Principal

What The Performing Arts Can Achieve

Last week, the boys of St Patrick’s put on a dazzling display of their talents in the staging of Animal Farm.  My sincere congratulations to all the boys who participated. It is a play with deep meaning, and I was delighted to catch up with Year 6 students who attended a special matinee performance last Wednesday, taking with them the main message: ‘that power corrupts, even when idealism is at play’. Orwell's story shows in detail how ideals can become corrupted by power. At first, the animals believe they are all living equally, but when the pigs become more power-hungry and create excuses for giving themselves special privileges, a new hierarchy is created, in many ways replicating the old one (note how the pigs come to resemble the humans they overthrew). The novel allows Orwell to point out the dangers of such radical forms of ideology, the way a brainwashed populace can be willing to excuse the most horrific behaviour. A powerful message for a college like ours that promotes Inclusivity as one of its four touchstones; we simply cannot tolerate excuses for poor behaviour towards one another. We need to name the poor behaviour and work hard to learn from each experience for the common good.

Aside from the benefits of reflecting on such a powerful message, it strikes me that the performing arts are an immensely beneficial tool for motivating and inspiring adolescent males. Since the performing arts demands one to use the entire brain and body, it provides a healthy structure for boys to begin accessing complicated emotions. Performing Arts encourage positive self-expression and creative thinking and help boys cultivate social and leadership skills. The arts can also be used to encourage and stimulate pride and confidence in boys’ multicultural identities.

Why the Performing Arts Is Vital in Schools?

If educators empower the dreams of boys, the quality of life for all of society will improve. Performing Arts’ programs in schools provide the ideal environment for boys to be emboldened and develop their leadership skills.

Our recent production has proven that adolescent boys involved in theatre arts have increased their abilities to solve problems non-violently and are more capable of building and maintaining supportive peer relationships. They have appreciated creative opportunities to increase their self-confidence, to cope with their feelings, and to stimulate their creativity and intellect. After all, they often have no other positive alternatives, and they are the ones who need these opportunities the most.

Since the rehearsal and performance planning processes require patience, boys gain tolerance of frustration with themselves, staff, and peers. They will learn that life’s challenges will cause them to occasionally feel disappointed, and they need to be able to manage their reactions positively. They will learn to appreciate each other’s individual gifts and use them to work together cooperatively. Each boy learns to discover power in his own fashion of leadership and gain the confidence to apply and use it in the real world to improve himself and his community.

Life happens a step at a time and so too does the creative process. By being involved in such a process and seeing it through successfully to the end, boys can begin to understand that they possess both power and hope. 

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Animal Farm! It has been a joy to watch the production unfold and see you all reap the benefits of being involved. Special mention of the Cast and Crew:

Cast

Production Crew and Staff

Jonah Rogers, Harry Coyne, Harry Richardson, Zachary Ferris, Patrick Ryan, Damon Irby, Harry Robinson, Dominic Taffa, Thomas Nethery, Ms Duff, Ms Ovijach, Mrs Fisicaro, Mr Heffernan, Mrs Doonan, Ms Benham, Mrs Lombardo, Year 12 Entertainment Students.

In Memoriam  

We keep in our prayers Nicholas Saoud (Year 12) and his family for the loss of Nicholas’s great-grandfather Saoud Nicolas last Friday. 

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.  

May he rest in peace. 

Amen.  

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

 SPC boys can do anything! 

**except divide by zero