Principal

Tonight, many of us will be together in the Simons Auditorium for the opening night of this year’s College production, High School Musical. Having seen from the sidelines how the show has come together over the last months, I am enormously looking forward to the realisation of that hard work tonight. My thanks and congratulations to all those involved particularly to Angela Kenna, Benjamin Hiscock and all of the staff who have led our fabulous students. 

High School Musical on Stage explores many themes familiar to school students, including here at College.  The story follows Troy, Gabriella and the students of East High as they deal with issues of first love, friends and family while balancing their classes and extracurricular activities. On the first day back after a holiday break, basketball team captain and resident jock Troy discovers that the brainy Gabriella, a girl he met singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East High. They cause an upheaval when they decide to audition for the high school musical that is being led by Ms. Darbus. Although many students resent the threat posed to the "status quo," Troy and Gabriella's alliance might just open the door for others to shine as well.

To make the show happen, students have had to be withdrawn from some classes, miss sports training, and maybe, yes, even be late in handing in some homework. So, it is worth articulating here what makes the planning, weekend rehearsals, and time away from other studies worthwhile. I think musical productions, plays, or concerts are worth doing because they are really hard. The distance between the first tentative script readings and the final polished product is huge. On a live stage there is no stopping nor making corrective edits; it is unforgiving. So students have to work and practise. They have to take critical direction and make corrections, and above all, they have to work together as a group. 

Well done to our performers who have done all of these things and are now ready to go. 

Go Wildcats!