copy – it is a story that few schools could boast of – and for us, it is a story which must still be told.

For a brief of moment onsite rehearsals we remained oh so strong in song together, but apart.
Our three extremely talented leads Neil Phipps, Liam King & Tom Hughes have all the right moves.
For a brief of moment onsite rehearsals we remained oh so strong in song together, but apart.
Our three extremely talented leads Neil Phipps, Liam King & Tom Hughes have all the right moves.

We plan to meet with team members face to face, when we are able, for a debrief and a little bit of “sorrow”. That is appropriate as we grieve what we have lost over these past very challenging months.

 

We have all very much enjoyed the experience and interactions too – ‘We Will Survive.’
We have all very much enjoyed the experience and interactions too – ‘We Will Survive.’

Again, we thank you “killer cast” and thank you band as well. This is a production we will certainly remember long into the future, and not the least because of the students and parents who gave it life.

 

Kerry Ziegeler, Kerry Cheeseman & Erin Toulmin