Performing Arts News
Congratulations students - the show went swimmingly!
What a magical performance by all our students in “The Little Mermaid Jr” last Thursday night at George Wood Performing Arts Centre! It was heart-warming to see the smiles of pride and happiness on so many young faces both before and after their stage appearances. During class reflections this week, students have shared their feelings of joy – their only complaint after the show being they wished they could get back on the stage and do it all again! Many said their favourite part was sharing the experience with their friends, and hearing the loud applause from our large, supportive audience. As usual, our Preps were one of the highlights – who doesn’t love an ensemble of squawking seagull aviators?!
Congratulations to the Year 6 cast for working so well together as a team to support one another during rehearsals, which enabled everyone to really shine on the night. The skills you demonstrated, not only in the Performing Arts areas of singing, dancing and acting, but also in being responsible for set changes and managing props and costumes, should give you the confidence to handle the many new situations and responsibilities of Year 7 in 2025. You are always welcome back to help with our future productions, just like this year’s terrific past-student crew of Asher and Amari Larratt (stage- hands), Hailey May (OP comms), Hayley Wolters (Stage Manager) and Lachlan Wolters (Q Lab audio and photography).
Thank you to our parent helpers and staff who assisted with props, set construction and transport, costume fittings, photography and makeup (please see the attached list). Many thanks to all staff for supervising at the dress rehearsal and on the night – particularly those who assisted on their non-workdays. Along with our fabulous staff backstage crew, your kind support helped keep our students calm and happy, greatly contributing to the smooth-running of the show.
Extra special thanks to our Visual Arts teacher, Eliza Campanaro, and PE teacher, Sally Freemantle for generously giving me their time and moral support throughout the rehearsal and performance process. Eliza assisted with costuming, sewing alterations and creating last minute costumes as needed, as well as making props with the students, supervising students at a weekend rehearsal, volunteering time on her day off and co-ordinating student makeup. Sally helped co-ordinate students at whole school run-throughs and literally ran, non-stop, during the show collecting students from changerooms so they could be on stage on time.
Many thanks, too, to 3AW radio personality Peter Stubbs, for his kind on-air review of our show! Peter described the performance as “extraordinary”, with professional costuming, sets, the way it was put together and the fact that the “whole school was involved and into it”. He said, “We talk about people who punch above their weight – I think Warrandyte Primary School punches above their weight.”. Our students were brimming with pride when they listened to this!
It's show week for the Victorian State Schools Spectacular
This weekend, hundreds of lead cast, including student principal vocalists and dancers, backup singers, musicians, backstage crew and feature artists, will bump-in at John Cain arena to prepare for the 2024 Victorian State Schools Spectacular, “Splash!”.
Best wishes to our Mass Dance team who will join Year 5 student and principal vocalist Zack Poole and past students Izayah Khazour and Cameron Poole, at the arena for two dress rehearsals on Thursday and Friday. If you’ve missed out on tickets to either of the two shows on Saturday, September 14, you can watch an edited coverage on Channel 7 in December (date and time TBC).
In summer, we are hoping to install a giant outdoor screen so the WPS community can watch the broadcast together and celebrate the students’ success. Stay tuned – and “Chookas” to our Spec team!
Kirsty Wolters
Performing Arts Teacher
