Performing Arts

 Surviving the “storm”

“And when the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm’s all about.” 

Haruki Murakami

The current Stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne has us all feeling a little blue and down. We have retreated indoors and are focused on hibernating, slowing down and focused on daily numbers that we find a new “normal” in this strange Term 3 bubble we are currently in.

There is something so interesting in these times of struggles that calls to our Arts in community to create, inspire and entertain us all.

In our “Digital Classrooms”

Year 7 Performing Arts are creating digital puppet performances and exploring creating stories in drama. Whilst the music students are exploring the development of music throughout history with Mr. Romeo.

Year 8 Performing Arts are developing performances in digital groups working with neutral scripts to develop a creative performance, they also transported themselves to the 1984 Olympics to perform and report on the accident with Zola Budd and Mary Decker in Drama. Music students are creating their own music at home using digital programs to create music – it takes a lot to stop our ability to create music. 

Year 9 Drama are performing monologues on ZOOM this week and have worked hard to produce pieces ranging from The Laramie Project, Glengarry Glen Ross through to Death of a Salesman. They are looking forward to presenting them to a digital audience this week. 

Year 9 Performance Technology is using a digital professional program to create set, lighting and directing choices with the help of a UK based designer Matt Kizer who has developed the program to allow students to work at an industry level (digitally). 

Meanwhile in Year 9 Music, students are studying music in film and are about to create their own score for a film.

We as a Performing Arts Department are always incredibly proud of the way the students apply themselves even in these remote times. We won’t let a little bit of social distance or masks stop us. Theatre has had masks since 500 BC.

Rachel Urquhart

Performing Arts Domain Leader