Captains Corner 

PORRIDGE!

The production, Porridge, was fascinating as it included funny jokes and funny characters. I sang a song called Happy Ever After. It was the last song, so I had to wait in the backrooms which was under the performance stage. I had to wait for around one hour before I could get on stage and perform it. While waiting in the backrooms we played a couple of games such as UNO and Pick Up Sticks, but we had to whisper because the audience upstairs could hear us. One by one the classes went on stage and performed their song. When it was our turn to perform the grade song I stood at the front with my friends were we did the same free dance together. We then had to do an ending pose where I did the scuba and my friend on the left of me did the sea lion. At the end we did a whole school song where everyone was either on the stage or standing in front of the stage, that was great. At the end of the Production – Porridge, Miss Epskamp did the thank you’s for Mx Dutlow and Miss Dowling and then we could leave Crossway. We had to sign out with our classroom teacher and then we could all go home.

• Keitarou

On the 1st of September, Highvale Primary School had their production Porridge! We had done a rehearsal at the venue during the day and countless practices at school. Everybody was buzzing with excitement because joy of the day was finally here. I was super nervous that I would forget all my lines, but I knew that my friends would prompt me. At 5:30pm the main cast headed over to Crossway for the big night. I was jumping up and down and could barely contain my excitement. The cast all changed into their costumes and got ready. There were eight of us who had to put on mic headsets, we got ready to do that. We had to wear a strap around our waist and have the batteries and box in there and then a cord that went up all the way through our shirt and connected to these round things that went over our ears it was SUPER uncomfortable and painful. Since I am in band, I had to quickly get my mic headset on and then go grab my instrument because we were playing at the start. The Concert and Symphonic Band played a piece called ‘Starsplitter Fanfare’ and then Symphonic Band played a medley of all the porridge songs. It was really fun and I couldn’t stop the smile from overtaking my face. Everybody gave us a thunderous round of applause as we all stood up and took our bows. Then we headed to the room where all our instruments were and packed them up before running back around to the green room. The green room was for main cast who were waiting for their scene. We all had to be super quiet backstage and weren’t allowed to talk since you would be able to hear us. After so many rehearsals, we all knew the songs and dance moves, so backstage everybody was silently doing the dances. We all helped each other calm our nerves as we got ready for our moment. Since I am on in scene 1 at the very start without anybody else, I got ready for my cue, which was a song. They played my cue music, and I started to walk on, but it was the wrong cue music, so I didn’t know what to do so I just walked back to the curtain and went off. Then the right cue music played, and I walked on again, which made the audience laugh. The scene went smoothly but in one part I completely forgot my line but took deep breaths and suddenly remembered it. Some people forgot bits of their lines, but others prompted them. Then Olivia and I had our song with the Year Two’s in scene five and Olivia CRUSHED her solo. All the Year Two’s were so amazing and I had so much fun getting to dance with them. The last scene finally rolled around, and I was scared that it wouldn’t go smoothly because it was the hardest scene but let me tell you, we couldn’t have done better. Everybody put so much emotion in and gave it their all. We left everything on that stage. I was almost about to cry because I did NOT want it to end. This was one of the BEST nights ever. Mx Dutlow and Miss Epskamp gave a speech at the end and during Miss Epskamp’s speech, she called Mx Dutlow and Ms Dowling on stage and gave them both a bouquet of flowers as a thank you. All the cast on stage cheered and clapped so loudly. Mx Dutlow got very emotional at the start and at the end because our amazing production was coming to an end. Ms Charlotte had a bouquet of flowers and everybody in the main cast could take one. It was a really sweet gesture for all our hard work. I had brought with me my mum, dad, grandma, brother and friend and they all loved the show. We also sold recipe books and programs for the show and we still have some left, so make sure you go and buy one! It was such a good memory that I will treasure forever. Thank you Mx Dutlow and Ms Dowling for all your hard work. Thank you to all the parents for driving back and forth from rehearsals and thank you to all the other teachers who helped make this possible. I almost cried at the end!

-Maya.E (Mother Hubbard) 6S

On the 1st of September Highvale Primary presented Porridge, a story full of different fairy tale characters with hilarious jokes. It was about Jake Sprat trying to figure out who was behind all the crimes in Happy Valley where Mother Hubbard lost her precious recipe book and Papa Bear at the Porridge Pot, in the back rooms, with the Billy Goat brothers planning and plotting crimes. I played Mama Bear and had such a wonderful time trying on costumes, helping make props and rehearsing with everyone in the cast. I really liked looking at the other scenes and all the jokes were so funny. I would like to thank Mx Dutlow for helping us rehearse and perfect our lines and scenes, Ms Dowling for getting our costume and props, Miss Charlotte for ordering flowers for everyone in the cast and all parents, guardians and family members coming to Highvale Primary’s presentation of Porridge. I would also like to thank all cast members for coming to rehearsals and we hope everyone had a great time at Porridge. If you would like to buy a program book to learn more or Mother Hubbard’s recipe book to make her amazing recipes, please go to Compass.

• Aradhya