Performing Arts 

Drama Matters

Throughout Term 3, Year 9 explored Elizabethan Theatre and in particular how an actor would perform in Shakespeare’s time. Our focus being The Globe Theatre and how the architecture of that space determines how the actors would perform. For example, due to the plays being performed in the day it is impossible to ignore the audience. They become part of the play and the actors must engage with them. This helped the Year 9 students make decisions about where they would place the text, what lines need to go to the character on stage and which can be shared with the audience. Please see the photos of the Year 9 scenes from Macbeth performed at the end of Term 3. You can also read a logbook entry from a student about an exercise we undertook in class. This was part of our practical exploration of speaking, moving and performing Shakespeare. 

How to speak Shakespeare: Hamlet’s speech “To Be or Not To Be”.

Personal Reflection log: 04/08/2020

By Caleb Hanrahan

"On Tuesday 4 August, we learnt a lot about the Shakespeare’s language and we even got to perform a famous speech from Hamlet. This was so helpful, so fun and very interesting to breakdown.  

What I like about this language is how it is so poetic but is said in such a normal way. For me, the Shakespearen language, even though at times it can be confusing, I still understand what the character is going for and how the actor and or character is feeling. With the speech we broke down last lesson, the character was feeling upset, alone, conflicted, destroyed inside, not wanting to continue with his life. The language didn't really make sense at the first eye. But as you read on, as you kept looking and kept performing, you really saw his pain and even felt it inside of yourself. This is what the actors need to do, and that's what actors these days do so well. With this piece of writing as well, even though it was an upsetting piece of text, it was written in such a beautiful way that you can even say it in an angry manner or a high pitch/over the top voice. We practiced this last lesson and that was really interesting for me to see that we could do this.  

So, what I learnt most from Shakespeare's language is that how upsetting or serious the text is, we can say it in different sorts of ways." 

Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Teacher

Music Matters

Welcome back to the new term. This term I am delighted to say that we will be releasing some video performances of our groups via the Woodchatta. We will be featuring our percussion, guitar and string groups. As we are now able to rehearse our instrumental groups we are also looking to have our bands and orchestra featured. I can’t say if we can have a modified concert as yet so I am aiming to video our groups and release more video. Coming soon will be Junior Concert Band and Intermediate Jazz. Look out for these performances.

We are in the middle of auditions for all our instrumental ensembles. Please check your emails for your time. Make sure you have a short piece prepared. You will also do some sight reading. 

Great news from our tutor and Junior Concert Band Director with some individual successes. Recently some of our students sat for their AMEB examinations and we had some wonderful results.

• Justin Park from Year 10 was awarded an A grade for 8th Grade saxophone;
• Braith Boccanfuso from Year 10 was awarded an A grade for 4th Grade saxophone;
• David Smith from Year 6 was awarded the highest grade A+ for 3rd Grade clarinet and
• Owen Calleia from Year 7 was awarded an A grade for 2nd Grade clarinet.

Wonderful results and congratulations to you and Miss Power for her guidance.

Mr Anthony Timmins - Performing Arts Coordinator