“The Melbourne Theatre Company is offering year 11 students a one year placement with their company as part of their student ambassadors program. Would anyone be interested in applying?’

Would I ever!

I still remember the first time I heard about the ambassador offer. It was drama class on a Tuesday, sometime in March. I remember listening as my teacher described the offer-we could send in an application and have the opportunity to represent the Melbourne Theatre Company as one of their ambassadors. Not only would the successful applicants be able to see free shows with the Company for the rest of the year, but they would also have a chance to help improve and promote the Company, while participating in intriguing discussions relating to the performing arts. I had to jump at the chance.

The application was sent in, and from there it was matter of crossing my fingers and hoping for the best, yet being prepared to expect the worst.

I couldn’t believe it when I found out I’d been successful. To say I was excited was an understatement-bouncing off the walls would be a more accurate description. So far, I’ve attended seven performances with the MTC, and each one has been fascinating and unique. The MTC aims to produce shows that not only entertain their audiences, but aim to implant thought-provoking messages and education into their performances.

‘I Call my Brothers’, the first show I had the pleasure of seeing, discusses racial tensions in an unnamed city in the 24 hours after a major explosion in the CBD. ‘The Waiting Room’ looks into the moral dilemma of IVF. ‘North by Northwest’ (based, of course, on the Hitchcock film) details a thrilling story of mistaken identity tied into a comedy of suspense. ‘Death and the Maiden’ is a thought provoking and terrifying piece looking into the aftermath of a crushed dictatorship. ‘The Weir’ combines an Irish pub setting with an array of ghost stories, and ‘Betrayal’ details an affair which spans over seven years, and its effects on those involved. And our most recent show, ‘the Boy at the Edge of Everything’ deals with the human need to want to do everything and nothing at the same time.

What I’ve found through every performance that I’ve attended is that each of these shows, no matter what they’re about, all have one factor in common. Some are new, some are old. Some are original pieces; some are based off of already existing media. Some are comedic, and some are dramatic. But all of them, no matter what their subject matter, have taught me something new.

‘I Call my Brothers’ has taught me how racism affects its targets. I knew nothing about IVF before I saw ‘The Waiting Room’, by the time I left the theatre I felt like an expert. ‘North by Northwest’ has taught me about being careful who you trust, (and how to dodge a plane in a field of crops). ‘Death and the Maiden’ taught me-in sombre tones-that seeking revenge can work against your intentions. ‘The Weir’ was a fond reminder that good old fashioned storytelling can be a shows strongest asset. ‘Betrayal’ taught me that-no matter how careful you are-your past can come back to haunt you, and ‘the Boy at the Edge of Everything’ taught me that balance in life is essential.

It is hard for me to pick a favourite out of the shows I have seen, but if you tied me down at gunpoint and forced me to choose, I would probably select ‘the Weir.’ The atmosphere of that show was astounding. From the moment I walked into the theatre, I felt I had stepped into an Irish pub, with a roaring fire in one corner and ‘the Pogues’ blasting on the stereo. The stories that were told were wonderfully creepy, filled with ghosts, ghouls and faeries. My fellow ambassadors and I raved about the production at the next meeting.

I may not have enjoyed all of the shows. For one or two of them I’ve sat in the theatre praying for the performance to be over. But despite that, after every show I came out of the auditorium with some newfound knowledge. And that is the beauty of theatre. The show may be the most boring thing you’ve ever had to sit through, but theatre still has the power to educate, inform and entertain. I salute the bad equally to the good-they all deserve my respect and attention.

The year 11’s I have met through this program are-hands down-some of the loveliest people I’ve ever met. We’re a diverse group, made up of public and private school students; with some of us travelling from as far as the NSW border to make it to meetings. Some of the best debates and discussions I’ve ever had have stemmed from our mutual love or desperate hate of the performance we’ve seen, and it’s not unusual for us to talk for an hour about the quality of our most recent viewing.

We all have aspirations after we finish with the MTC. One girl is already directing shows, some of the others perform in every school musical that comes their way, one boy is studying props and lighting, and some of us have a fondness for script-writing. We don’t know how far we will go in the performing arts industry, but we all know that we will carry a long-lasting love of theatre with us for the rest of our lives. Long lasting friendships were not part of the application, but it is a wonderful bonus.

To be one of the MTC Ambassadors in 2015 has been a privilege and an honour. We’ve still got two or three more shows to look forward to, and though I dread the moment when it all comes to an end, I’ll have a treasure trove of memories to keep forever.

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