Senior School Production

The course of true love never did run smooth. 

This famous quote is actually from another of Shakespeare’s plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The nature of love is explored in many of Shakespeare’s plays and is a central theme of the story of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare is keen to point out that love is not easy. True love is not something that flows smoothly without encountering any obstacles. To experience real, intense love, you have to be willing to tackle a number of issues that get in the way and Shakespeare delivers obstacles in spades for the central characters of this play. Warring families of high status and wealth, a colluding friar, a secret marriage, a fray where two prominent citizens are killed, Romeo’s exile, the plot to use a drug to fake Juliet’s death, resulting in the suicides of the two young lovers (and Romeo’s mother). A most lamentable tragedy.

In a city where gaming is everything, our modern adaptation of this story was set in Las Vegas, a bustling American city in the Nevada desert, known for it's gambling, bright lights and non-stop entertainment. We chose Vegas, as a symbol of gambling, game playing and the long-standing ancient grudge between the two powerful families of the city, Romeo's family, the Montagues, and Juliet's family, the Capulets, who don't realise until it's too late what their ridiculous feud has been gambling with – ultimately, the lives of their children. 

The 1980s time period reflects an era of big hair, shoulder pads and shiny suits. A decade known for greed and consumerism, blockbuster films, surges in pop culture, gay culture, yuppie culture, fast food and the creation of the internet. It is within these parameters that the star-crossed lovers break all the rules. Some say that their love was written in the stars, they were star-crossed lovers for whom Fate rolled the dice and their luck ran out. Romeo sees himself as Fortune’s Fool – the reality is they were all playing high stakes, gambling their lives with no sense of personal responsibility for their own actions. Like many teenagers, Romeo and Juliet are impulsive in their passion and rebellious in their adolescence. They are surrounded by adults who are absorbed in their own interests, even when they think they are doing their best for these young people. 

The play emphasises the role of fate and the powerlessness of individuals against its forces. It is ultimately the culmination of a series of unfortunate events and miscommunications that seal their tragic fate. But importantly, as our young cast have discovered, it is the families’ animosity and unwillingness to resolve their differences that contribute to the secrecy and haste of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship as they both seek ways to escape. Romeo and Juliet’s love is characterised by heightened emotions and impulsiveness. They are young and inexperienced, which leads them to make rash decisions without considering the consequences. 

Romeo and Juliet’s story resonates with audiences across time and cultures because it taps into the universal themes of forbidden love, family conflict, youthful idealism and the power of fate. By witnessing the characters’ joys and sorrows, audiences can reflect on their own experiences and emotions, cultivating empathy and understanding. 

Shakespeare’s language, written in Early Modern English, can be challenging to comprehend for both actors and audience. I am so proud of our cast who, through critical thinking, problem-solving and exploration of the text, have discovered and delved deeper into characters to gain a real-world understanding of their motivations and how human strengths and frailties shape our life journeys. Shakesepeare, over 400 years on, continues to teach us about the complexities of what it means to be human. The 2023 Senior School Production of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was presented as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of humility and empathy, and can enable us to reflect on our own resilience and capacity for growth, even in the most difficult circumstances.

I am very proud of the tremendous cast, musicians, backstage, technical and makeup students who collaborated as a powerful production team with the teachers and parents who developed the production. This production would not be possible without the incredible generosity and expertise of the following people. Much appreciation must go to the Girton staff: Mrs Jacinta Jackson, Ms Joanne Christie, Miss Emily Holmes, Mr Josh McGuffie, Dr Michael Lichnovsky, Mr Adrian Hodda, Mr David Plathe, Mr Adrian Campagnaro, Mr Mark Beever, Mrs Shari Williams and parents Greg Bowen, Bert Forbes, Kristina Forbes, Lou Moat, David Major, Jon Sterenberg, Stuart Grose, Naomi Warren and Carmello Scuderi. We are thankful for the expertise and invaluable contribution of choreographer Ms Kaddison Kearin and Professional Fight Director Lyndall Grant, as well as Anita Scott from Scott’s Mascots and Costumes, Ian Scott from ISLX Lighting, scenic artist Sam Lempio-Franklin and David Field Photography. Also to the Bendigo Theatre Company for providing us the space to construct the set and rehearse. 

Special mention must go to the VCE Unit 3 Theatre Studies Production Team – Estella Breen (Costume/Set Design), Bailey Dolan (Set Design/Acting), Isabella Ellis (Directing/Acting) James Forbes (Directing/Acting), Kai Humphrey (Directing/Set Design) and Oliver Willits (Directing/Acting) – who inspired this journey and saw it through to the end as part of their assessed Unit 3 Theatre Studies Production Folio.

We are very lucky and incredibly grateful to the Board, Principal Dr Emma O’Reilly, and Head of Arts Mrs Cally Bartlett for their continued promotion of the importance of The Arts in education and the inclusion of performing arts opportunities such as the school productions to enrich the experiences and life skills of students at Girton Grammar.

Ms Mandy Ellison

Head of Drama and Media

LEAD CAST

ENSEMBLE

Scarlett Abbott (10 Jones)

Mietta Adams (11 Jones)

Ava Bonsey (11 Millward)

Tia Brand (12 Riley)

Estella Breen (11 Frew)

Abigail Grose (10 Jenkin)

Lily Harvey (12 Aherne)

Greta Scuderi (11 Riley)

Deakin Seiter (12 Frew)

Alex Starr (10 Frew)

Riley Sterenberg (10 Riley)

Eva Westbrook (10 Frew)

Grace Whitsed (11 Riley)

BAND

AUDIO AND VISUAL TEAM

BACKSTAGE TEAM

Renn Culpitt (10 Riley)

Aaliyah Greenwell (8 Frew)

Matilda Lovett (9 Jones)

Finn McCormick (7 Aherne)

Amy Smith (9 Frew)

PRODUCTION TEAM