Performing Arts

Communicating with the Specialist Team

We look forward to partnering with you in 2022, and welcome your input:

Penelope Lang (Performing Arts) penelope.lang@education.vic.gov.au 

TERM THREE - THAT'S A WRAP!!!!!

After a two year absence from performing live, the Victorian State School's Spectacular returned to John Cain Arena with a BANG!!!  It certainly was 'time to shine' for over 3000 talented singers, dancers, musicians and circus performers. It truly was SPECTACULAR!!!!! Congratulations to our 30 singers and 16 dancers who participated in this spectacular marathon (almost 35 hours over 3 days). You showed great stamina, enthusiasm, focus, teamwork, resilience and bravery. I am so proud of all of you and very grateful to all of the parents and family members who came to watch, helped with rehearsals, waited in the rain to pick up kids, sorted t-shirts and hoodies and provided me with cupcakes! We could not participate in this amazing event without your support....so thank you. Fingers crossed we get to do it all again in 2023! 

"The best thing was running into the Arena and seeing it all lit up"

"Mr Kitch was such a great dancer"

"My favourite part was doing all the costume changes"

"I liked waiting backstage, especially when we could hear the crowd at the MCG"

"It was very tiring and my white shoes got really dirty"

"It was so much fun and the audience really loved us"

"It was an amazing experience and I really hope I can do it again next year"

"Was it worth it?.....it sure was!"

"The pizza was so yummy"

"The best part was seeing Melbourne footy players training at their ground on the way in on the bus!"

In other Performing Arts news we have been finishing off the term with an ACTING focus.

Some classes used their Book Week dress up costume to inspire their own 'imaginative' drama. We discussed how drama is 'story telling' and re-capped the features of a narrative. The students worked in small groups to plan then perform their own short drama story. 

Senior students participated in the improvised drama game, 'After the Show'. They worked in small groups to create a 'press conference' scenario with members of the media 'interviewing' actors about the thing that 'went wrong' in our show. I loved watching the students think fast and use their creative imaginations. Some (made up) scenarios included:

"Toto ate the Tin Man's face paint"

"The runner went and got hot chips instead of getting the Preps"

"Aunty Em fell asleep backstage and we couldn't find her"

"The cow's legs fell off and we had to hot glue gun them back on but then the actor got stuck to the cow"

"Toto accidently ripped the Wizard's pants"

"The Witch painted her face silver and the Tin Man painted his face green'

"Dorothy's shoes went missing"

"The actors ate stale beans from the Burrinja cafeteria"

"Mr Kitch had to play the part of the Scarecrow"

To top off our busy two weeks, we were delighted to welcome the Upwey High show band and rock band to perform in our gym. It was so great to see that some ex USPS students had continued to study Music in their high school years. They most certainly have inspired me (again) to start planning for our own USPS band. Watch this space!

Thank you once again for your kind words of support and encouragement during our very busy, but brilliant, Term 3. I am so lucky to be a part of the USPS community and to teach, and hopefully inspire, your amazing children. I wish you all a restful and fun term break making memories together. I look forward to seeing you all in Term 4.

Penelope Lang