Spotlight on Drama
As we start to enter the final quarter of Term 1, Drama shows no sign of slowing down here at St Andrews. See below just a snippet of the various projects that we have here at St Andrews for Drama.
Project Performance
Throughout the term, we have experienced resounding success with our Project Performance after-school program led by Mr Lewandowski and Ms Rujicica. This extracurricular, weekly event has given our students the opportunity to engage in activities to build skills key to success in performance and building confidence. Students have not only had the opportunity to engage in the usual enjoyable Theatre Sport games, but also the chance to develop their own performances within groups. Mackenzie Jones from Year 11 had this to say about Project Performance:
“My experience in the program has been nothing short of fantastic and enjoyable and I now find myself looking forward to Tuesday afternoons and engaging in the many fun activities we do. I find it so inspirational watching everybody improve week to week whether it be a student in Year 7 just starting with drama or my fellow students from Year 11, who have been doing drama alongside me since Year 8. Seeing everybody grow and improve is such an amazing motivator.”
Drama Masterclass
On Wednesday the 20th of March, Year 11 and Year 12 Drama students had the opportunity to engage in a Masterclass led by representatives from Excelsia College. This excellent learning experience was organised through the ever diligent efforts of our Careers Counsellor, Ms. Therese May. She had this to say about the College:
“Excelsia College is a Christian Based College offering courses in Performing Arts, Education, Business, Social Work and Counselling. Excelsia College is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and has partnerships with more than 100 Christian Colleges and Universities across the globe. Excelsia College has recently formed a strong partnership with Sydney Film School. Excelsia College has been offering higher education programs since 1983 with a focus on collaborative learning experiences where students reach their potential through strong Christian Values. Students wishing to learn more about the course offerings at Excelsia College are encouraged to contact Ms May.”
As a highly regarded tertiary institution, Excelsia College provided an amazing opportunity for our Drama students to engage with challenging, but rewarding learning opportunities. The workshop served as an amazing opportunity to develop our students' knowledge of mask work and characterisation through physical acting. The Year 11 and 12 students engaged in an intensive course surrounding the work of Jacques Lecoq, a famous French performance practitioner, wherein they had to present a performance in his signature style. Their ability to capture the physicality of the characters found within the masks results in a series of hilarious short performances.
Our HSC Drama student, Jenille Calingao, had this to say about this opportunity:
“The Excelsia College incursion was engagingly fun and expertly informative as it enhanced the senior drama students' theatrical skills. We indulged in the practice of utilising our physical and acting abilities as we heavily experimented with strengthening our improvisation by creating our own characters with the assistance of masks and costumes provided for us. It was beneficial, especially as a Year 12 participant, to collect experiential learning that’ll be used as evidence for further studies and assessments as we head towards our trials and HSC examinations in the upcoming days; this event also allowed us to glimpse into opportunities for those who wish to do theatrical studies in university after high school. Overall, I was extremely grateful to take part in this one-in-a-million chance as I’ve gained new knowledge and skills that have developed strengths and struggles in drama.”
Through the expert leadership of the professionals of Excelsia College, our Stage 6 Drama students not only gained valuable experiential learning, but also had an enjoyable time doing so.
Stations of the Cross
Next week we have the privilege of presenting the College with expressing our faith through a representation of the Stations of the Cross. This will take place during the Liturgy on Holy Thursday and serves as a crucial reminder of the sacrifices and hardships endured by Christ. A big thank you to Mr Hoare and Mrs Andrews who, alongside the Drama Department, have worked tirelessly to make this representation of faith possible.
Our 2024 Production
As the end of Term 1 looms just over the horizon, we start to look forward to the opportunities coming out next Term. Auditions for our 2024 Production will be held early in next term. Expect sign ups for this wonderful event to come out in near future.
The College Theatre Productions are an excellent opportunity for students to engage in confidence and leadership building skills. They also serve as a wonderful display of student talent and success. However, above all else, they are fun! As stated by our HSC Drama Student, Ivan Farkas:
“There are many events that allow students such as myself to express their love for the creative arts and performance, and the St Andrews production of ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ was no exception. It was an event that not only allowed me to perform with my fellow drama students and friends, however also allowed myself and others to learn off of eachother, and pass our own knowledge down to younger students. The production allowed for camaraderie between grades, and the application of skills that can be used in everyday life in and outside of school. This type of learning and teaching is something that goes beyond a classroom and provides me with practical experience in a professional environment.”
Keep your eyes open, for something wicked this way comes. Enjoy some photos from last year’s production for a sneak peek of what a St Andrews Production looks like:
