QUEENS -
A Sensational Production!
What an incredible journey it has been for the cast and crew of this year’s school production, Queens by Kristen Doherty!
After months of rehearsals, choreography, music rehearsals, costume fittings, set construction, technical preparation and countless hours of hard work, more than 70 talented students came together to deliver a truly sensational production.
Performed at Shenton Theatre in Geelong, Queens brought the story of Henry VIII and his six wives to life in a fresh, funny and thoroughly entertaining way. With Henry forced to watch the events of his life unfold from purgatory, our Queens finally had the opportunity to tell their side of the story!
From the moment the curtain opened, audiences were treated to an energetic combination of music, drama, comedy and dance. Our talented Queens consisting of Evie Kent, Kobi Dalton, Tia Waldron, Tarsha Baensch, Vaeda Williams and Akira Parker commanded the stage, delivering powerful performances and belting out familiar songs as they reflected on the lives they had been dealt. Our unapologetic Kings, Sonny Duval and Phoenix Marsden and our cheeky Fools, Jasmin Mayor and Remy Duval also added to both the tension and comic relief with outstanding characterization. They were supported by a brilliant cast of gossips, kings guards and ladies-in-waiting. The show featured fabulous dancers, choreographed by the effervescent Lincoln Tate and assisted by Abbie Waldron and Mackenzie Barling. Of course, none of this would be possible without the talented live production band consisting of Scarlett Pogue, Oscar Lawrence, Riley Walsh and Blake Armistead.
But the magic of Queens extended far beyond what audiences saw on stage. Behind the scenes, an enormous team of students worked tirelessly across set, props, costumes, make-up, lighting, projections, front of house and backstage, demonstrating just how much collaboration is required to bring a production of this scale to life. The final rehearsal schedule alone involved full runs with the band, technical preparation and a complete dress rehearsal.
The performances were the culmination of months of commitment, resilience and teamwork. Students supported one another, solved problems, adapted to challenges and continually pushed themselves to be better performers and production team members.
Most importantly, Queens provided our students with an opportunity to experience the extraordinary feeling of being part of something much bigger than themselves. They created friendships, memories and a production that they can be incredibly proud of.
A huge congratulations to every student involved in Queens. Whether you were on stage, backstage, in the band, working on costumes, props, make-up, lighting, projections or front of house, you played an important part in making this production such a success.
Our sincerest gratitude also goes out to the many staff who gave up their time to produce and co-ordinate the production. Renae Barnett who directed our talented band, Anna Shaw who created the many fabulous costumes and assisted behind the scenes, Lauren O’Callaghan who worked with our backstage crew to ensure the smooth running of the sets and props and Jamie Nibloe who designed and created our amazing sets.
And to our audiences — thank you for coming along, laughing, cheering and celebrating with us!
What a spectacular way to bring the story of our six Queens to life.
Long live the Queens! 👑
Michele Crichton
Director
