The Drama Department

It’s been a busy few weeks in the Drama Department and it’s only going to get busier in term two!

MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY AMBASSADOR

Congratulations to Catherine Baker in year 11 who has been selected by the MTC to be one of their student ambassadors for 2019. The ambassadorship is an immersive year-long theatre experience for a select group of Victorian year 11 students. The program is designed to challenge and inspire them, offering them to chance to extend their knowledge and experience by attending MTC productions, hearing from guest speakers and sharing their responses to theatre with a group of like-minded young people. They will meet with theatre professionals as well as find out about the inner workings of one of Australia’s largest theatre companies. This is a significant achievement and an amazing opportunity and Catherine is incredibly excited to get started. Watch this space for updates of her experiences throughout the year.

WAKAKIRRI

A Wakakirri Story Dance is a 3-7 minute performance by a group of students who theatrically tell a story using a combination of dancing, creative movement and acting to pre-recorded music. Schools can tell any story and use any combination of dance, creative movement, acting, music, live singing, props, costumes, sets and film projections. The possibilities are endless!

https://www.wakakirri.com/mainsite/

McClelland are entering in this incredible, statewide competition this year for the very first time and we had our first gathering last week. All the students who’d expressed interest came along to dance together, get to know new people, share their ideas and brainstorm possible story themes. Ms. Piper and I were particularly impressed with how the more senior and experienced students showed leadership and how all of the others were happy to be guided, respectful to the leaders but still comfortable to offer their own ideas and suggestions within group work. We will begin formal rehearsals in week two of next term and rehearsals are always Monday after school – all are welcome, come and see me, Ms. Sproule, in my office (in the PAC) if you would like to be involved. It’s not too late and the more the merrier!

ROMEO & JULIET

Last Saturday night the VCE Theatre Studies class and a group of students from the 9/10 Drama class attended the Australian Shakespeare Company’s production of Romeo & Juliet at Cruden Farm. It was a beautiful night for outdoor theatre, a provocative production and a lovely experience.

Getting to see Romeo and Juliet, performed by the Australian Shakespeare Company, was a truly unique experience. Aside from the personal impact of the show, viewing it as a group gave us both the opportunities to discuss our viewing immediately after, and to strengthen friendships within the group. Watching this show as a class allowed us to strengthen our understanding and create a baseline in order to support our future work in Theatre Studies. I'm so grateful to have seen this show, as I now feel far more equipped to succeed in this class going forward.

 KIARA MARTIN-PICO

 PROJECT DIRECT

Project Direct is a theatre experience unique to McClelland College. Students are given the opportunity to direct a one-act play of their choosing which means they select a script, hold auditions for casting, run all the rehearsals and make all the relevant production decisions for costume, set, props, make-up, lighting, sound, promotion etc. It’s an invaluable learning experience for students planning on pursuing a career path in the arts, as well as providing many transferable skills for those who are not, yet simply passionate about theatre. In order to receive this opportunity, students must submit an application, accompanied by their chosen script, that addresses why they would like to direct that play, the decisions they would make, how they would overcome challenges faced and why they would be a good director. I am thrilled to announce that this year we have seven successful directors (directing five plays), the largest number since the initiative began in 2010. Congratulations to the following students: Alex Raco & Ashlee Collett (year 12), Kiara Martin-Pico (year 11), Makayla Bruguera (year 10), Charlie Gibbons (year 10), Tyson Nichols and Isabella Toffolon (years 9 & 8 respectively). Watch this space for audition notifications, updates on their progress and, of course, information on how you can come and see the plays.

EMMA SPROULE

Head of Drama